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San Francisco: An Elitist Bubble Ignoring a Crime Epidemic?
I lived in New York City for 8 years and never had anything major stolen. In San Francisco, it took 2 weeks…
On the same day that my employer announced a company-wide layoff of 15%, they also decided to return everyone to the office after more than two years of working remotely due to the pandemic. In doing so, management managed to kill two birds with one corporate email.
And there was more! They casually tossed in that my team was relocating from New York City to San Francisco. Initially, this was presented as an option, but the subtext quickly turned into a clear ultimatum: move or seek alternative employment.
With the job market as unpredictable as it was and hearing stories from friends who had just been laid off, I decided to give San Francisco a shot.
Having lived in the Bay Area over a decade ago for a summer internship with weekends spent partying in San Francisco, I held fond memories of the city. Sadly, the San Francisco I arrived at bears no resemblance to the vibrant city I remember.
The situation is grim. A stroll through the Tenderloin will have you experiencing something akin to an anarchist’s fever dream.
And yet, San Francisco, like other great cities worldwide, has its unique charm and a sense of elitist smugness, a conviction that living here is a coveted opportunity. As a fellow lover of big cities, I respect this attitude. However, crime shouldn’t be seen as a cultural signifier like cuisine or arts. It’s a serious problem that needs to be addressed.
What struck me was how nonchalant everyone seemed when I shared my experience of being burgled within two weeks of moving here. The general sentiment? “Welcome to San Francisco.”
But is this really a city feature we should be casually accepting?
Mine wasn’t a minor incident either. Two guys broke into our apartment building and took their sweet time disassembling my scooter in the garage, as if they had all the time…
