Why do people brag about hating California? (Los Angeles, San Diego: transplants, how much)

[icecoldlemonade]

I'm just curious because I've encountered this so many times. Surely, we all have our opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of San Diego and CA in general. But complaining about how awful SD is seemed to be some kind of initiation rite among my cohort in graduate school -- I just caught a whiff of some more just a moment ago -- and it made me curious.

Some of that is probably just culture shock from people who lived in very different places prior to California. The sprawl, car-culture, lack of greenery just throws them off. Of course the political climate might be different too. Also, people from all kinds of states complain about how much they hate living in ____.

But I almost never encounter people *bragging* about how much they dislike their home-state outside of Californians (transplants or natives). It is almost as if they get some kind of street cred/ brownie points if they alert everyone around them how much they hate California.

Is it the stereotype of SD/California as being la-la-land, full of slackers and bimbos?
Is it anger because California is hyped so much, is so expensive, but probably doesn't deliver the fantasy?
Is it mostly just to counter the hyperbolic reactions that some people have when they find out you're from SD/California? (I'd imagine it is similar for those from NY and HI)
Or is this phenomenon just specific to the people I have the misfortune of encountering day to day?!

[JakeDog]

I hate Los Angeles, love San Diego, love SF, hate Bakersfield, love Lake Tahoe. Hating California is a little like hating the entire East Coast. It's huge and encompasses a lot. Often a lot of people who profess to hate "California" will modify that hate when talking about specifics- "I hate California, but would love to live in Santa Barbara if I could afford it, but I wouldn't live in LA if you paid me". Truth is LA stinks and many people unfamiliar with California associate a lot of good with the bad (LA, which does stink).

[malcorub16]

Originally Posted by icecoldlemonade

Or is this phenomenon just specific to the people I have the misfortune of encountering day to day?!

Might just be your classmates who are from some where else and are homesick. Most of the people I encounter with this attitude are military and are not here by choice, especially the spouses.

[icecoldlemonade]

Originally Posted by malcorub16

Might just be your classmates who are from some where else and are homesick. Most of the people I encounter with this attitude are military and are not here by choice, especially the spouses.

Do they brag about disliking California though?

In the end, I agree with some of the complaints that I hear...but it is the way the complaints are done that bothers me. It seems almost like a form of snobbery. The "I'm from the civilized East Coast and what is this place?" kind of complaints.

[tonyinsd]

Yeah, and the people who consider themselves so civilized for the most part haven't been to a cultural institution in decades, if ever.

A recent conversation I had with someone who had been in the arts for his entire professional career got my attention. He said at the high end, which is where he was when he was working in the field, there's not much of a difference between San Diego and major east coast cities. It's when you get to that middle tier where the difference shows up. And it's big.

I never thought of it that way.

[GratefulDeb]

Bottom line is other places have their positives but you can't beat the weather and scenery here. Isn't it worth it to them to adjust to whatever annoys them to be able to actually "LIVE" your life 365 days a year instead of hibernating from November to April? I'm from NY, been here 5 years and would never live anywhere else. NY may have culture but it's also dirty, crowded and everyone is in a frenzy and a bad mood all the time. I like that there is no NY minute here. It's what I was looking for. To each their own.....

[OHW]

I live in Texas so I hear people bragging about how much they hate California all the time. I can't wait to get back!

But what I usually hear is why would I want to go out there and pay all the taxes. I tell them it's a beautiful scenery, weather, and women fee that I am more than happy to fork over!

[NYSD1995]

I can't understand hating a place. I mean, it's just a collection of inanimate objects. Hating people makes sense, but then you are a jerk. So little time, so much to hate?

[Tchud Diego]

It may also be that some (not all) people who complain about California (L.A., San Diego) have illusions of living here but simply can't afford it. Weather, scenery and general safety of the area makes it a very expensive, but desirable place to live. I have seen many people in the military say they hate San Diego, only to go home and then return later to live here.

[SanDiegoDude]

Originally Posted by OHW

I live in Texas so I hear people bragging about how much they hate California all the time. I can't wait to get back!

But what I usually hear is why would I want to go out there and pay all the taxes. I tell them it's a beautiful scenery, weather, and women fee that I am more than happy to fork over!

Texas is the anti-California....politically, lifestyle, values, everything.

Screw them.