Calif. v. CT People

[bellalunatic]

Originally Posted by connkid

I moved to Northern Calif. (San Francisco Bay area) from Windsor, CT, five miles north from Hartford and it is definitely a culture shock, to say the least, especially regarding the people in CA vs. CT.

People in CA, for the most part, tend to be very superficial and shallow. They are very much from the school of me-me-me, and to blazes with you! CA is the embodiment of a hedonistic and narcissistic society, where people are so keen to keep-up wth the Jones', and measure other people, not by their character, but by what vehicle they are driving, or the $150.00 designer jeans you're wearing! The almighty dollar in CA is God, and they use the dollar sign as a measure of the individual. They are friendly, but for the most part it's a facade.

When it comes to people in CT, or from the Northeast, for that matter. New Englander's may appear to be a bit stand-offish at first when you meet them, but what you find is that once they get to know you -and you are genuine in character-you have a friend, not an acquaintance, or fair-weather friend as you find in CA folks! Since living out here, I always remember this statement quite frequently: 'In CA it's easy to have a lot of acquaintance's, but true friends are hard to come by!'

There is one statement that I'll always remember as long as I live in CA, and I believe succinctly sums-up the Golden State. I hadn't been living in CA very long when I met a gent from NY (Brooklyn). We were comparing notes on the people in CA vs. the Northeast. After we had finished discussing-and agreeing on our 'laundry list' of items about the 'right coast' vs. CA, - (one of which is the lack of genuine friendliness on the part of Californians') -he turned to me and said 'I've found the unfriendliness to be an inherent part of the state's landscape, and I know why the people act the way they do here' I asked him what he had found in this vast cultural wasteland. He stated: 'You know what? California is a lonely mans' paradise!" A truer statement one could never make about the mass of humanity they call California!!!

If there other fellow Nutmeggers in the SF area, let us know your thoughts.

LMAO this is so funny.
Having grown up in Fairfield County *gasp* (which I could barely stand for all it's WASPY preppiness) and then moving to Sf *gasp* (happy land of the Freaks!) after college, I can only hope that this thread will ONLY continue with people who have actually lived in BOTH states....seriously, the rest of this thread has become so tiresome with these ignorant uniformed drive by abusive troll comments about both areas.

I have noticed over the years in SF Bay Area (coming up on 16 years here now) that I am still genuinely surprised when I make new friends with someone who was actually born and raised and stayed in CA. !!!
There just seem to be so many transplants here that I can't even fathom most of your negative experiences even involving real Born and Bred Californians anyway, that's what so damn funny!

Your broad generalizations are just that.** sarcasm alert** preppy CT & freaky SF!!!

Maybe you should move back to CT?

All I can say is, the driving exam in California is too flippin' easy...too many clueless drivers on the road using either NO turn signals EVER, or (my personal fave) THE WRONG TURN SIGNAL ALLTOGETHER!!!!



LOL!

[cali_baby]

people here in CA are different than your coldweather boring state...deal with it

[Steph22679VA]

Wow, this is surprising. I'm from the east coast, and believe 110% the people are wayyyyyyyyy nicer and more genuine here, no question. I won't give a list of what I've found to be true for so many northerners. People make me laugh on this forum bashing CA so much. I always wonder if you don't like it, then maybe try somewhere else that you find less superficial. I know the NE would not qualify.

[jman650]

Originally Posted by bellalunatic

I have noticed over the years in SF Bay Area (coming up on 16 years here now) that I am still genuinely surprised when I make new friends with someone who was actually born and raised and stayed in CA. !!!
There just seem to be so many transplants here that I can't even fathom most of your negative experiences even involving real Born and Bred Californians anyway, that's what so damn funny!

I totally agree! Most people are not able to differentiate between us and the transplants, and I believe that's why opinions differ so much.

Originally Posted by bellalunatic

Maybe you should move back to CT?

I second that!

Originally Posted by bellalunatic

All I can say is, the driving exam in California is too flippin' easy...too many clueless drivers on the road using either NO turn signals EVER, or (my personal fave) THE WRONG TURN SIGNAL ALLTOGETHER!!!!

Again, I completely agree! I don't know how they felt safe enough making the test as easy as they have, but we obviously have a rampant problem with incompetent drivers. The only problem is that most out of state drivers that come here are just as bad or worse! So I think it may be a nationwide issue really. Either way, there's too many of 'em here!

[johntremaine]

Hmm...interesting, because as someone who has lived in Philly and Vermont, I found the people in the Bay Area to be more unique, interesting, and genuine than in those cities. Ive made the best friends Ive ever had in the bay...

[jman650]

Originally Posted by johntremaine

Hmm...interesting, because as someone who has lived in Philly and Vermont, I found the people in the Bay Area to be more unique, interesting, and genuine than in those cities. Ive made the best friends Ive ever had in the bay...

I think its all a matter of mindset, attitude, and positive vs. negative energy. If you're open to trying new things and are able to adjust to a different type of personality, you'll do fine wherever you go, for the most part at least. But if you are resistant to change or have pre-conceived notions about a place or its people, most likely it/they will live up to your negative expectations. Regardless of where you're from or where you go to.

It also depends on where exactly you're at. If you come from an urban West Coast environment and move to a rural Southern environment, you may or may not vibe with the people or like it at all. And vice versa. It really all depends on the individual, the circumstances that individual is faced with, and luck. That's why its lame when people (like SOME people on this thread) prejudge and generalize a whole region based on their own limited experiences.