Is there a unique California culture? If so, how would you describe it? (Santa Ana: homes, unemployed)

[TacoSoup]

Originally Posted by Electrician4you

Once you get out of big city or suburbia there is a lot of fruit growing, grapes for wine and eating, ranching Beef or milk cows and general farming like hay strawberries etc in California.
Most people think california is LA San Diego San Francisco or OC the rest is desert and sand.

All you need to do is drive about 45 minutes (often much closer in North County) off the coast in San Diego and you’re in another world. Where my wife works in Bonita, about 10 miles south of Downtown you have buttons for the cross walk high up for those on their horses. This isn’t some exclusive ranch community like Rancho Santa Fe either.

San Diego County is the #1 in the nation in private farms, nursery crops, and avocados. Top 10 in another half dozen or so, and top 20 in overall economic activity from agriculture.

[TacoSoup]

Originally Posted by CaliRestoration

Rich People - entrepreneurs/athletes/actors, these are the only people really experiencing the typical Hollywood portrayal of California living. Coastal living (La Jolla, Laguna Beach, Corona Del Mar, Malibu), eat anywhere and everywhere, enjoying a yacht outing or fishing trip on their own boat, home larger than 5,000 sqft. Owns an exotic car or two. Vacations 1-2 a year to popular destinations. They don't worry for the most part about the high tax environment, it's literally nothing to them. Many have been retired since their 30s and 40s and never have to work again. This is probably less than 1% of the population.

Middle Class - higher earning W2 worker, state worker, some pensioners, small business owner. These types are always on the fence about staying or leaving California. Most of them are not struggling but they aren't living the Hollywood image of the California lifestyle. Most of them live inland (Riverside, Aliso Viejo, Concord, Lakewood, Sacramento, these type of communities). They probably own a decent 2,500 sqft and under home, 2 cars. They make just enough to pay all the bills with some left over. They don't own a boat larger than 20 feet for the most part, and their biggest worries are the increasing property taxes, and income taxes, their two biggest expenses during the year. Some may earn enough to take a decent vacation every two or three years. Many in this group will work well into their 60s. This group is around 12-15% of the population.

The Poors - Part timers, students, blue collars, retail and hospitality workers, struggling actors, some pensioners, etc. These types are constantly on the verge of going homeless (and have probably spent some time being homeless in California). Those that earn a paycheck live 4-5 (or more) people in an apartment meant for two, they bunk up, and try to make things works. Some don't even own a vehicle relying 100% on a bike and public transportation. They barely make enough to cover bills, they don't save much if any money. Most haven't been on a vacation in years, if ever. Staycations are just a way of life. Highly dependent on state handouts and subsidies. Retirement? A dream. This is the majority of the California population.

Homeless and Illegals - Pretty much lawless and answer to no one. Most break any number of laws everyday without real punishments or penalties being levied. They can live anywhere; at your kid's playground, they can "live on the coast" as in they sleep at the beach with their bag of belongings hoping not to get caught by park rangers. The state provides them with money, drugs, and free hotel stays which are funded by the above 3 groups. The majority of them will never ever become productive members of society. Those are the California cultures/lifestyles in a nut shell for any of the major metro areas.

Wow. All of that, and so much is wrong. So you go from the super elite to a middle class living in the Inland Empire or Sacramento, or deep in both the East Bay and Orange Co? And from there you go to those living 4-5 people in an apartment on the verge of homelessness? And that’s the group you say is the majority of California’s population? I don’t know, but the fact that the homeowner occupancy rate in this state is 55% tells me it isn’t.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by CaliRestoration

Rich People -This is probably less than 1% of the population.

Middle Class - These types are always on the fence about staying or leaving California. Most of them are not struggling but they aren't living the Hollywood image of the California lifestyle. This group is around 12-15% of the population.

