Thinking Out Loud

People complain about Los Angeles being "fake" and superficial. Surely you've heard this, if not said it yourself. I know I have at some point. But I would argue that LA is also the strongest example of a melting pot, transplant city meaning that a huge percentage of the population has moved here from somewhere else. I have no census data to back that up, but think about how many people you know or meet that are from another city or state versus those you know that are actually from here. So my point is that all these people from out of state bitch about LA being fake, but they're the ones that comprise this city more than the natives. Could it be that they carry in this pre-conceived notion of what it means to be an Angeleno when they move here and subconsciously perpetuate the stereotype themselves in their behavior and lifestyle? Makes sense to me. I think you have all these transplants moving in and in trying to blend in and do as the Romans do, they are the ones creating these characteristics of the city that they so love to criticize it for. Would this fakeness be there anyway, without them furthering it? I'm sure it would to some degree. I don't think it takes a sociologist to figure out that much of this subjective fakeness revolves around the entertainment industry, which is inherently fake in that it's almost by definition fiction. But still, it wouldn't be nearly as bad.

So what am I saying...I guess my ultimate point is, don't get on your soapbox and moan about LA being fake while taking a break from your job in reality television, sitting at The Grove in your designer jeans and sunglasses, sipping a mojito with your cell phone permanently attached to your head. It strikes at your credibility.