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Not a compelling argument. Your opinion says more about you than the city. Yes, it is expensive. But pay is higher too. If you are middle of the road earner, y

Not a compelling argument. Your opinion says more about you than the city. Yes, it is expensive. But pay is higher too. If you are middle of the road earner, you will have to live in the valley or another suburb, yes. But even those are among the most prized places to live in the USA. Your quantitative approach intrinsically flattens the qualitative dimension out of the lived experience. Where else can you find Mexican, Korean, Japanese, Armenian, and Thai culture alive and well within their own neighborhoods in a 5 mile radius? Or even all on the same block? NYC is the closest, but LA arguably has the better food and culture (people are more liberal and accepting in LA). LA is also ground zero for the resistance against the rise of Trump's fascist reich. For many people those things are invaluable, especially if they are non-white (which perhaps you're not, so that may be lost on you.) It's fine if LA does not offer anything of worth to you, but that isn't going to be the case for everybody. Source: the 20 million or so people that live in LA County must like something, because they stay there (and that number is always growing) despite being the most expensive place in the US. And for the record, I moved to LA 20 years ago. I remember the $600 apartments - I had one by UCLA. I am sensitive to the rising cost of housing (though the new state law about zoning should ameliorate that in the coming years). But the reason you move to LA isn't for affordable housing. Assuming you are good at what you do, you should not be making the same financial calculations today as you made 20 years ago.

999900000999 1y ago
I'm forced to guess your high income ? I was making a solid 6 figure salary and found myself more or less barely making it in LA. Everything you said about diversity and culture could be said about Chicago too. I guess if I was at 250k LA wouldn't be that bad, but on a social level I found people much more pleasant in Chicago. If you have a bad home life you can move out earlier in Chicago. Back in LA half the time I went out with someone they'd complain about their Mom for 2 hours. I met a lot of people in very very bad situations with no real hope of escaping. >For many people those things are invaluable, especially if they are non-white (which perhaps you're not, so that may be lost on you.) I'm definitely not white. Chicago is liberal. It has one of the only Chinatowns in America that's actually growing. Boystown is one of the oldest LGBT communities in America. I don't think I'm going to change your opinion here, but when it comes to numbers, LA is just a difficult city. If you have the money, and LA is giving you something you can get elsewhere, great. But that's not going to change the economics of the situation. I know I'd rather save money and strive in Chicago vs struggle in LA.
- queenkjuul 1y ago
  Chicago just kicks ass. Best food best people best architecture, no need to drive anywhere, amazing music scene. The haters are just jealous.
  - 999900000999 1y ago
    Years ago I was miserable in LA, scrolling through random jobs. I just happened to apply to one in Chicago. The moment I landed everything was great. I met a great girl almost instantly, I can’t stress enough how nicer people are when they can afford their basic needs. Diversity? From what popalchemist is saying you’d figure LA is the only city with non white people. In Chicago I frequent a Slavic/Asian restaurant. They don’t do fusion, no, you get Slavic and Asian food on the same menu! Kingston Mines! Best Jazz I’ve ever seen. Excellent food, friendly staff. The L( metro system) is a living museum, you get to ride trains which date back over a century into the office. It’s not perfect, I found the job scene to be a bit boring, but it’s one of the last livable cities in America.
    - queenkjuul 1y ago
      Yeah if only the L ran as often as it did ten years ago lol. Commuter rail in some cities runs more frequently now. I just bought an ebike, though, and it's totally changed the game for me. The entire North side is now within half an hour of my house, and i won't need a shower when i get there either. Yeah the job scene isn't amazing but the average pay is well above what you need to live very comfortably. The winters aren't as bad as people think (and getting warmer), the summers are beautiful, the free neighborhood music festivals all summer are so much fun (Lincoln Square this weekend, wicker park is coming up). Glad you're enjoying it here
      - 999900000999 1y ago
        >Yeah if only the L ran as often as it did ten years ago lol. The price of good transit is everlasting vigilance. Make sure to always argue for increased funding. A lot of people would rather spend another 10k annually owning a car vs 1000$ a year in additional taxes. Not to mention the more people drive the worst traffic is and the more miserable the actual experience or driving is. My dream city would be more or less car free ( exemptions for emergency and commercial vehicles) with a full blow Autobahn as a connecting freeway. When I drive I want to DRIVE. Not sit in traffic for an hour.
queenkjuul 1y ago
> Where else can you find Mexican, Korean, Japanese, Armenian, and Thai culture alive and well within their own neighborhoods in a 5 mile radius? I mean yeah NYC and Chicago get very close (if not match--i mean idk about Armenian specifically but you'll find 5 different ethnic neighborhoods within 5 miles, easy)
- popalchemist 1y ago
  LA (the city -- not even going to touch on Greater LA which is truly massive) is comprised of over 100 individual districts/neighborhoods/burroughs each with a distinct culture, many are home to a unique ethnic group. 5 doesn't even come close to scratching the surface. I can't say a number for sure off the top of my head but it's got to be more like 40. I know this sounds made up but it's true - you can do the research yourself if you're inclined. LA is hands down the most diverse place in the world. Definitely beats out NYC, despite NYC having that reputation, because NYC has been culturally more hostile to the upward mobility and long-term settlement of immigrant populations, whereas LA existed as indigenous land, and as Mexico, before it was part of the US, and that attitude has allowed immigrants to set roots here and claim identity and belonging in a way that no other place does or has.
  - queenkjuul 1y ago
    Do you seriously think Chicago and NYC aren't also huge and full of neighborhoods? Chicago is literally known as "the city of neighborhoods" with nearly 100 within city limits. I live in what was recently the most diverse zip code in the US. Not in LA, not in NYC, but in Chicago. You're just extremely biased.
  - 999900000999 1y ago
    >NYC has been culturally more hostile to the upward mobility and long-term settlement of immigrant populations, >On May 3, 1913, California enacted the Alien Land Law, designed to deny Japanese families their foothold in America by denying them the right to own land. https://eji.org/news/californias-alien-land-laws/ https://eji.org/news/californias-alien-land-laws/ I was done with this thread, but your not going to rewrite history. Even well into the 60s non white people weren't allowed to buy homes outside of certain areas.

