My understanding is that a lot of air pollution California still has comes from other places. For an analogous example, when the Fukishima nuclear plant melted

My understanding is that a lot of air pollution California still has comes from other places. For an analogous example, when the Fukishima nuclear plant melted down, there was radioactive drift wood on the west coast. That doesn't mean the environmental regulations aren't working. My area has had increased air issues because of Canadian wildfires. Thats not a failure of my areas fight against pollution, because there would be immensely more pollution without them. California has wildfires from the interior and the north, plus trade winds blowing pollution from factories across the pacific. Its easy to take for granted how green the state is but if anything, its impressive how well they handle it. This is an outsider perspective though. I agree with you 100% about the political problem of population centers being too concentrated. Don't discount all the problems facing some city-dwellers though. I imagine it very much feels like the system is rigged when you were stuck in a shitty school system and a quick drive downtown you find super rich finance bros who aren't inherently smarter or harder workin (or worse, clearly less ambitious or curious). Racism is a real problem too as a part of every day life creating friction for achieving things. There is still social moblility and opportunities but its an exception to the rule. Its easy to say "why isn't this person taking advantage of this?" without considering this. There's an aspect of learned hopelessness at play. Growing up in D.C as a smart white kid, I learned a ton of stuff in places I was welcomed whereas some other students had to jump through hoops of security theater literally getting through the front door. Then once through the front door, they're at a disadvantage for networking if people's first impression of them was seeing them get treated suspiciously. I feel like I've gotten off on a tangent, but for the most part I agree with you. I'm looking at colleges as an adult student and my biggest criteria besides cost is "how many opportunities will I have to spontaneously brainstorm/exchange ideas while getting lunch or hanging out"