Myth or Reality: Is Northern California really more laid-back than Southern California? (San Francisco: transplants, high crime)

[GoldCountry80]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

Folks, this is the new California gospel.

Let's just close the thread now.

Okay, okay, I'll add that NorCal away from the Bay Area and Sacramento is probably more laid back than the rest of the state. However, I'm not sure that necessarily qualifies it as any friendlier. I am in Mendocino County as I type this and the people I've met have been just okay, not nearly as "small town friendly" as I expected.

I spent three days in LA/OC in February and, yeah, it was faster-paced, but the people weren't rude at all. Of course, I stayed away from the places we all know are chock full of snobs--West LA, Calabasas, South OC, and Glendale--so I think that made a difference. And I was in San Jose, Campbell and Santa Cruz last weekend and it felt nothing like the pressure cooker of SF, the Peninsula and Marin. So, yeah, it does depend on where in each region one is as to the quality of people they'll find.

So true. Never expect NorCal to be more wholesome and homey because more times than not, it won't be and this comes from an East Coaster. They are just as rude past Sacramento and also drive like maniacs and many jacked up trucks which gets annoying. I am debating whether I should at least visit L.A to see for myself if the whole legend is true. I got nothing to lose and NorCal is no better. Just for nature options but like I said before, that gets old really fast unless you can run and walk on all paths or walk in the deep woods by yourself. The whole lifestyle up this way is not for me.

[CDJudge]

Originally Posted by Rwarky

Do you feel or believe that Northern California is actually more laid-back than Southern California? Is this notion a myth or reality?

no way. n Cal is slower paced but, the people are far from laid back. They're unfriendly and hostile to anything from So Cal. They dwell on hating So Cal. It's part of their culture. In So Cal, no cal is out of sight, out of mind.

[sacite]

Yes it is. EVERYTHING is more competitive and image concious in socal. You can even see it on the local news, where the anchors look like models. People can be friendly in certain areas such as an San Diego, but I've definitely not found them to be engaging.

I think the weather naturally breeds this sort of mentality. It drives up the price of real estate, so you have a lot of "old money" in Socal. You also have more sun worshippers who have moved there specifically for that reason and of course, looking good and being "seen" is a high priority on their agenda in life.

I have one friend that I used to work with in norcal just outside of SF that found via Facebook. When I knew her, she was average/frumpy, used to frequent dive bars. She moved to Venice Beach area and every post now is about "training to the max", "what did you eat today?" with every pic of her tan, in a tank top. She is in incredible shape now, so kudos. But that is one example of the culreral differences between Norcal and Socal.

[sacite]

Originally Posted by CDJudge

no way. n Cal is slower paced but, the people are far from laid back. They're unfriendly and hostile to anything from So Cal. They dwell on hating So Cal. It's part of their culture. In So Cal, no cal is out of sight, out of mind.

No, we don't dwell on it. Lol Socal sucks. End of story.

[nslander]

Originally Posted by sacite

No, we don't dwell on it. Lol Socal sucks. End of story.

You sound very chill.

[CDJudge]

Originally Posted by sacite

No, we don't dwell on it. Lol Socal sucks. End of story.

See^?

Nor Cal blows.

[Bunjee]

Image is stubborn. San Francisco has a higher rate of plastic surgery than Los Angeles but you'd never think it from the impulsive stereotyping. Pet theories about L.A. vanity always collide with this inconvenient reality but no one wants to give up the play toy.

US Cities Interested In Plastic Surgery - Business Insider
No. 2: San Francisco, Calif. , U.S. Cities with the Most Plastic Surgery - (Page 9)
Top 10 Cities for Plastic Surgery Infographic « Page 1 « PracticeDock Blog
U.S. Cities with the Most Plastic Surgery | Men's Health

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by GoldCountry80

So true. Never expect NorCal to be more wholesome and homey because more times than not, it won't be and this comes from an East Coaster. They are just as rude past Sacramento and also drive like maniacs and many jacked up trucks which gets annoying. I am debating whether I should at least visit L.A to see for myself if the whole legend is true. I got nothing to lose and NorCal is no better. Just for nature options but like I said before, that gets old really fast unless you can run and walk on all paths or walk in the deep woods by yourself. The whole lifestyle up this way is not for me.

If you choose to live amongst rednecks, it's difficult to take complaining about living amongst rednecks seriously.

[mateo45]

My "2-cents" as both a former SoCal and Seattle resident, now retired to NorCal (the real NorCal, not just Sacto and the Bay area). So by Cali standards especially, it's a relatively cheap, uncrowded and gorgeous area, with incredible variety. Haven't seen a traffic jam in ages, and there are still houses to be had around here in the Sierra foothills on a shy acre for ~ $100K. And yeah, wages and jobs suck if you're still in the workforce and trying to support a family, and there are surprisingly large swaths of uber-conservatism here that would easily rival parts of the South. But every place has its tradeoffs and nuthin's ever "free".

Although dunno about the "laid-back" part, as much as it is just another form of "passive aggression" (usually 'cuz open anger would be considered "uncool"). So just because nobody actually says or does anything overtly hostile, it still doesn't mean they haven't made some sort of "judgment" about you, usually for transgressing various unspoken "rules" (which naturally only they're aware of…lol)! While IMHO, SoCal culture by comparison seems more authentically "laid back" and less "judgmental"… if a lot more "frenetic" sometimes.

[Bonez765]

Nor-Cal>So-Cal.

end of story.

less hollywood crap and we invented pretty much everything