The Poors - Part timers, students, blue collars, retail and hospitality workers, struggling actors, some pensioners, etc. These types are constantly on the verge of going homeless (and have probably spent some time being homeless in California). Those that earn a paycheck live 4-5 (or more) people in an apartment meant for two, they bunk up, and try to make things works. Some don't even own a vehicle relying 100% on a bike and public transportation. They barely make enough to cover bills, they don't save much if any money. Most haven't been on a vacation in years, if ever. Staycations are just a way of life. Highly dependent on state handouts and subsidies. Retirement? A dream. This is the majority of the California population.

Homeless and Illegals -

So you apparently believe that, exempting your first two categories, a whopping 84% of California's residents fall into "The Poors" category. And anyone in the "Middle Class" category is "always on the fence about staying or leaving California." Where do you come up with this stuff?

[CaliRestoration]

Originally Posted by TacoSoup

Wow. All of that, and so much is wrong. So you go from the super elite to a middle class living in the Inland Empire or Sacramento, or deep in both the East Bay and Orange Co? And from there you go to those living 4-5 people in an apartment on the verge of homelessness? And that’s the group you say is the majority of California’s population? I don’t know, but the fact that the homeowner occupancy rate in this state is 55% tells me it isn’t.

Originally Posted by CA4Now

So you apparently believe that, exempting your first two categories, a whopping 84% of California's residents fall into "The Poors" category. And anyone in the "Middle Class" category is "always on the fence about staying or leaving California." Where do you come up with this stuff?

There's a lot of gradation in there. Let's call it a "spectrum" if you will.

So some people fall into the "Middle Poors", or "Almost Homeless Poors, or even "Illegal Poors", my model seems pretty much spot on in terms of accuracy.

Sorry for not making that more clear, but I had a quick zoom meeting I had to get to literally 10 minutes after I hit submit.

[apple92680]

Originally Posted by Mr5150

Another person from The LA or Bay Area perspective. Non urban CA is affordable. I was born in CA as were most of my friends and no one I know has plans to leave..but granted, we don’t live in LA

Born and raised here in the Antelope Valley region, north of LA. Seen some changes, some good, some not so good. Lots of growth. Lots of people came out here in the 1980s/1990s and overspent, most of them left. The new generation here seems a lot more content and live simpler lives. We climbed out of the Recession and are doing good, even with Covid-19.

I love that I can be in LA in an hour, Santa Barbara in 2 hours, the Kern River in 2 hours, Las Vegas in 4 hours, Bishop and Mammoth in 3 hours and I'm close to good medical if I need it.

I like my little spot of inland California, warts and all. I will probably be here all my life and I'm good with that.

[Nut4sweets]

There're definitely a NorCal and a SoCal cultures. Within each one, there're also City/Suburban/Rural Cultures. Like everywhere else, the Rich, the Poor, the Middle-Class, and the Homeless exist in both cultures.

Generally Norcal people are more liberal, laid-back, and techie. There're plenty of super rich people in the Bay Area that you wouldn't guess just by looking at them. Socal people are mostly conservative, a bit more showy in appearance (probably affected by the Hollywood crowd), trying to impress others with the best houses and cars that they can afford, plastic surgeries are normal.

[apple92680]

Originally Posted by Nut4sweets

There're definitely a NorCal and a SoCal cultures. Within each one, there're also City/Suburban/Rural Cultures. Like everywhere else, the Rich, the Poor, the Middle-Class, and the Homeless exist in both cultures.

Generally Norcal people are more liberal, laid-back, and techie. There're plenty of super rich people in the Bay Area that you wouldn't guess just by looking at them. Socal people are mostly conservative, a bit more showy in appearance (probably affected by the Hollywood crowd), trying to impress others with the best houses and cars that they can afford, plastic surgeries are normal.

Thankfully, I think this is becoming a "thing of the past".

[CaliRestoration]

Originally Posted by apple92680

Thankfully, I think this is becoming a "thing of the past".

Especially since the Poors population in California has grown so much in the past year.

[Huckleberry3911948]

Permanently hip every bum every hippo every walker pushing 90 year old granny
Got on ray bans tennis shoes shorts and a sequin hat

[msgsing]

Back in the 60’s it would have been Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello cavorting on a beach in Malibu with a lot of other white people.