4 ms·

Regarding culture, variety, and politics, I think it’s more a consequence of the Bay Area being socioeconomically segregated. My neighbors are all artists, and

by JamilD 5y ago

Regarding culture, variety, and politics, I think it’s more a consequence of the Bay Area being socioeconomically segregated. My neighbors are all artists, and have great and vibrant communities around their work — but of course, no one in tech mixes with those people! Fewer people in SF work in tech than is often perceived, but the social circles are very clique-y and exclusive. It creates perceptions about the entire city that are really only true for one’s friend groups. I wonder what it is about the design/culture of SF that makes that the case.

ironman1478 5y ago
I think the poor public transportation really hurts the city. The time to arrival is a crapshoot and discourages it's use. It's also not a walkable city or bikeable unless you stick to certain parts of the city. I think this + lack of density in certain parts of the city means that SF is largely a suburb with tall buildings on one side. It's not really a city, or at least not on the level of NYC. You are just surrounded by people in Manhattan at all times and I bet that helps promote socializing. You just don't really meet people in SF unless you stick to certain pockets of the city.
- bigyikes 5y ago
  > I think this + lack of density in certain parts of the city means that SF is largely a suburb with tall buildings on one side. This is a great take. I was driving back into SF this week. As always, the green population sign stuck out to me. There are fewer than 1 million SF residents. Part of this is because it’s only 49 square miles, but the fact is you’re exactly right. SF may be urban, but it isn’t dense.
analyst74 5y ago
> social circles are very clique-y and exclusive This rings true to my experience as well. I only managed to make friends with some fellow engineers after living there for a few years. And it's not for lack of trying, I joined sports teams, wide variety of meetups, social clubs and tried to chat to strangers I encounter. It seems people are generally not interested in adding another engineer to their friend circle, except fellow engineers. It's quite ironic because my interests are actually more athletic and artistic than geeky.
- legerdemain 5y ago
  I've had the opposite experience in the Bay Area, on average. I'd follow the typical advice people get, which is to create opportunities for serendipitous meeting. To say, I'd try to set up group dinners and invite a bunch of different engineer friends to them, only to get a bunch of responses like "I don't want to meet people I don't know already" and "I have enough friends, my social circle is full."
  - imustbeevil 5y ago
    Maybe I'm missing something but, "cliquey" and "my social circle is full" are the opposite of opposites.
    - legerdemain 5y ago
      The opposition that you failed to notice was between your comment that "people are generally not interested in adding another engineer to their friend circle" and my comment that my engineer friends seem really loath to interact with people they don't already know.
      - deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]

by JamilD 5y ago

ironman1478 5y ago

I think the poor public transportation really hurts the city. The time to arrival is a crapshoot and discourages it's use. It's also not a walkable city or bikeable unless you stick to certain parts of the city. I think this + lack of density in certain parts of the city means that SF is largely a suburb with tall buildings on one side. It's not really a city, or at least not on the level of NYC. You are just surrounded by people in Manhattan at all times and I bet that helps promote socializing. You just don't really meet people in SF unless you stick to certain pockets of the city.

bigyikes 5y ago
> I think this + lack of density in certain parts of the city means that SF is largely a suburb with tall buildings on one side. This is a great take. I was driving back into SF this week. As always, the green population sign stuck out to me. There are fewer than 1 million SF residents. Part of this is because it’s only 49 square miles, but the fact is you’re exactly right. SF may be urban, but it isn’t dense.

analyst74 5y ago

> social circles are very clique-y and exclusive This rings true to my experience as well. I only managed to make friends with some fellow engineers after living there for a few years. And it's not for lack of trying, I joined sports teams, wide variety of meetups, social clubs and tried to chat to strangers I encounter. It seems people are generally not interested in adding another engineer to their friend circle, except fellow engineers. It's quite ironic because my interests are actually more athletic and artistic than geeky.

legerdemain 5y ago
I've had the opposite experience in the Bay Area, on average. I'd follow the typical advice people get, which is to create opportunities for serendipitous meeting. To say, I'd try to set up group dinners and invite a bunch of different engineer friends to them, only to get a bunch of responses like "I don't want to meet people I don't know already" and "I have enough friends, my social circle is full."
- imustbeevil 5y ago
  Maybe I'm missing something but, "cliquey" and "my social circle is full" are the opposite of opposites.
  - legerdemain 5y ago
    The opposition that you failed to notice was between your comment that "people are generally not interested in adding another engineer to their friend circle" and my comment that my engineer friends seem really loath to interact with people they don't already know.
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]