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I live in both Los Angeles and Bakersfield. Grew up and was schooled in Los Angeles, then graduated college in Bakersfield. Los Angeles is better, if you make tons of money and can live in a good location. Otherwise, Bakersfield is very spotty. There are some locations that I wouldn't even visit like Oildale. But if you have a nice house, on a nice block, in a nice side of town, think Southwest, or Northeast, you can get by.
Bakersfield is much better than Riverside cities, IMO, because Bakersfield has an old and established culture. Yes, pretty racist too, so if you're Black be careful. Not just for safety, but also when job searching, etc,. You'll have to prove your qualifications by leaps and bounds over other people. And don't expect ANY movie theater to show movies for Black people.
Bakersfield is also extremely conservative. Just like the theaters won't show Black movies, NONE of them will show any liberal movies either.
Inconvenient Truth wasn't shown. Neither was Michael Moore's SICKO movie. This type of treatment is typical in Kern County and Bakersfield. Kind of an established Conservative style of life, and local elites dictating where the tax dollars are spent, where the development takes place, and what is allowable for entertainment and what isn't.
And if you're Black, and in your 30s or younger, I'd advise you to steer clear of Bakersfield. The gang life in Bakersfield is mainly Black and Hispanic and too many Hispanic gang members target Blacks literally. As easy as walking down the street and suddenly a knife is presented to your throat. You aren't going to get sympathy from conservative and bigoted police, and there are too many Black men in their 30s and below who have lived in Bakersfield their entire lives and don't have a perspective outside of Kern County.
And then because the job market kind of sucks, you know the minorities are rrrrrealllyy struggling because they don't have income passed down from past generations to rely on. So then too many young Black men have low self-esteem, too many young Black men walk around town with chips on their shoulder (poor, broke, targets of racism, targets of gangs) and then Black men don't treat other Black men like brothers. Instead they compete to put each other down, and some join gangs and randomly target innocent Black men they should view as brothers. Black men target Black men. Hispanic gangs, far and away outnumber Blacks, and they target Black men. There is a conservative, almost outright racist attitude by law enforcement towards Black men, so they can't call the cops for help. Then Black men attack Black men.
Basically, in conclusion? If you're chasing an integrated society, with fair opportunities... stick with Los Angeles. If you're aware that Bakersfield is much slower, but has some really nice homes and nice communities, then there is nothing wrong with Bakersfield. If you are young and Black, be careful because there is racism galore out there, and no matter which direction you look there are enemies who can't wait to attempt to make your life miserable.
Sorry... but true. Los Angeles is the better place to live.
Last edited by NameWorks; 08-04-2007 at 10:27 AM..
I've lived all over California - San Diego, Sonoma, Camarillo, San Francisco ... and every day I'm here my heart aches for more. I loved the post about seeking out chain restaraunts - very characterisitic of Bako. There's a roughness here - hard to put your finger on. I miss first-run independent films, a variety of ethnic foods (Basque IMHO is overpriced backyard barbeque), malls NOT overrun by pregnant teenage girls. Would it hurt to offer the L.A. times? I pay a monthly fee to have access to the New York times so I can avoid the Bakersfield paper. I'd describe it as a slightly redneck family town, Bible-belt conservative, limited options for entertainment venues, and unsophisticated food fare. I keep more liberal views to myself - talking about alternative views is a no-no here.
That's about what I was going to say...except I don't live there. Do you ever get used to the smell? I've never quite figured out what it is...agriculture...but something else too.
Many want to live where there is always something to "do"...and this is fascinating to me. What do they mean by that? Go to the beach, hike in the mountains/woods, go to a concert, visit a museum, go to a theme park? As a rule, many feel the need to be on the go constantly, and if they don't have something to "do" they get bored...or worse...would not have anything fun and interesting to report to their friends and co-workers on Monday morning.
Seriously, let's say they have museums/concerts/theme parks...Do they visit those places a lot? I doubt they go to there more than once every five years or so, if even then - - so, maybe it's just important to be able to tell people those places exist in their town - or if they have visitors from out of town, have someplace to take them.
Bakersfield is no better, or no worse than any place that is not focused on theme parks, concerts, museums, side-walk coffee houses...etc.
Comparing Bakersfield to L.A. is ludicrous. Comparing Bakersfield to Taft would be more appropriate.
This is not good at all, i'm a black women with a child and seems kind of scary to heear something like this. I live in Phoenix and there is a lot of gangs here also. Actually i'm from Chicago, which people always talk bad about Chicago but i didn't have any problems at all there. So Bakersfield is that bad when it comes to black living there?
Quote:
Originally Posted by NameWorks
I live in both Los Angeles and Bakersfield. Grew up and was schooled in Los Angeles, then graduated college in Bakersfield. Los Angeles is better, if you make tons of money and can live in a good location. Otherwise, Bakersfield is very spotty. There are some locations that I wouldn't even visit like Oildale. But if you have a nice house, on a nice block, in a nice side of town, think Southwest, or Northeast, you can get by.
Bakersfield is much better than Riverside cities, IMO, because Bakersfield has an old and established culture. Yes, pretty racist too, so if you're Black be careful. Not just for safety, but also when job searching, etc,. You'll have to prove your qualifications by leaps and bounds over other people. And don't expect ANY movie theater to show movies for Black people.
