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Wow. I'm kind if shocked by these responses. I have never encountered "classism" in SD. One of my sisters lives just outside of Potomac, MD in D.C. and she has had to deal with this, but me...never! I guess, tho, that you have to be white and decently dressed in La Jolla and such to avoid scrutiny.
I would really love to have a questionnaire and go all around San Diego County, and ask people "What do you do for living", "Do you have any debts"???
Because I see a lot of wealth in San Diego, but where does it all come from? Where are all the $100K-200K year jobs located in SD? How can people sustain a huge mortgage payment on a house that cost $500K, huge $500 a month car payment, food, utilities, entertainment, extra goods and random expenses and claim to not have any debt or struggles?
Seriously though, San Diegans love there Beemers and Benzs. I see younger people driving many luxury cars that they shouldn't be driving because there is no way a 20 something is able to afford a $100K car, unless there parents are super rich.
It's so true, the old saying "You are what you drive" especially in California.
People will look up or look "At" you if your driving something nice, because image is important in CA.
I do believe people blend in real easily here compared to OC, but still, that divide of the Richy North and Poorer South of I-8 is noticeable.
Even girls here would rather date a guy that's driving a new Acura TL, than some dude in a 80's or early 90's Toyota or Honda.
It's funny because if a person is from Cali, and they visit another state, say Missouri, and you tell people that your from California, either they will love you or hate you. The reason being is because people in Cal are usually ahead of trends and are up to date on everything that's going on, plus it's cool to be from Cali on the other hand some of the old folks will hate you, because they think that we are endangering there culture and morals since our lifestyles are different.
I know this for a fact, even chicks in the Midwest like guys that are from California, they think were so cool but the old timers despise of us.
Another stand out is, if your living in low income housing or HUD housing, and you see a lot of newer luxury cars in the parking lot, those people are probably lying about how much they make, or hiding extra cash under the mattress that came from drug money or offshore accounts. Believe me many foreign Russian nationals really know how to hide there money well, because they live in HUD housing, some don't even work, yet drive brand new cars, and have nice things. Many of them are even on Social Security and there not even US citizens! Now that is not fair to Americans that work hard all there lives, and don't receive SSI!
The reality is, people try to out do each other in San Diego, because we are a well off city.
You might not notice as much it in certain area's of SD, but you still see wealth no matter where you go in San Diego, even in poor sections of town, your still gonna find a nice brand spankin new Beemer or Range Rover cruising in the hood, but that's cuz the young dude driving the nice car is using drug money to buy there nice rides, pimpin hoes, or doing other illegal stuff they shouldn't be doing, so the wealth isn't an honest one.
I would really appreciate it if you wouldn't label everything south of the 8 as crappy. After all, Mission Hills, Point Loma, Mt. Helix...all not crappy. I am the child of rich people who aren't stupid. My parents own an old Focus, I have an old Saab, husband has an old Mazda truck, kid drives an old Mazda Protege. When I was in college, I didn't care what a guy drove...only that he had a car. Maybe I'm different or just was brought up right, but I don't care what people drive. Bwahahaha. Please don't bring SD people down. My parents came from the Midwest in the 1950s. We really aren't different from amyone else ANYWHERE.
I would really appreciate it if you wouldn't label everything south of the 8 as crappy. After all, Mission Hills, Point Loma, Mt. Helix...all not crappy. I am the child of rich people who aren't stupid. My parents own an old Focus, I have an old Saab, husband has an old Mazda truck, kid drives an old Mazda Protege. When I was in college, I didn't care what a guy drove...only that he had a car. Maybe I'm different or just was brought up right, but I don't care what people drive. Bwahahaha. Please don't bring SD people down. My parents came from the Midwest in the 1950s. We really aren't different from amyone else ANYWHERE.
I agree! here in Tucson, try going to the "rich" parts of town and they start to get all "status conscious" on you, but its because those kids weren't raised to understand the value of a dollar or the soul of a person. some of my best friends are very well off, but they know hard work very well and are not pretentious at all, and drive modest cars. They give everyone a chance and are extremely friendly and open people. It all boils down to how you were raised. Maybe females don't care about having the nicest cars as long as we have a reliable one. I'd rather spend money on clothes and taking care of myself than to spend money on a fancy car and an apartment with more amenities than I need. I wasn't brought up on a lot of money (I grew up poor actually), but my parents (though I love them dearly) are some of the most judgemental, pretentious people you will ever meet. It bothers me because I grew up with humble friends who had humble families so I am definitely nothing like my parents. Luckily I didn't turn into a judgmental, pretentious person, lol.
Bottom line, it all boils down to how you were raised and who you choose to be. More importanly, who cares about the other seemingly "status conscious" people. life is too short and those aren't people I would care to be around anyways.
I believe so. I find that people are not mean spirited, but they do divide you based on where you own your house. And if you are driving a lemon with the doors hanging off its last hinge - forget it. I find that people are not directly rude, but they do other things that separate you and then after a while, you know to call your "other" friends rather than try to hang with the people who are more rich/fashioable/out going/trendy that you are.
For example, they wont' invite you to the beach, and then you accidentally see them there and they ou and ah about how it was a sudden decision and they didn't have time to call you. Oh yeah, right. After a couple of these, you just know. They don't laugh in your face or commetn on your poor dress or anything like that.
The last post summed it up just about right. People aren't overtly 'status-conscious' but there's a collective air of it. It's mostly cars and their attitude i.e. the way they walk and the smug look they may or may not have on their face will tell you if they think you fit in. But it's not usually about their clothes -- San Diego in general has no fashion sense. ("No fashion sense," mind you, not to be confused with "bad fashion sense.") They won't talk smack about you -- but actions speak louder than words, if you catch my drift.
