I don't understand this about a lot of LA's working class.. (Los Angeles: transplants, buy)

[LAstateofmind]

I graduated from FIDM a couple of years ago and I work in marketing at a cosmetics company. My current salary is 40k, nothing fancy and enough to get by in where I live in Downtown LA.
I am originally from NYC and I love it there, but I decided that I wanted to live somewhere more laid back for when it's time to start a family. (I don't plan on living in downtown. I'm considering the suburbs when I really settle down)
But anyways, I've made several friends in college and out of college and I've noticed that a lot of people I met out here who are working class are OBSESSED with hating the rich. So many of my friends complain and mock those who can afford to live in Beverly Hills, the Palisades, Brentwood, Santa Monica, ect. I've also been doing a lot of research from perspectives of others on this forum and I notice the same.
Now, my fiance is studying to be a psychiatrist. He is already has his BS and is in medical school. After medical school (four years) he has to complete a three year psychiatry program (three years), totaling it to 11 years after high school he has to dedicate to study and as a result he will make at least 150k a year eventually graduating up to more as he works hard.
I knew that by me choosing a career in cosmetics and only having an associates degree, I will never be upper class and I accepted that. I am content with living in my studio, living paycheck to paycheck because that is the choice I've made. If I wanted to live fabulous, I would do the same thing my fiance is doing and become a doctor or lawyer.
I know too many people who came to LA straight out of high school wanting to live a glamorous life, meanwhile they did nothing to get there. I have NOTHING against working class people. I just have things against people who are into "get rich quick schemes" and feel entitled to this "Hollywood" life. I can't stand seeing people complain about people who make more money than they do, when these people have devoted their energy and time into getting these careers.
I know that this is not ALL the working class as I have surrounded myself with people who are very grateful and enjoy what LA has to offer. I just wonder why people judge people JUST because they have money and are more fortunate. I think that is so wrong.

[jamills21]

I think your paying too much attention to what people say about the rich. There has always been a schism between rich & poor which is not exclusive to the Los Angeles Metro Area. Your friends that complain may feel that the rich live in their bubble on the Westside and poo-poo anything east of La Cienega as dirty or ghetto. Rich People inversely probably feel that your friends are moochers who don't work hard enough. Worry about yourself and your family because all this talk doesn't matter in the long run. Poor man wants to take your money, Rich man wants to take your money.

[LAstateofmind]

^ I do understand what you are saying. It's that not that I'm concerned about how people are living. I just think it is so ridiculous on how so many people will judge someone for the simple fact that they make a lot of money.

[jm1982]

L.A being a laid back place? That's a good one! But I guess it could be compared to NYC

I agree with previous poster that this type of thing isn't exclusive to L.A .

During the last presidential election Mitt Romney was portrayed as a bad greedy rich guy that didn't really deserve the money he had .

There is a lot of inequality and incomes for the poor and middle class haven't come up.

I do agree with you though that people that haven't put in an effort to better themselves shouldn't really be complaining .

Also if your future husband will be making $150k and you continue to make 40k or so , you'll be considered in one of the top earning households in the country. If you actually save and invest that income well you have a good shot at being rich. In L.A even average household income is only 56k per year.

I personally don't like when people say "I'll never be rich" or "I'll never be able to afford that."
It's putting self limitations on yourself . If you have that mentality it is less likely that you will become rich. Anyone that says they'd rather struggle being middle class or poor rather than rich isn't being honest with themselves. Having money doesn't just buy you material possessions , it can also free up your time too. The idea that hard work and putting in more hours is false. Some of the people that put in the most working hours in this country are poor. If you have enough money you can have your money working for you so that you don't hardly have to work at all. Living paycheck to paycheck is very dangerous, what if the car breaks down, you get sick, you lose that job ? Everything can fall apart very quickly.

This is about negative money beliefs
101 Negative Money Beliefs

Reading through them you will find that many of them are very commonly said in our society.

13. Money only comes from hard work.

95. I will always be poor.

There are literally millions of millionaire households in this country. That makes me feel that becoming a millionaire is not something that is such a longshot as winning the lottery.

If you're not born rich , owning a business is the best path to wealth. Few people become rich as employees.

