Yes, California is neoliberal hell. Yes, California is part of the United States and the US is evil, so by extension so is California. The state was built on stolen land and genocide, just like the other 49.
But I've been in the weird position of defending California on this site not because it's "good", but just because I think for those of us who have no choice but to live in the US, it's the least bad option.
I think the issues around homelessness are a good microcosm to look at. Yeah, CA is really shitty towards our homeless population, no doubt. But at the same time there are quite a few people here who actually want solutions that help homeless people and there are programs at the state and local level - feeble as they may be - that try to do this. Meanwhile, since I'm a transplant I can compare CA to my native Midwestern state. Back there, they are only a couple steps below "just fucking shoot homeless people we don't care". Literally every person I know back home sees homelessness as a "problem" that just needs to go away. If I was homeless I would never even consider going back to where I grew up, I'd stay here.
So yeah, I would sorta defend CA here. And now I feel like over the last year you've seen how absolutely christofascist the red states are going w/r/t abortion, trans issues, even gay marriage, you all are starting to see just how awful most of the US can be for anyone who isn't a well-off cishet white guy.
Fun CA fact: if you can land a job in CA state or local govt (including in the massive UC system), your health insurance is required by law to cover all gender affirming care, including expensive surgeries.
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All of those things you mentioned are why I don't understand the conservative fixation on California as a source of all evil. The state has the exact same problems as any conservative state, it just has more people.
The fixation is that California being as large as it is has national sway on policy (CARB for example), the economy as a whole (CA is like the 9th largest economy in the world by GDP) and pop culture since all the big studios are there.
It always seemed like Hollywood "hate" (which they don't actually hate, they just hate that Hollywood isn't as chuddy as they would prefer)
Depending on your definition of "most self-absorbed people" - all of this can be said about the New England region. At least in California you're not surrounded by Ivy League ghouls w/ a demographic made up of 95% white dorks.
Agree. Ivy League is the worst because they're the ones who staff the DC government and start wars. Californians are just super self-satisfied and irritating.