Bakersfield is also extremely conservative. Just like the theaters won't show Black movies, NONE of them will show any liberal movies either.
Inconvenient Truth wasn't shown. Neither was Michael Moore's SICKO movie. This type of treatment is typical in Kern County and Bakersfield. Kind of an established Conservative style of life, and local elites dictating where the tax dollars are spent, where the development takes place, and what is allowable for entertainment and what isn't.
And if you're Black, and in your 30s or younger, I'd advise you to steer clear of Bakersfield. The gang life in Bakersfield is mainly Black and Hispanic and too many Hispanic gang members target Blacks literally. As easy as walking down the street and suddenly a knife is presented to your throat. You aren't going to get sympathy from conservative and bigoted police, and there are too many Black men in their 30s and below who have lived in Bakersfield their entire lives and don't have a perspective outside of Kern County.
And then because the job market kind of sucks, you know the minorities are rrrrrealllyy struggling because they don't have income passed down from past generations to rely on. So then too many young Black men have low self-esteem, too many young Black men walk around town with chips on their shoulder (poor, broke, targets of racism, targets of gangs) and then Black men don't treat other Black men like brothers. Instead they compete to put each other down, and some join gangs and randomly target innocent Black men they should view as brothers. Black men target Black men. Hispanic gangs, far and away outnumber Blacks, and they target Black men. There is a conservative, almost outright racist attitude by law enforcement towards Black men, so they can't call the cops for help. Then Black men attack Black men.
Basically, in conclusion? If you're chasing an integrated society, with fair opportunities... stick with Los Angeles. If you're aware that Bakersfield is much slower, but has some really nice homes and nice communities, then there is nothing wrong with Bakersfield. If you are young and Black, be careful because there is racism galore out there, and no matter which direction you look there are enemies who can't wait to attempt to make your life miserable.
Sorry... but true. Los Angeles is the better place to live.
Coming from Seattle, Wa to Bakersfield has been a huge culture shock for me and my family. What I mean by "culture" shock is a different way of life than I have experienced. Bakersfield has culture with Mexican influence being the major difference for me. Not saying their arn't Mexicans in Wa. I have plenty of Hispanic friends. I am Spaniard myself. Its just not that predominate. For instance if you were to go to china town and try to make a life there, it would be difficult if you weren't raised in that envierment. Even someone going to Seattle might find it difficult to adjust. Now with that said I do agree that there is some major problems that need to be addressed. Below average schools, Gangs, trashy neighborhoods, graffiti, homeless people, lack of jobs, #3 for Bad Air and the list goes on. I know, unless you are living in a bubble that you have got to agree with at least 3 of these things. I have been trying to get out of here. This isn't some place I want to raise my family, but while I'm hear I make sure I stay friendly,don't litter, teach my kids what the schools cant and donate the things I dont need to families that do. Oh and let me add that I strongly feel that the city needs to crack down harder on all these businesses that are doing shady business. I've been scamed more times in the last two years I've lived here, then I have in my entire life.
I think Bakersfield gets a bad reputation because the name just sounds very rural. It sounds like a place where farmers with tractors live because its got the word "field" in the name. I've personally never been to Bakersfield, but from how you guys are describing the place, it seems like just another SoCal suburb. The only real negative I can see living in Bakersfield is that its definitely further away from the economic hot spots of SoCal, as I doubt many major companies have subsidiaries in that region.
Plus, when you tell someone you live in California, they usually think of the Bay Area, LA County, Orange County, or San Diego. Bakersfield just doesn't come to mind. But none of those are legitimate reasons to " hate" on Bakersfield.
I live near Bakersfield,and to be honest,before I moved to Kern County,I also thought Bakersfield was a Rural Area until I finally got to experience the place,and it really does look similar to other SoCal Suburbs with Big Box Retail and Masterplanned Communities popping up everywhere.
Bakersfield is a Nice City with Friendly Folks
Quote:
Originally Posted by LAtoOCtoSD
I think Bakersfield gets a bad reputation because the name just sounds very rural. It sounds like a place where farmers with tractors live because its got the word "field" in the name. I've personally never been to Bakersfield, but from how you guys are describing the place, it seems like just another SoCal suburb. The only real negative I can see living in Bakersfield is that its definitely further away from the economic hot spots of SoCal, as I doubt many major companies have subsidiaries in that region.
Plus, when you tell someone you live in California, they usually think of the Bay Area, LA County, Orange County, or San Diego. Bakersfield just doesn't come to mind. But none of those are legitimate reasons to " hate" on Bakersfield.
Bakersfield is a participating member of the armpit of the United States....The Central Valley, CA!!!! I know because I live there and also work in law enforcement there.
The Central Valley is full of meth labs, meth users, illegal immigrants, unemployed p.o.s'., funky smells, terrible air quality, terrible arsenic laced water, no job opportunities, section 8/welfare, bugs, indian gaming casinos/crime hubs, etc etc etc
I would never live in the Central Valley by choice, it truely is miserable. I know I had culture shock when I first got here. I thought I was in Mexico. That thought was confirmed when I went to Wal-mart!!!!!
If anyone is thinking about relocating here for what ever reason...DON'T!!!!
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Los Angeles is the better place to live.
Something to "Do"??
Bakersfield, Mexifornia