999900000999 1y ago

I'm forced to guess your high income ? I was making a solid 6 figure salary and found myself more or less barely making it in LA. Everything you said about diversity and culture could be said about Chicago too. I guess if I was at 250k LA wouldn't be that bad, but on a social level I found people much more pleasant in Chicago. If you have a bad home life you can move out earlier in Chicago. Back in LA half the time I went out with someone they'd complain about their Mom for 2 hours. I met a lot of people in very very bad situations with no real hope of escaping. >For many people those things are invaluable, especially if they are non-white (which perhaps you're not, so that may be lost on you.) I'm definitely not white. Chicago is liberal. It has one of the only Chinatowns in America that's actually growing. Boystown is one of the oldest LGBT communities in America. I don't think I'm going to change your opinion here, but when it comes to numbers, LA is just a difficult city. If you have the money, and LA is giving you something you can get elsewhere, great. But that's not going to change the economics of the situation. I know I'd rather save money and strive in Chicago vs struggle in LA.

queenkjuul 1y ago
Chicago just kicks ass. Best food best people best architecture, no need to drive anywhere, amazing music scene. The haters are just jealous.
- 999900000999 1y ago
  Years ago I was miserable in LA, scrolling through random jobs. I just happened to apply to one in Chicago. The moment I landed everything was great. I met a great girl almost instantly, I can’t stress enough how nicer people are when they can afford their basic needs. Diversity? From what popalchemist is saying you’d figure LA is the only city with non white people. In Chicago I frequent a Slavic/Asian restaurant. They don’t do fusion, no, you get Slavic and Asian food on the same menu! Kingston Mines! Best Jazz I’ve ever seen. Excellent food, friendly staff. The L( metro system) is a living museum, you get to ride trains which date back over a century into the office. It’s not perfect, I found the job scene to be a bit boring, but it’s one of the last livable cities in America.
  - queenkjuul 1y ago
    Yeah if only the L ran as often as it did ten years ago lol. Commuter rail in some cities runs more frequently now. I just bought an ebike, though, and it's totally changed the game for me. The entire North side is now within half an hour of my house, and i won't need a shower when i get there either. Yeah the job scene isn't amazing but the average pay is well above what you need to live very comfortably. The winters aren't as bad as people think (and getting warmer), the summers are beautiful, the free neighborhood music festivals all summer are so much fun (Lincoln Square this weekend, wicker park is coming up). Glad you're enjoying it here
    - 999900000999 1y ago
      >Yeah if only the L ran as often as it did ten years ago lol. The price of good transit is everlasting vigilance. Make sure to always argue for increased funding. A lot of people would rather spend another 10k annually owning a car vs 1000$ a year in additional taxes. Not to mention the more people drive the worst traffic is and the more miserable the actual experience or driving is. My dream city would be more or less car free ( exemptions for emergency and commercial vehicles) with a full blow Autobahn as a connecting freeway. When I drive I want to DRIVE. Not sit in traffic for an hour.

queenkjuul 1y ago

> Where else can you find Mexican, Korean, Japanese, Armenian, and Thai culture alive and well within their own neighborhoods in a 5 mile radius? I mean yeah NYC and Chicago get very close (if not match--i mean idk about Armenian specifically but you'll find 5 different ethnic neighborhoods within 5 miles, easy)

popalchemist 1y ago
LA (the city -- not even going to touch on Greater LA which is truly massive) is comprised of over 100 individual districts/neighborhoods/burroughs each with a distinct culture, many are home to a unique ethnic group. 5 doesn't even come close to scratching the surface. I can't say a number for sure off the top of my head but it's got to be more like 40. I know this sounds made up but it's true - you can do the research yourself if you're inclined. LA is hands down the most diverse place in the world. Definitely beats out NYC, despite NYC having that reputation, because NYC has been culturally more hostile to the upward mobility and long-term settlement of immigrant populations, whereas LA existed as indigenous land, and as Mexico, before it was part of the US, and that attitude has allowed immigrants to set roots here and claim identity and belonging in a way that no other place does or has.
- queenkjuul 1y ago
  Do you seriously think Chicago and NYC aren't also huge and full of neighborhoods? Chicago is literally known as "the city of neighborhoods" with nearly 100 within city limits. I live in what was recently the most diverse zip code in the US. Not in LA, not in NYC, but in Chicago. You're just extremely biased.
- 999900000999 1y ago
  >NYC has been culturally more hostile to the upward mobility and long-term settlement of immigrant populations, >On May 3, 1913, California enacted the Alien Land Law, designed to deny Japanese families their foothold in America by denying them the right to own land. https://eji.org/news/californias-alien-land-laws/ https://eji.org/news/californias-alien-land-laws/ I was done with this thread, but your not going to rewrite history. Even well into the 60s non white people weren't allowed to buy homes outside of certain areas.