21–30 of 101 posts
Mission district was fun, though.
The wealth inequality is acute, visible and disturbing.
Is it more visible than London, for example? I know people talk about it a lot but you see some extreme wealth inequality in many big cities. (Just genuinely curious, it's not a trick question)
The wealth inequality was massively more visible in LA. Far more homeless people. Neighbourhoods were either rich or poor, there wasn't any mixing. OFC London has similar problems, you're going to see more luxury cars than homeless people in Chelsea and vise versa in Brixton, but LA felt like it had gone a lot further. The projects in LA are also far more run down than council estates in London, at least from outward appearances. Agree with what the other comment says too: there isn't really much of a middle ground, it all felt like everyone either has a six figure trust fund or is almost homeless.
I've been saying this in various places for a while, but the predominant difference between the UK and the US is the size. Since it's a much bigger country and they have more space, everything is spread out far more. In London I live in a mainly working class (stabby) neighbourhood, but I walk ten minutes and I'm surrounded by houses all worth £1m+. Same thing in every flat I've had in London. In American cities you walk ten minutes and you're still on the same street. It leads to huge buildups of either run down or expensive neighbourhoods which keep themselves very, very isolated from each other and it shows. SF is a bit more walkable from what I've heard but the general problem is still there.
There are many different neighborhoods with pretty different feels, but generally speaking I would say this: The city is dirty, there are many homeless people, public infrastructure is not great (bad roads, questionable public transit), and it is the most expensive rent in the world. Culturally, it is much less "gay" and "hippie" nowadays, and almost entirely "tech," at least in my own experiences. If you're a softwa…
And yes, it's a huge techie bubble. In a bad way - most people there are completely detached from any "normal life" perspective. But then again, the same can be said for those in politics in SF.
There are many different neighborhoods with pretty different feels, but generally speaking I would say this: The city is dirty, there are many homeless people, public infrastructure is not great (bad roads, questionable public transit), and it is the most expensive rent in the world. Culturally, it is much less "gay" and "hippie" nowadays, and almost entirely "tech," at least in my own experiences. If you're a softwa…
Even over 40? I am genuinely curious.
2 words. Soul sucking. Damn pricey. Crazy housing. Elitist liberals. Tech mecca. 49er women. Lambos & hobos. Decent weather. Fin^2
I used to live there between '98 to '02, so my view is outdated. It's interesting to read current outlooks. I'm not American. Back then I found the city to be very European and very accepting. I was part of a fairly large music scene there so although I was in tech, the crowd I hang with was more music people. There was a LOT of tech back then and it was expensive. I remember if you wanted to rent a flat, you'd be th…
I spent a lot of time in Santa Cruz between '95 and '98 and used to head to SF pretty regularly. As a young art student before any real involvement in tech, I loved the vibe of the city. Great food and bars, welcoming people. Nice climate.
At the time I did notice lots of homeless people but they didn't seem that threatening. Out of all the places I've visited, it's one of the few places where I would consider moving to, out of the UK.
The wealth inequality is acute, visible and disturbing.
Is it more visible than London, for example? I know people talk about it a lot but you see some extreme wealth inequality in many big cities. (Just genuinely curious, it's not a trick question)
Homelessness and inequality is much more of a problem in LA. Skid row is a modern Hoover/shanty town, and it’s impossible to walk along the beach or any tourist area without coming across clearly mentally unstable homeless people with no support network/help.
In London a lot of homeless sit outside of tube stations or grocery stores selling big issue magazines. There are some tents along the canal, but nothing on the scale of LA. It’s rare to see
Inequality is obvious in both cities (nice cars, insanely expensive housing) but it’s more concentrated in London. Everyone is rich in central. Huge wealth in LA, but it’s outside the center and not serviced by any public transit - Beverly Hills, Malibu, Brentwood, etc.
Police culture is a huge factor. Police in UK are helpers, while police in US are enforcers.
The wealth inequality is acute, visible and disturbing.
Is it more visible than London, for example? I know people talk about it a lot but you see some extreme wealth inequality in many big cities. (Just genuinely curious, it's not a trick question)