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This simply doesn't gibe in any way with my experiences down there, and I'm trying to figure out where you got this notion from. I suspect that you've been bar-hopping out at some of the beach areas in your free time, or that you have been living in wealthy neighborhoods? You seem to be saying that the majority of San Diegans are wealthy people who despise a few working-class people, but my impression was that there were many more working-class types than rich people.
No. I lived in various parts of SD on and off for 5 years. I lived in 8 different locations from a slum studio in City Heights to a nice house in the PB/La Jolla area. I worked a total of 6 jobs, did a lot of journalism all over the city, attended Mesa College for 2 years, and I most definantly have an accurate grasp of what the pulse of this city really is.
A few things i'll mention. Every service job that I ever worked at, I was treated very, very poorly by customers. I worked at a grocery store and a coffee shop, and in both places a was often treated as a lowly servant or an underling. Professionals would act extremely disrespectful, impatient and insulting on a regular basis to me and all the other workers. Yelling orders at us and other overt acts of rudeness were totally commonplace. It's obvious that there is a BIG superiority complex there, although nobody would over admit to it (well, at least in Orange County they're more open about these socio-economic prejudices.)
Then there were my professional experiences, in which I would wear a suit and for all intents and purposes be a white-dollar person (which I suppose I officially am now) And you guessed it, when I go out looking like this, suddenly people want to know who I am and become my best friend. Especially if I tell them i'm college educated, have a professional job, and seem to be on my way to oney and status. That is ALWAYS like the magic key to respect around here. Which is very, very shallow and unique to this city and just a couple others i've been to, like Miami, LA and other places full of GOLD DIGGERS and POSERS.
I prefer to be judged on the content of my character, not my profession or financial success. Even though I CAN hang with the show-offs around here at this point, I see through that game and just don't want to. I don't see how so many people get absorbed in what seems to me, to be such an obviously shallow aspect of society here. It's very wasteful and unsustainable too. The environment? Anyone around here heard of it or care about it?
I would go on and on yet again about all the little things people do around here that reflect thier poor attitudes and ignorance, but I've posted a lot on that and covered it fully I think, as have other people. My experience comes from my observations from working and living in San Diego in many different capacities. Stepping into many different roles and uniforms and seeing how radically different I get treated based on these superficial things.
Lately i'm starting to realize though that many of the things I dislike about SD are widespread across all of America more or less, taking different shapes and expressed in different ways. I think California used to be truely unque and special But globalization, and a flood of transplants has brought to California the over-indulgent, over-consuming, narcisist, obese, American culture of instant gratification, which is reflected in virtually everything about them.
The place I grew up was insulated from a lot of "typical American" behavior because it was very progressive and very different than a typical American city. But SD is definantly part of the good ol' USA, with all the bad, bad habits and ethno-centric attitudes that come along with it. Although lots of SD people will put down Southerners and Midwesterners for being backward and claim to be more sophisticated, SD people are part of the same ilk. If you give an ignorant hick a BMW, a surf board and a nice wardrobe, are they really any better?
I'm looking into leaving the country.....seriously. The USA is going to crap. Watching the news, observing the economy, or even reading these forums will indicate this. The quality of life is declining, unless you are already wealthy, but even they are being threatened now. Here comes a BIG crash. No more cocktail parties, sorry Instead of cocktails, pretty soon it'll be molotave cocktails and riots.
Someone mentioned earlier in the thread that those who complain about SD are the people who cannot afford it. To that I say aren't thier complaints vaild? Or are they to be ignored and disregarded because they are poor? Are the poor of SD like some scum who's opinion doesn't matter, and they should just move out since they can't afford it?
Shouldn't we recognize, address and respond to the struggles that afflict the poor in this city? After all, if they are stuggling then the crime and bad vibes from them will be on the same streets that we all share.
It seems like nobody cares as long as they and their family are well off. Everyone is in it for themselves, fencing themself into thier own property and ignoring the community, unless it's some light-hearted social gathering. Once again, that's just the SD way. Get in your car, drive where you need to go, and don't look at those scary people on the streets. They can't afford this city so let them rot. That's an all too common attitude around here.
And as long as the city as a whole keeps functioning, why worry about little things like millions of American people being broke and miserable, right here in this city?
Who am I kidding, none of you San Diegans care about this. You're probobly flexing you muscles in the mirror and putting on make-up right now. Lots of San Diegans really do need to look outside of their little bubble ad see that So-Cal is not the center of the universe. And when you do look, try to feel a little empathy and humanity if you possibly can, even though it won't gain you anything personally, you should try it.
Location: Originally Fayetteville, Arkansas/ now Seattle, Washington!