There are also a ton of people that make high salaries and just spend it all. Especially in a city like L.A $200,000 doesn't go super far after taxes. It's a great income no doubt, but there are plenty of people making that income and still living above their means.

[jamills21]

What I would say to you is that this is an intra-city rivalry that like sports, does not have to rationally ever make sense to the fans involved. Eastside people will generally not like Westsiders because they think it is too Suburban and Bland. Westiders don't like the Eastiders cause it's not safe and is dirty. It's a bunch of BS and they both know it but because they gotta pick a side, they will not hear any rational argument on why the other side is just as nice as the other. Again...people talk BS all the time about freaking everything (which is why I personally can't stand City vs City). Next time your friends talk crap about the Westside, just tell them they don't have to visit the beach with you.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by LAstateofmind

I know too many people who came to LA straight out of high school wanting to live a glamorous life...

So these people bring that attitude with them?

[jm1982]

When people open their mouths it often shows their ignorance .

Some people feel the need to classify themselves and its pretty annoying.

I have a coworker that lives in Santa Monica and she seems to mention it in a bragging way and acts ignorant of other areas even though she claims she worked in Burbank , but she always makes a point that she doesn't know the valley so it's kind of insulting.

I did grow up on west side myself so I do know the west side is pretty detached from the valley psychologically.

There wasn't really a need to go to the valley.

I feel like I now have a better perspective on more of the city , although west side is a lot nicer than the part of the valley I live in .

I think that mentality of not going east of the 405 is limiting.

Nowadays it seems a lot of the exciting stuff is happening in non west side areas .

[Jonah1979]

Originally Posted by LAstateofmind

I graduated from FIDM a couple of years ago and I work in marketing at a cosmetics company. My current salary is 40k, nothing fancy and enough to get by in where I live in Downtown LA.
I am originally from NYC and I love it there, but I decided that I wanted to live somewhere more laid back for when it's time to start a family. (I don't plan on living in downtown. I'm considering the suburbs when I really settle down)
But anyways, I've made several friends in college and out of college and I've noticed that a lot of people I met out here who are working class are OBSESSED with hating the rich. So many of my friends complain and mock those who can afford to live in Beverly Hills, the Palisades, Brentwood, Santa Monica, ect. I've also been doing a lot of research from perspectives of others on this forum and I notice the same.
Now, my fiance is studying to be a psychiatrist. He is already has his BS and is in medical school. After medical school (four years) he has to complete a three year psychiatry program (three years), totaling it to 11 years after high school he has to dedicate to study and as a result he will make at least 150k a year eventually graduating up to more as he works hard.
I knew that by me choosing a career in cosmetics and only having an associates degree, I will never be upper class and I accepted that. I am content with living in my studio, living paycheck to paycheck because that is the choice I've made. If I wanted to live fabulous, I would do the same thing my fiance is doing and become a doctor or lawyer.
I know too many people who came to LA straight out of high school wanting to live a glamorous life, meanwhile they did nothing to get there. I have NOTHING against working class people. I just have things against people who are into "get rich quick schemes" and feel entitled to this "Hollywood" life. I can't stand seeing people complain about people who make more money than they do, when these people have devoted their energy and time into getting these careers.
I know that this is not ALL the working class as I have surrounded myself with people who are very grateful and enjoy what LA has to offer. I just wonder why people judge people JUST because they have money and are more fortunate. I think that is so wrong.

I lived there 7 years and really didn't notice that attitude. However, what drove me nuts is average middle class people pretending they are rich and living way beyond their means only to break down because they were saddled with debt.

[disgruntled la native]

OP: They're just jealous.

Actual LA natives tend to be down to earth and real. The transplants, particularly those seeking entertainment industry, are fake and superficial. They con their way into some nightclub and take a photo with a D-list celebrity and post it on facebook. they get a sugar daddy and brag about riding in a BMW or dining at the ivy. then they get used and dumped and go back to iowa.

[ccm123]

Many in LA have a "wannabe movie star" mentality and many come to LA in hopes of "striking it rich quick" in the entertainment industry. After they realize that it is not as easy as it is made out to be (lot of competition out there), they become annoyed and sometimes, resentful.

The folks that arduously prepare long and hard for a career (e.g. - getting a formal education and dedicating your life to your career by continuous education and practice) have their rewards ahead of them.