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Ask HN: What's it like to live in San Francisco?

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Re: Ask HN: What's it like to live in San Francisco?

#71

Post by baby »

pcthrowaway wrote: post #46
DrAwdeOccarim wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As much as I appreciate the sentiment, Boston is probably the most European city in America stemming from the fact that it was originally built as one.

Having just returned from a trip to 5 European cities in different countries, what does the most European city mean? I also haven't been to Boston, but there were many ethnic enclaves in other American cities that I was reminded of during my time in Europe. But as a whole, the cities were each so distinct, I found many American cities comparable to them than they were to each other.

For one: no grid, walkable streets and bars and restaurants with terasses

Re: Ask HN: What's it like to live in San Francisco?

#72

Post by loggedinmyphone »

pcthrowaway wrote: post #46
DrAwdeOccarim wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As much as I appreciate the sentiment, Boston is probably the most European city in America stemming from the fact that it was originally built as one.

Having just returned from a trip to 5 European cities in different countries, what does the most European city mean? I also haven't been to Boston, but there were many ethnic enclaves in other American cities that I was reminded of during my time in Europe. But as a whole, the cities were each so distinct, I found many American cities comparable to them than they were to each other.

The idea of SF as "culturally European" was largely a piece of self-mythologizing, rather than a legitimate comparison. SF saw the rest of the US as the homeland of mindless consumerism (with the exception of their leftist intellectual conception of New York City, ironically; this being before the 2008 financial crisis and Occupy Wall Street), and the residents liked to identify with the Europe they imagined as an Epicurean socialist Utopia. It's similar to the mindset that Austin has in distinguishing themselves from the rest of Texas. Of course many of SF's culturally distinctive qualities, like the noted California-style phony overenthusiasm, are actually very anti-European.

Re: Ask HN: What's it like to live in San Francisco?

#74

Post by loggedinmyphone »

paulcole wrote: post #69
loggedinmyphone wrote: post #12

From 2005-2010 the city had a very positive vibe: we're the most European city in America, we love good food, we have a balance of artists and people who support the arts. Now it's overcrowded, overvalued and overcapitalized. Rather than being welcomed, you will be resented and perceived as pushing other people out. Oakland has a more friendly and creative feel these days, if you can deal with the pervasive criminal…

Are you a lifelong resident? How did it compare to say 2000-2005?

I visited SF prior to 2005 and had a general impression it was very Bohemian with a strong underground scene. To some extent I consider the city today a capitalist parody of this former self, where you can stand in line at "Ramen Underground" and shop at the "Renegade Craft Fair".

Re: Ask HN: What's it like to live in San Francisco?

#75

Post by paulcole »

loggedinmyphone wrote: post #74
paulcole wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you a lifelong resident? How did it compare to say 2000-2005?

I visited SF prior to 2005 and had a general impression it was very Bohemian with a strong underground scene. To some extent I consider the city today a capitalist parody of this former self, where you can stand in line at "Ramen Underground" and shop at the "Renegade Craft Fair".

> To some extent I consider the city today a capitalist parody of this former self

What do you think the people who lived there in the 60s say about your assessment of 2005 SF being "very Bohemian with a strong underground scene"?

Re: Ask HN: What's it like to live in San Francisco?

#76

Post by loggedinmyphone »

paulcole wrote: post #75
loggedinmyphone wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I visited SF prior to 2005 and had a general impression it was very Bohemian with a strong underground scene. To some extent I consider the city today a capitalist parody of this former self, where you can stand in line at "Ramen Underground" and shop at the "Renegade Craft Fair".

> To some extent I consider the city today a capitalist parody of this former self What do you think the people who lived there in the 60s say about your assessment of 2005 SF being "very Bohemian with a strong underground scene"?

Jerry Rubin as far back as his 1970 book "Do It!" criticized the capitalists co-opting his image of the counterculture (a "revolution" in toilet paper!). I do think there was another wave of interesting people in the 90's with the Cacophony Society and original Burners, and there are still radical "scenes" happening today, most of which I'm probably too old to know about. The main structural impediment is just that it's too expensive for the kind of casual under-employment that enables these scenes to thrive.

Re: Ask HN: What's it like to live in San Francisco?

#77

Post by paulcole »

loggedinmyphone wrote: post #76
paulcole wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> To some extent I consider the city today a capitalist parody of this former self What do you think the people who lived there in the 60s say about your assessment of 2005 SF being "very Bohemian with a strong underground scene"?

Jerry Rubin as far back as his 1970 book "Do It!" criticized the capitalists co-opting his image of the counterculture (a "revolution" in toilet paper!). I do think there was another wave of interesting people in the 90's with the Cacophony Society and original Burners, and there are still radical "scenes" happening today, most of which I'm probably too old to know about. The main structural impediment is just that i…

So to recap:

It's always worse than it was but people think it was still good when they got there but got much worse shortly thereafter.

Re: Ask HN: What's it like to live in San Francisco?

#78

Post by markfer »

Background:

Born in Russia, grew up in NC, live in SF currently, moving to NYC next week. Incredibly excited to leave SF, to say the least.

The good:

Innovation and energy everywhere. You can feel it in the air, especially since every billboard in SoMa is a tech startup.

I've met some of the smartest people in my life here, and have been really lucky to work on some exciting projects.

Neighborhoods are VERY divided and have their own feel, almost like separate cities.

Decent amount of high quality restaurants.

Availability to high paying jobs

The bad:

HBO's Silicon Valley no longer becomes funny, it's just a documentary at this point.

The homeless - they're everywhere and feel empowered to be aggressive on a scale I've never seen. I live in Nob Hill, and have been in a few altercations (though very much not the case when I was in the Marina).

Dating pool for a hetero male is meh at best. Most bars are filled with 75-90% guys, with few exceptions in the Marina.

Tech is everywhere - at first this was a good thing, but now it's unbearable.

Everyone seems to be incredibly sensitive and emotionally charged.

Weather isn't as good as SoCal, and is pretty "eh" majority of the time.

Expensive af.

TLDR:

Amazing career opportunity for young/mid-20's for a few years. You'll meet great people, work on exciting stuff, and raise your income level. Leave after a few years.

Feel free to ask more

Re: Ask HN: What's it like to live in San Francisco?

#79

Post by vram22 »

badminton1 wrote: post #60
Mister_X wrote: post #3

Could you ask a more general question please? Oh, what the heck, I'll give you a general answer, you may get some benefit from it. San Francisco, i.e. The City (NOT Frisco), never changes once you're in a neighborhood, everyone is different, some people are friendly, some not, just like any large city. The time I spent there was fantastic, walking to the store, great neighborhood restaurants, friendly shop owners, am…

That's right. - Right: San Francisco, SF or "The City". - Wrong: "Frisco", "San Fran", "415". If you want to act "friscan" people get pretty upset very fast.

I seem to remember "Frisco" being used in Western novels I read as a kid, though.

Re: Ask HN: What's it like to live in San Francisco?

#80

Post by vram22 »

blegit wrote: post #4

The current attitude is tech and homelessness and everything in between. All the artist and musicians have moved to Oakland instead of living in the mission. Its a sunny 70 degrees year round, except for in the summer its foggy by the ocean everyday. Unemployment rate is extremely low (2.2%), but the rent is extremely high. If you thinking of moving here, just do it. Everyone here is from somewhere else and came to c…

>If you thinking of moving here, just do it. Everyone here is from somewhere else and came to chase a dream that they feel that SF can fulfill. And its true, dreams do come true in SF if you work hard enough towards your goals.

This reminds of me of some movie I saw where it starts or ends with something like "Welcome to Hollywood" ... and then something about dreams.

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