Why in the world is Los Angeles so looked down upon (San Diego: fit in, mall)

[c.diddy]

I'm glad I dodmt come to L.A. with the "I'm going to see/be a movie star" mentality if you come here for that you will sink and sink fast. I originally wanted to get away from the winter then I started to visit every year then twice a year then I said I'm moving. I love everything the people beaches hell even the smog lol. Seriously tho I just embraced it and best decision yet I've made some great friends of all races and its just great.

[Jay100]

Originally Posted by AmongtheDogs

It's always noticeably left out of "best of" lists that other major cities are in. Even in the public policy polling, it was one of only three cities that have a negative view outweigh the positive...only in front of Detroit and Oakland. Is there a legitimate reason or is it just people being ignorant?

Most-liked cities: Seattle and Portland tops, Detroit dead last (poll) | The Sideshow - Yahoo! News

I think LA is hated on because Mexicans are the predominant ethnicity and it is a haven for illegals. As we all know, illegals are today's scapegoats. Then, there are other issues such as overcrowding, smog, traffic, filth in some parts, and lack of a middle class. Not everybody can make it here and so, they write it off.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan

I cannot get into a NYC crime crooked cop movie anymore knowing Manhattan is one of the safest area in the country and it looks like Disneyland now.

That's the fault of Hollywood which seems to only want to focus on NYC and LA.

If Hollywood would move around the settings to any of the other 100 decent cities we have outside of NYC and LA, it would just be a lot more interesting all the way around.

Fargo for example. Finally somewhere that wasn't NYC or LA, and huge success.

The Wire is another...put it in Baltimore, and suddenly people suddenly have their first awareness of another city that isn't NYC or LA.

COP dramas could be put in Washington DC, Detroit, St. Louis or somewhere...and it would be quite a bit more interesting.

[Mr. Opinionated]

Originally Posted by munchitup

This. ...One thing I love about Los Angeles is that the residents feel little need to brag and boast about being "the greatest city".

Thats because L.A, despite how TV and especially the gang-sploitation movies made it seem, really is laid back, not needing to prove to the rest of the country that it is a world class great place to visit and live. No need as a city, to indentify itself as rival to NYC, The Bay, Chicago or Sacramento. [who?] ...Never needed to.

[BarcelonaFan]

LA really is cool, but it say's "whatever" and sparks up a j.

Truly cool. LOL.

[moonsparkle]

I think a lot of it has to do with LA having it's own kind of conformity...meaning be yourself and we won't judge you. Even the most "anti-communist" person in the midwest or south, still support their own brand of communism...they all wear the same college football sweatshirts on weekends.

Even watching the election last night, when they showed the crowds, without even having to read the city name in the corner, I could tell when it was LA - just by looking at random samples. You see a different vibrancy in the crowd, even when they're not cheering.

[mrsltd]

Originally Posted by Jay100

I think LA is hated on because Mexicans are the predominant ethnicity and it is a haven for illegals. As we all know, illegals are today's scapegoats. Then, there are other issues such as overcrowding, smog, traffic, filth in some parts, and lack of a middle class. Not everybody can make it here and so, they write it off.

What about San Diego, or San Antonio, or El Paso, then?

Overcrowding? Compare LA's density with New York City's and then come back and tell about overcrowding.

All the rest is pretty much generic piffle (and yes, there is a middle class in the city still). I don't think people hate LA (if they do) for all that.

[BarcelonaFan]

Originally Posted by trancedout

I think a lot of it has to do with LA having it's own kind of conformity...meaning be yourself and we won't judge you. Even the most "anti-communist" person in the midwest or south, still support their own brand of communism...they all wear the same college football sweatshirts on weekends.

Even watching the election last night, when they showed the crowds, without even having to read the city name in the corner, I could tell when it was LA - just by looking at random samples. You see a different vibrancy in the crowd, even when they're not cheering.

Exactly. The right wingers in red states complain that liberals and socialists want to make us all the same but in reality it's their towns that conform to the same traditional norms and think anyone different is "weird".

They complain that liberal lefties will kill individuality but look at their towns! There is the same crap in every town. The same familiar junk that can be found in any suburban town.

Even when these ppl go vacationing they search out those familiar places and hate to try new things.

[moonsparkle]

I agree. I have a cousin in Lincoln, NE who is like that. Both him & I grew up in similar environments (mid-sized midwestern cities), the main difference him being only 1/2 Hispanic. By going to his facebook page, it's obvious he is content with getting together with the same group of friends from high school and college, then you'll see grown men putting on their matching Cornhuskers sweatshirts or jerseys while playing beer pong on game day, and posting pics every weekend of the same thing. It's really no different than what they probably did 10-15 years ago in high school. They might goto a bar after that (the loud obnoxious midwestern lets-all-shotgun-beers bars), and everyone there will be matching in Cornhuskers gear. Also, he rarely leaves the midwest, I don't think he has besides going to Colorado a few times in the past decade. He has expressed interest in seeing Las Vegas, you know, the kind of people that goto Vegas and talk about how crazy it was even if they didn't really party. It's like whenever I have a conversation with him, it's limited to stuff we did when we were younger, football, maybe the weather. There's just not much of anything we really have in common, and I've always gotten the impression it's seen as my fault. My cousin in Houston, it's sort of the same thing (he is more cultured though just from growing up in a big city) except he likes soccer, so that's really all we talk about or play FIFA.

I think my extended family in the US (not really in contact with the ones in South America) has always misunderstood me for wanting to experience and see more of the world, beyond just saying I went there and saw it. I've spent time in almost every big city in the US, been to a few foreign countries, and would like to start a new life in Los Angeles soon.

To them, that's just so different, because they've bought into this simple lifestyle that a lot of the midwest caters to. Then, whenever you get the midwest crowd who pride themselves on being artistic or "coastal" and going to martini lounges, you get this ridiculous overcorrection (them trying to prove how awesome they are) that is equally annoying. I think this is actually stronger in regional midwestern cities trying to be bigger, than the already larger ones.

In suburban Chicago, the biggest metro by far in the midwest, most people really just stick to their boring suburban bars, and going to "the city" for someone's birthday is always made into some huge deal. If someone moves into the city, that's also seen as some amazing feat when it's only a short drive to get there. Even the city nightlife there is basically this big "bar culture" and people who goto clubs are generally viewed as being stuck up and fake.

I would still take Chicago over other midwestern cities, but I knew the first time I got to LA, my biggest regret was not doing it when I was younger.

[BarcelonaFan]

Midwestern Illinois sounds a lot like suburban and rural Texas! I find it funny that they love Colorado too because everyone in Texas always raves about it. It seems like the only States Texans love to visit are Colorado and Hawaii, Vegas, NV too.

But yes, I never understood the appeal of living and limiting yourself to just one area.