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Hi Gloria, yes this is the real world, where -- if we fixate on negativity -- everything is worse than we'd like it to be. Running away from the problems you s

Hi Gloria, yes this is the real world, where -- if we fixate on negativity -- everything is worse than we'd like it to be. Running away from the problems you see is a sure way NOT to fix them, and if everyone thought the way you did (or never grew out of that mindset) then problems would not be solved. Unfortunately, you seemed to focus on how bad YOUR city was and criticize the people YOU associate with and ultimately did little to reflect on anything but YOUR experience. Did you ever attend a city planning meeting? Did you speak and argue a point? Did you listen to their counterarguments and amend your position? Volunteer at a nonprofit which helps minorities become qualified for STEM jobs? Give a homeless person food or supplies? Or even talk at length with one? I'll be frank; this mindset is juvenile. When I find myself thinking with a similar perspective, I do my best to rationalize the best plan to solve the problems I'm reflecting on and commit the actions necessary to manifest it. The world won't get better if the status quo is recognizing problems and despairing at them; it will get better if we recognize, confront, and attempt to solve them.

dcole2929 8y ago
Your comment is basically just pure FUD and name calling. The author's entire point is that the culture of SV is one that she does not find to be good for her. You're not even asking what did she do to work to change it, your cherry picking random strawman and attacking it. A city planning meeting isn't going to change the culture of an entire area. Her giving resources to a homeless person doesn't change the fact that the area has a homeless epidemic or the fundamental inequalities that exist in SV as a result of high tech salaries, and NIMBY politics inflating housing prices out of the reach of well pretty much everyone. Volunteering at a non profit to get minorities qualified for STEM jobs might (emphasis might) get more minorities jobs at tech companies but again does nothing to combat the culture she describes. SV in her eyes is a place that lacks diversity, both racially and economically as well as in peoples lifestyles, conversations, and interests. I don't live there. I can't comment on whether this is an accurate representation of the area or not but certainly I can say a viable answer to things you don't like is to leave. It's perfectly fine to try to be the change you want to see but it's absurd to state that leaving any situation that feeds into your depression and anxiety makes you juvenile. You wouldn't stay in a relationship that made you feel that way. Why would you stay in a city that made you feel that way?
- asdffdsa 8y ago
  Interesting, you say my argument has no substance, then you immediately go on and address all the substance within it. "She does not find to be good to her". What was the process by which she found it not to be good? "You're not asking what did she do". Seriously? I read her entire post; if she had discussed her attempts to change the culture which was more than "hold discussions about social issues" with her peers at Google who she describes as "fake, self-serving, status-seeking" then I would have a different opinion. Every productive suggestion I make to change the culture -- which me and some of my friends do (rarely, we're not perfect or close to it) -- you argue against with a resigned fatalism. "Would you stay in a city that made you feel that way." And here's where we differ. There's a process, a reason why something makes you feel a certain way. And if you short-circuit personal responsibility, if you never act out or different in the world (or in your relationship) to see whether your nihilistic despair matches reality, that is juvenile. Maybe you don't have the bandwidth to tackle the problem. Fine. But you still take an L for never confronting the world, for never breaking through your inward solipsistic perceptions.

dcole2929 8y ago

Your comment is basically just pure FUD and name calling. The author's entire point is that the culture of SV is one that she does not find to be good for her. You're not even asking what did she do to work to change it, your cherry picking random strawman and attacking it. A city planning meeting isn't going to change the culture of an entire area. Her giving resources to a homeless person doesn't change the fact that the area has a homeless epidemic or the fundamental inequalities that exist in SV as a result of high tech salaries, and NIMBY politics inflating housing prices out of the reach of well pretty much everyone. Volunteering at a non profit to get minorities qualified for STEM jobs might (emphasis might) get more minorities jobs at tech companies but again does nothing to combat the culture she describes. SV in her eyes is a place that lacks diversity, both racially and economically as well as in peoples lifestyles, conversations, and interests. I don't live there. I can't comment on whether this is an accurate representation of the area or not but certainly I can say a viable answer to things you don't like is to leave. It's perfectly fine to try to be the change you want to see but it's absurd to state that leaving any situation that feeds into your depression and anxiety makes you juvenile. You wouldn't stay in a relationship that made you feel that way. Why would you stay in a city that made you feel that way?

asdffdsa 8y ago
Interesting, you say my argument has no substance, then you immediately go on and address all the substance within it. "She does not find to be good to her". What was the process by which she found it not to be good? "You're not asking what did she do". Seriously? I read her entire post; if she had discussed her attempts to change the culture which was more than "hold discussions about social issues" with her peers at Google who she describes as "fake, self-serving, status-seeking" then I would have a different opinion. Every productive suggestion I make to change the culture -- which me and some of my friends do (rarely, we're not perfect or close to it) -- you argue against with a resigned fatalism. "Would you stay in a city that made you feel that way." And here's where we differ. There's a process, a reason why something makes you feel a certain way. And if you short-circuit personal responsibility, if you never act out or different in the world (or in your relationship) to see whether your nihilistic despair matches reality, that is juvenile. Maybe you don't have the bandwidth to tackle the problem. Fine. But you still take an L for never confronting the world, for never breaking through your inward solipsistic perceptions.