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Still these are complaints i wouldn't mind having. Maybe you've become so used to SD that you fail to realize what a lot of the rest of America goes through. Crime. Everyday when i come to my very nice downtown apartment complex, i am during the day overrun by bums. They are EVERYWHERE. At every single street corner, hanging out right outside of the door to my apartment, following me around. THen theres the drug dealers that yell at me every night and chase my car(in my nice neighborhood) many times trying to catch up to me and follow me in my apartment garage(had a drug crazed lady actually get in once, that wasn't fun at all). One of my first experiences in this city was i stopped in for a pack of smokes at a convenience store on one of the nicest, most fancy streets in the northwest(if any of you are familiar with seattle, you know where Alki beach is, this is where this took place). A "gangsta" pulled up leaving his car on, and opened the door for me, he actually seemed pretty nice. After he got his stuff he went outside and got in his car. 2 guys ran up and started tellin him to get out of the car, they pulled out guns, and from there you can guess the rest. All of this happening about 8 feet from me. Note this took place right down the street from 5 million dollar a piece condos. People here are almost as fake, always acting like they are better than you. If you're not from here good luck making friends. These are just examples. This all happens in seattle, one of the safest big cities in america. I envy your problems, which i why i will probably be moving to SD this summer
Funky Monk,
Where do you live now thats so better? I see how you are always railing against SD but where have you found that meets your expectations? You never mention it so I can't help but think you haven't found your Shangri-la yet.
I lived in Small town Kansas for 5 years. Its beautiful and very nice. People are great and you have the opportunity for sweet silence and beautiful big sky there. Maybe you should consider that.
Someone mentioned earlier in the thread that those who complain about SD are the people who cannot afford it. To that I say aren't thier complaints vaild? Or are they to be ignored and disregarded because they are poor? Are the poor of SD like some scum who's opinion doesn't matter, and they should just move out since they can't afford it?
Being poor makes life suck, generally, so it really doesn't matter so much where you live.
Who am I kidding, none of you San Diegans care about this. You're probobly flexing you muscles in the mirror and putting on make-up right now. Lots of San Diegans really do need to look outside of their little bubble ad see that So-Cal is not the center of the universe. And when you do look, try to feel a little empathy and humanity if you possibly can, even though it won't gain you anything personally, you should try it.
You've just lumped all of us into a stereotype you detest simply because we present a different picture to what you view is all of San Diego?
I think it's awful that you've only come across people whom most of us would want to avoid as well and that you think lots of San Diegans lack in empathy and humanity. I'm sorry but from reading all your posts, it sounds like YOU live in a bubble. The people you describe definitely exist but SD doesn't hold a monopoly on shallow thinking or people. Again, I really am having a hard time comprehending how one can't get away from these "awful people" and find the down-to-earth people my husband and friends have come across - from the poor, middle-class AND wealthy in the county.
I really am having a hard time comprehending how one can't get away from these "awful people" and find the down-to-earth people my husband and friends have come across - from the poor, middle-class AND wealthy in the county.
You know the old saying "wherever you go, there you are"?
I think our friend FunkyMonk is either very young or very depressed, possibly a combination of the two.
Funky, best of luck to you, but I have a feeling you will be disappointed in the rest of humanity no matter where you go.
I agree with you for sure, this city is HIGHLY overrated. The weather is amazing and it has a few good qualities. But it's two-dimensional, it's all hyped up and polished on the surface, but lacking in real substance......a lot like the people of this city.
Also the cost of living is totally ridiculous, the socio-economic inequality and seperatism is strong, ego-mania and conceit run rampant, people drive way too fast and dangerously, gangsters and a ghetto mentality run strong almost everywhere east of the 805, and west of the 805 is mostly elitist snobs that turn their nose up at you for not having a luxery car and expensive wardrobe.
Soooooooo shallow and impersonal. Every So-Cal stereotype about the plastic, fake lifestyle here is totally true here. The So-Cal people really are the most decadently materialistic people i've ever seen in my travels.
This city is only good if you are filthy rich. Then you can shelter yourself from all the bad things, and join in on the materialistic masquerade of status symbols and keeping up with your neighbors. Then you can disrespect poor, working-class people just to boost your fragile ego a little bit more. That's what people do in SD.
I agree with everything you said here. But San Diego is still better then L.A when it comes to people's attitudes. In L.A people are more fake, materialistic, and think stupidity is cool.
If I had to pick L.A or San Diego.. San Diego is better. But both places are true to the stereotypes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sassberto
You know the old saying "wherever you go, there you are"?
I think our friend FunkyMonk is either very young or very depressed, possibly a combination of the two.
Funky, best of luck to you, but I have a feeling you will be disappointed in the rest of humanity no matter where you go.
If something is true about a place, then why deny it? South Cali is what it is. Of course you would get so defensive, you live here!! lol
It is not that ALL people are snobs and materialistic. It is the youth culture and how it percieved by the people.
Like in Japan school students are more intelligent -- it does not mean all of the japaneese students are intelligent there.
It is just based on the majority of cultural differences. That is all
Last edited by Beliy Plashik; 01-24-2008 at 08:38 PM..
You know the old saying "wherever you go, there you are"?
True. Get busy being happy and comfortable in your own skin and get over the bitterness of past experiences (I wasn't treated well when...). Until one can do that, I think it's highly unlikely that one will be able to see the good that really does exist out there - whether in San Diego or elsewhere.
I would be an absolutely miserable person if I held on to every injustice that had come my way. That's certainly not the way I want to or choose to live. But...that's just me.
When someone has nothing but bad things to say about all the people in a given city ... they really should take a good look inside themselves, and consider whether THEY are actually the one "with the problem", and NOT everyone else!
Maybe that person has too many personality issues (quirks, wierd style of dress, etc) to fit in with the rest of society. And it's just easier for that person to find reasons to hate everyone else as a whole, rather than change themselves!
It's a very sad way to go through life ... especially in a wonderful place like San Diego!!
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Instead of cocktails, pretty soon it'll be molotave cocktails and riots.
