Why are people in Los Angeles so shallow and self absorbed?

Question

I've lived in the LA area for about 9 years, with a few much-needed breaks in between. It would be a great city if the people here were a little better quality (and they had better public tranportation). I have found a few decent, real people here in 9 years, and thousands of flakes, wannabes, and jerks. I haven't been able to have a single relationship with anyone here, and only made a few real friends, and I am down to earth, goodlooking and openminded. Luckily, I haven't let people like that change me. Why are LA people so notoriously self-absorbed, shallow and flaky?

Answer 1

depends on where you live. if you live on the westside, then you are living amongst people who typically are also not from la and are on the make. i am born and raised in la and it always baffles me to hear that comment about the city. and its always from people whom are not originally from here.

Answer 2

Having been born and raised in Los Angeles I can say YOU ARE CERTAINLY RIGHT!! I escaped north and couldn't ever move back.
I think it is the Hollywood image that has permeated the common culture there.

My advise to you... Escape while u can!

There was a campaign several years ago that promoted
LA as the Place. It gave people down there the idea that there is no where in the whole world better than LA. Soo Sad!
I even heard some urban myth from some Los Angelenos that LA was the driving factor in the United States economy! Can you believe how self centered they are? It's gross and scary. I have so many family members that never left and are still renting for what I am buying a 2 story new home which is 2400 square feet in a new neigborhood!! It may not be LA but it beats the **** out of living in an apartment or renting a old home with dated amenities.
If u want to be an actor stay, otherwise explore the world and find your home where u feel comfortable and can be the man/woman u are!

Answer 3

From what I read, you sound quite like you're the opposite of what you describe yourself. Down-to-earth and goodlooking? Maybe, but openminded? No way. Such a question is appalling enough to reawake the "Angeleno" in me. Nine years residency doesn't make you an expert on LA . What do you mean by better quality? Why does the average American expect so much conformity towards such a very small region? Just what does every American want in a big city? LA's got a great culture---a culture too "alien" for your taste. You haven't been around long enough to experience the "real" LA. I've been to nearly almost everywhere across the country and I never found more racial diversity and acceptance than in good old Los .Angeles. If every country around the world expects America to be the land of freedom and opportunity, then I'm afraid America is really failing them as well.

Answer 4

I feel you. I just moved to Chicago after living in Los Angeles for 6 years. I found some really great friends in LA, but they were all transplants from the Midwest. I dated some people but I never had an actual "relationship" either, in the entire 6 years! I'd had several relationships BEFORE I'd moved there, and now have a boyfriend since moving back to Chicago, so I know it wasn't me...I actually ended up leaving because I got tired of everything being so perfect all the time. Perfect weather, fancy cars, perfect-looking people, perfect lives...now I'm in stinky ol Illinois with terrible weather, fat people, and lower-paying jobs - but I am ultimately happier. Though I do miss LA and the life I had there, I am feeling a lot better about myself and my surroundings. I'm starting to get a "grip" again on what's real and what's important - and I found that is something I lost as I lived and worked in LA. There, I found my self image and priorities become warped. I wonder if the sunshine just didn't fry my brain! All I can say is, get out now if you're not happy - the sooner the better. The transition is hell (I can attest to that!) but at least if you move to a more down-to-earth place you won't have to waste so much energy on the flaky LA people - because they are certainly not going to change anytime soon.

Answer 5

I've been here for almost 10 years. Unfortunately it's a very difficult place to be. Though people seem nice and friendly, they are not truly so. They are all self absorbed, self involved individuals with very shallow values. Life has become so meaningless for me in this place. It's just so fake and people value the most shallow things. Also, there are a lot of nut cases here. A lot of people seem nice but once you get to know them for real, you realize how psycho they are.

Answer 6

People who are really self absorbed have small self esteem and are have more things the hate than enjoy.

They lie to further there own end. They see there "friends" as assets. They are just a bunch of sociopaths. They really are just pathetic, insecure and doing all the wrong things to make them feel better and end up creating a vicious cycle. Someday they'll hit a brick wall and realize it doesn't work anymore.

Answer 7

I think it's the many people who moved to LA thinking that this is the place to hang out or wanted to get into show business (without learning the craft first). I think these people, not the native Angelenos, are self-absorbed, shallow and flakey.

Answer 8

You are making a huge generalization. It depends where you live...there are a lot of wealthy people here that are shallow and self absorbed, as I can tell you I know a lot of them....but there are just as many REAL people here as well. Not everyone here has money, there are average hard working families here that stuggle just like everyone else.

Answer 9

This is a much wider spread issue effecting way more then just people in LA!

I believe this is now called "human nature" (a bi-product of Jerry Springer). Low intelligence and emotional quantification (EQ vs IQ) should be avoided at all cost!

Demand more! Don't lower your standards.

Answer 10

Yeah, I hear you. I feel the same way about L.A. I think that it being the capital of the movie industry probably has a lot to do with it. And all the money that goes with it. It's sad that a place with such great weather has so much repulsive energy attached to it.