I've been reading lots of doom and gloom articles talking about how 'shitty' SF is becoming (or has become) and it makes my skin crawl. It took me awhile, but I think I finally put some words to my feelings.

IMO, one of the most important aspects of SF is that it's always reinventing itself. It's been this way as long as western civilization has been here. Its the wild west and the gold rush. It's the land of opportunity. It's where movements happen, where people discover themselves, where dreams come true, and where dreams are brutally crushed.

This is a city that churns people. I've only been here for 8 years and I've had just about every friend I've ever made eventually move away.

People seem to discover SF and then get fixated on the city being the way that they found it when they first fell in love. I get it, once you have your moment with this city you want it to last forever and don't want to see something great 'ruined'. (Peter Pan syndrome much?)

I hope the nay-sayers take the time to understand this city. Not only as it is today, but also it's history. I think they'll find that the things they hate about SF are the very things that makes The City so great.

oh SF