However, it is worth noting that there are a growing number of people who are status conscious and once someone does decide to be vocal about how 'status' they are, they're usually looked down for it. That could be because in general they're just not very good at it.
Yeah, I think you'll get that just about anywhere. Status is an unavoidable fact of life even in the smallest town. I am more surprised that it isn't as bad as could be expected. I kind of prepared myself for the worst but have found people to be generally more friendly here than where I came from. Perhaps it's the places I go, but I prefer to stick to the nicer areas when possible.
Also, people do not dress as nice here as they did in the area I came from. There is this image people outside of CA have, most likely generated by Hollywood, so I was sure to bring all my nicest clothing just hoping to not feel out of place. As it turned out, often times I would feel way over dressed, even in church. At the church I used to go to people dressed to the nines and here it's not uncommon at all to see people at church in shorts and flip flops. I don't think it matters what neighborhood they're from either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Radical347
The last post summed it up just about right. People aren't overtly 'status-conscious' but there's a collective air of it. It's mostly cars and their attitude i.e. the way they walk and the smug look they may or may not have on their face will tell you if they think you fit in. But it's not usually about their clothes -- San Diego in general has no fashion sense. ("No fashion sense," mind you, not to be confused with "bad fashion sense.") They won't talk smack about you -- but actions speak louder than words, if you catch my drift.
However, it is worth noting that there are a growing number of people who are status conscious and once someone does decide to be vocal about how 'status' they are, they're usually looked down for it. That could be because in general they're just not very good at it.
Yeah, I think you'll get that just about anywhere. Status is an unavoidable fact of life even in the smallest town. I am more surprised that it isn't as bad as could be expected. I kind of prepared myself for the worst but have found people to be generally more friendly here than where I came from. Perhaps it's the places I go, but I prefer to stick to the nicer areas when possible.
Also, people do not dress as nice here as they did in the area I came from. There is this image people outside of CA have, most likely generated by Hollywood, so I was sure to bring all my nicest clothing just hoping to not feel out of place. As it turned out, often times I would feel way over dressed, even in church. At the church I used to go to people dressed to the nines and here it's not uncommon at all to see people at church in shorts and flip flops. I don't think it matters what neighborhood they're from either.
ya, its a west coast thing to dress down. when I lived in LA, my roommate used to joke that she could go grocery shopping in her pajamas and it wouldnt' matter. I had no clue what she was talking about (I went to fashion school and everyone dressed up everyday). So as far as LA goes, I find west LA and the "valley" to be more casual like SD and downtown/hollywood/WeHo to be more dressier. I'm originally from Staten Island,NY, but I moved to AZ when i was 7. I remember about NY being a place where everyone dresses up no matter what. I was the same way. I wore dresses every single day and people always said I looked nice. when we got to AZ, i did the same and other kids in my class looked at me strange and always asked what I was so dressed up for, and I thought "what? I look good! what do you care?" lol. My mom and I always complained about how we could never dress up without getting odd stares. She has hundreds of dresses she can't wear now! As i've grown up, I've started to dress down a little more, but I still like to wear dresses and skirts every day if I can(weather permitting), but if its too cold, the discovery of leggings and pretty tights have saved me! haha.
Once again, money has very little to do with how people dress. I see very well off people dressing very casually and poorer people finding steals at forever 21/buffalo Xchange/ H&M and so on so we can dress up and look nice daily. I mean finding steals is half the fun of shopping when you're poor! besides in SD you don't have to be rich for excercise either, which helps you look good too. just run outside on the many trails, rollerblade on the beach (used blades at play it again sports are super cheap!)..invest in a used bike and so on. no need for a gym membership(they're gross anyways). You get tan this way too, yet another way we can look good on the cheap . All that's left is skin care, hair care and nail care..those can be done cheaply too. "poor" people just have to be smart and maybe the smarter ones appear more status conscious? who knows.
Interesting thread, fer shur. I work in one of the beach cities, and we get a lot of homeless around here because of the booze ban at the beach, I guess. Whenever some wack job comes through the parking lot (we have had to call the police on more than one occasion because they can be violent and threatening), the word goes out: Lock your door! I was amused recently when I got
"the call"...old wack job homeless guy, shambling his way toward your office. It was my father, 90, who (child of the Depression) still wears his Sears clothes from the 1960s! As I said previously, he's very well off. I am glad I grew up here in SD and not in the Northeast. My best friend lives in Manhattan, and, tho she doesn't have any kids, she tells me tales of her friends who are having trouble getting their kids into "the right preschool." I'm upset about the situation in California right now, but I'll never move to someplace like that.
Location: Proud home of the Parkview Little Leaguers
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[quote=esmith143;9736393]There's a different factor at play here. The area you drove through is a GM/UAW heartland. It is conservative and patriotic. Driving a German car like a BMW or a Porsche is considered bad taste. quote]
I grew up there (daughter of a GM worker). It's very true--"foreign cars" were/are taboo there, although most will admit that they like the idea of an engine that goes nonstop for 250,000+ miles with routine maintenance.
As for the "big sunglasses" some refer to, don't be fooled--many pretty darn convincing knock-ups sell two for $15.00 at Kobey's--I've partaken of these myself!
Last edited by jkoz; 07-14-2009 at 10:47 PM..
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on the other hand some of the old folks will hate you, because they think that we are endangering there culture and morals since our lifestyles are different.
but the old timers despise of us.
. All that's left is skin care, hair care and nail care..those can be done cheaply too. "poor" people just have to be smart and maybe the smarter ones appear more status conscious? who knows.
