I don't know why, but there are a great many SFers who like to think of themselves as progressives (in the modern liberal sense) and have this weird affectation where they like to let you know what nth generation SFer they are. Like it makes a difference or as if I cared.
What i can't parse is that these are the same people who say they are for more immigrant rights --whatever one thinks of immigrant rights, I can't square their desire to tell you how genuine a San Franciscan they are and the proof is in their being nth generation. So a 6th gen SFer has more status than a 5th gen SFer and so on.
SF is the only place I've seen where people feel compelled to tell you their gen as if it were status in and of itself somehow.
I spent a year there during the dot com boom, and was frankly pretty happy to move to Italy.
I'm somewhat liberal politically, but San Fran always felt like a different kind of 'progressive' than back home in relatively egalitarian, fairly moderate and generally well-run Oregon.
When I got to Padova, it felt like coming back to the real world. I'd go downtown and see young and old, wealthy and the not-so-well off. These days, thanks to immigration, it's also acquired some ethnic diversity: my daughter goes to a public school with children whose parents are quite varied.
The economy isn't great here though, and it really makes you wonder... Most of the planet would absolutely love to have the bay area's problems, as you can see by how many places try and ape it with their Silicon Alley, Prairie, Forest, Meadows, Fjord, Barren Wasteland, Cwm, Bog and so on.
When I got to Padova, it felt like coming back to the real world. I'd go downtown and see young and old, wealthy and the not-so-well off. These days, thanks to immigration, it's also acquired some ethnic diversity: my daughter goes to a public school with children whose parents are quite varied.
I'm confused; are you saying this is in contrast with SF? The Bay Area generally is one of the most diverse places I've ever been; Oakland is often cited as the most diverse city in America.
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I don't know why, but there are a great many SFers who like to think of themselves as progressives (in the modern liberal sense) and have this weird affectation where they like to let you know what nth generation SFer they are. Like it makes a difference or as if I cared.
What i can't parse is that these are the same people who say they are for more immigrant rights --whatever one thinks of immigrant rights, I can't square their desire to tell you how genuine a San Franciscan they are and the proof is in their being nth generation. So a 6th gen SFer has more status than a 5th gen SFer and so on.
SF is the only place I've seen where people feel compelled to tell you their gen as if it were status in and of itself somehow.
I spent a year there during the dot com boom, and was frankly pretty happy to move to Italy.
I'm somewhat liberal politically, but San Fran always felt like a different kind of 'progressive' than back home in relatively egalitarian, fairly moderate and generally well-run Oregon.
When I got to Padova, it felt like coming back to the real world. I'd go downtown and see young and old, wealthy and the not-so-well off. These days, thanks to immigration, it's also acquired some ethnic diversity: my daughter goes to a public school with children whose parents are quite varied.
The economy isn't great here though, and it really makes you wonder... Most of the planet would absolutely love to have the bay area's problems, as you can see by how many places try and ape it with their Silicon Alley, Prairie, Forest, Meadows, Fjord, Barren Wasteland, Cwm, Bog and so on.
I'm confused; are you saying this is in contrast with SF? The Bay Area generally is one of the most diverse places I've ever been; Oakland is often cited as the most diverse city in America.