Why do people from San Francisco always hate on LA?

Question

Seriously, why does everyone from SF seem to enjoy talking smack about LA? Is it bc they think they're superior in some way? More intellecual? More liberal?

Answer 1

Because it seems many people in NorCal, especially SF, have an inferiority complex when it comes to LA, "David's" post being a great example of that bias. I'm from the Bay Area and live in SoCal right now and I feel that people from NorCal rip on SoCal more so than the other way around; most people I know from SoCal love the Bay Area, but will always defend their home when attacked, as anyone would. I love both places b/c they both have so much but different things to offer and it's so stupid how people try to divide this great state.

SF is a great city in it's own way and so is LA. Both have snobby pretentious people just different types. Some fake Hollywood elitist liberal and some self-righteous limousine SF liberal; there is no fundamental difference between the two.

Big, world class cities like SF and LA tend to have big ego's anyways so I guess when you have two major cities like that in the same state there will always be some petty rivalry. It's so stupid and people need to open their minds and realize that both parts of the state are great for much of the same and different reasons.

Answer 2

I think it's much to do about nothing.

San Franciscans like to think they're much more "radical." But in reality, they're not. Both cities pretty much parrot the policies of the Democratic Party.

No card carrying Green or Socialist have ever won a mayoral election in San Francisco. No gay or lesbian person has ever mounted a serious challenge to an incumbent mayor. Fienstein, Agnos, Jordan, Brown, and Newsom are all Democrat, straight, and pro-business.

The idea that San Francisco is some bastion of Marxist revolution (a la Venezuela or Cuba) is laughable at best. The problem is many San Franciscans believe they're more liberal than they actually are. They're limosuine activists who couldn't survive any better without imported water and spa treatments than their L.A. counterparts.

It's also worth noting that before 1964 and LBJ, San Francisco was reliably Republican and conservative. So, these things can change.

Answer 3

I think lots of it stems from the fact that they are two very physically different cities. SF is much more dense and urban, while LA is all spread out and strip mall-ish. They are both great cities for different reasons, I think. LA definitely has better weather and is just much bigger. SF doesn't have the car culture that LA does, mainly because its so compact that parking is a major hassle and very expensive. I was shocked (pleasantly) after living in SF for years to go to restaurants in LA that have free valet parking. You'd never ever see that in SF.

There are people in LA that hate on SF, say we're all liberal whiners, tree-huggers and boring. People in SF say that LA-ers are fake image-obsessed shallow trend-followers. I'm willing to bet there are more bookshops per capita in SF than LA, but there's plenty of yahoos here too that all they care about is the latest fashion in shoes and how much they spend on their haircuts.

Plus NorCal (not just SF) bears some resentment for the disparity in funds spent on infrastructure in SoCal vs. NorCal and the fact that everyone in the San Fernando Valley wants a green lawn and create artificial water shortages in NorCal because of the huge aquaduct that takes "our" water to LA with the result of water rationing and higher water bills here. Of course that doesn't affect SF because of the Hetch Hetchy Resevoir, but that's an overall feeling.

That and the fact the Dodgers are Satan's minions on Earth, destined to do his evil bidding at the expense of the Giants and A's. Bastards.

Answer 4

Because it's fun. LA is opposite SF in so many ways, but only the silliest Giants fans have much hostility towards the place.

Answer 5

LA people always trash on SF. It is not any different. All my friends are from either SD or LA and they always trash talk about SF. To me LA is way more up tight and all about image than SF is. LA makes me so stressed out when I am there. SF is all laid back and casual. SF is definately more liberal and probably more book worm intellectual than LA is.

And the biggest thing for me is that I find LA to be extremely superficial and egotistical. all about me, me and me.

Answer 6

I live in LA, but i love SF and want to move there

Answer 7

Here's the deal:

LA has a festering superiority complex that Los Angelians appear (or to be percieved) to makes foreigners feel inferior. So when the visitors leave, they take with them an impression that LA is a snobby town. It is somewhat true because it radiates out from Hollywood/Beverly Hills where people tend to think highly of themselves because of monetary amounts they garnish.

San Franciscans don't like Los Angelians because of this and because of political, environmental, and social-economic differences. Mainly SF is more Liberal, and LA simply exhonerates a hedonistic lifestyle.

Answer 8

A lot (not all) L.A. people are full of themselves. Some can be materialistic, narcacissistic, and arrogant. Appearances and posessions are everything. San Francisco in contrast has a more open, "hippy" attitude. Hence the friction.

Answer 9

Because they are smug and think they are better than everyone else, especially Los Angeles. They also think they are smarter and better than the rest of the entire country because they do think they are more intellectual and that everything liberal is great.

Answer 10

I don't know how people in SF think they can talk trash that place is just as bad as LA, this is not some irrational hatred though I have been to both, I did not have any hatred for the two places until I visited. I hope they both burn down.