Otherstream Message Board: Re: Land of Lowered Expectations

Re: Land of Lowered Expectations

Posted by Yer Humble Host on 2/4/2005, 10:12 am, in reply to "Land of Lowered Expectations"
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My point, actually, was that too may people in San Francisco seem willing to settle for less: for working extra hours just to live in dingy, little overpriced hovels, for putting up with random hassles on the streets, and for all sorts of petty inconveniences everywhere from City Hall to Safeway just because they think they have to...
Many people here have given up on expecting (or even contemplating) decent, pleasant housing for a reasonable price, or clean streets, etc. It's as if the whole city had collectively thrown its hands in the air and decided to give up on many of these niceties of life, assuming that such things were solely for "bland suburbanites" and people in other parts of the country...
A lot of people think the trade-off is worth it (and more power to them) but I'm not one of those people anymore. I don't think I'm getting much "bang for my buck" here and my expectations are a bit higher. Or at least a bit different...
What I definitely don't see is that Bay Area residents are any particularly "better" than those in other cities. In fact, I think life in SF may well stifle even the competitive nature of its residents. What exactly is the reward for improving your lot in life? The ability to give up your current rent-controlled apartment and lease another one which is 50% nicer but costs four times as much?
Maybe the problem is that San Francisco (and much of California, for that matter) is missing that very essential middle step other places have: there's no level between squalor and splendor here. Everything is designed for the very rich or the very poor, and if you're in the middle, you have to settle for something way below your means, but at the same time pay a fortune for it. And that fact destroys many of the incentives and expectations people in other areas have...
--Previous Message--
: Is San Francisco a "land of
: lowered expectations," or
: simply a place where even to be
: average requires that you be three
: times better than what passes for
: excellent in Albuquerque, Oklahoma
: City, Atlanta, or Jacksonville?
:
: A place where being a Rhodes
: Scholar is okay, but where the
: competition is most competitive
: and the playing field is
: international?
:
: I don't know. Just a thought.
:
: The City is still junior league
: when compared to London or New
: York City, though....
:

Message Thread:

Land of Lowered Expectations - robW 2/3/2005, 8:10 pm
- Re: Land of Lowered Expectations - Yer Humble Host 2/4/2005, 10:12 am
  - Re: Land of Lowered Expectations - J.L. 2/5/2005, 8:09 pm
- Re: Land of Lowered Expectations - David B. 2/6/2005, 11:23 am
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--Previous Message-- : My point, actually, was that too may : people in San Francisco seem : willing to settle for less: for : working extra hours just to live : in dingy, little overpriced : hovels, for putting up with random : hassles on the streets, and for : all sorts of petty inconveniences : everywhere from City Hall to : Safeway just because they think : they have to... : : Many people here have given up on : expecting (or even contemplating) : decent, pleasant housing for a : reasonable price, or clean : streets, etc. It's as if the whole : city had collectively thrown its : hands in the air and decided to : give up on many of these niceties : of life, assuming that such things : were solely for "bland : suburbanites" and people in : other parts of the country... : : A lot of people think the : trade-off is worth it (and more : power to them) but I'm not one of : those people anymore. I don't : think I'm getting much "bang : for my buck" here and my : expectations are a bit higher. Or : at least a bit different... : : What I definitely don't see is : that Bay Area residents are any : particularly "better" : than those in other cities. In : fact, I think life in SF may well : stifle even the competitive nature : of its residents. What exactly is : the reward for improving your lot : in life? The ability to give up : your current rent-controlled : apartment and lease another one : which is 50% nicer but costs four : times as much? : : Maybe the problem is that San : Francisco (and much of California, : for that matter) is missing that : very essential middle step other : places have: there's no level : between squalor and splendor here. : Everything is designed for the : very rich or the very poor, and if : you're in the middle, you have to : settle for something way below : your means, but at the same time : pay a fortune for it. And that : fact destroys many of the : incentives and expectations people : in other areas have... : : --Previous Message-- : Is San Francisco a "land of : lowered expectations," or : simply a place where even to be : average requires that you be three : times better than what passes for : excellent in Albuquerque, Oklahoma : City, Atlanta, or Jacksonville? : : A place where being a Rhodes : Scholar is okay, but where the : competition is most competitive : and the playing field is : international? : : I don't know. Just a thought. : : The City is still junior league : when compared to London or New : York City, though.... : :

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