Soulless San Francisco

Bohemia By the Bay. It's how I chose to remember the passing of San Francisco into the Gentrified and Disney-fied, $5 coffee fueled suburb of Silicon Valley that she has become.  I've been reading lots about the jeweled city on the 'nince (Peninsula) and how this latest tech boom is killing the spirit of this once vibrant and creative foggy town.

Turns out the Google-plexers are coming in and taking over reasonable rentals and affordable mortgages by offering three times the worth.  This my friends drives out most everyone else, having an especially onerous effect on the creative types that are all part of the collective soul and wacky world that was San Francisco.

The Google-plexers are bringing in lots of money.  Why, then, are these young tech giants choosing to convert a beautiful metropolis into a stereotypical Walnut Creek suburb.  (I have nothing against suburbs, that are actually in the suburbs...but San Francisco is a city, people...).

The worst part is that these Goolgers and tech people claim they are actually contributing to the sense of community, and that they are contributing to the vibrant culture of the city.  I always worry when an industry as straight, and white and male as the tech. industry claims to contribute to a culture.  My suspicion is that they are more like an occupying force.  We certainly aren't seeing greater diversity in the new money fueled city due to the contribution of these new residents.  Even without hard data I'm willing to bet our liberal city has gotten almost as white and as straight as PDX (Portland, one of the least diverse cities in the nation).

We don't see that any of these nouveau riche  are actually supporting arts or entertainments.  We were talking to a gallery owner in San Francisco that displays local artists (including Yosiell), when I offered a glib comment that she must be doing well with all of the money flowing into SF from the tech. industry, she said in all seriousness that rarely does she sell to anyone in the tech. industry, and that she has talked to several other gallery owners about the same issue...in fact because of the higher rents driven by the tech industry coming in, galleries are folding at a fairly quick rate.

A photo stole from the internet highlighting my point. 

I realize that cities and neighborhoods transform over the course of time. The Castro has not always been a Gay-borhood.  Rather, the neighborhood of course started as a Spanish Barrio, then was heavily influenced by the Irish immigrant population before its most recent incarnation of a Rainbow Flag bedazzled Gay mecca serving as a symbol to all of America, the most liberal spot in the most liberal town.

Now I walk around San Francisco seeing packs of nerds with their girlfriends and fiances acting like the most basic bro's.  Even Polk street has been converted to a stereotypical forced fun bar scene allowing young people with money the opportunity to hobknob and hook-up.  Polk street used to have more than a little edge.  Yes, the drugs and occasional violence were a problem, but we've given up the economic, ethnic, and racial diversity in the gentrification process.  We've certainly given up the diversity in gender expression and sexual orientation for which Polk Street was known.

Driving around San Francisco is a nightmare for all of the buildings sprouting up and construction happening.  Whole blocks of buildings with character are being ripped out to create a mega office complex housing Trulia or some other techno giant.

Burning Man has been in the past an awesome symbol of the soul of San Francisco.  Burning Man enjoyed humble beginnings on the beaches of San Francisco.  I imagine that in today's San Francisco this expression of freedom of thought and liberality would never get off the ground.

Recently, Michael Gilchrist and Mark Zumbach were on a visit to pay homage to this city by the bay and to bid Dame Edna a farewell as she celebrates her final Farewell Tour.  I'm always very happy to tour San Francisco with friends to help show off what is considered the most beautiful city in the world.  We walked around the Haight for quite some time.  The shops were eclectic, one can have a quick bite from one of the many places with food from around the globe.  The vibe was a bit edgy but more like the sanitized version found in a textbook on what it was like to be a child of the sixties.  More like a postcard of the hippie culture including a Starbucks to have a brief respite when things become too real, or too diverse.

San Francisco is a city that has weathered a great deal of change, and yet has always seemed to retain an edge and a commitment to a liberal bohemian spirit, but the current changes seem to be all consuming.  San Francisco has always ben a money fueled mega machine, that is undeniable.  The only difference is that this current wave of tech. takeover is so quick and so complete, there is no longer room for anything but this wave.

 In the vein of glass half full, gentle readers, San Francisco's soul isn't completely gone, I just believe it has moved across the bay to Oakland.  Of course Oakland is putting her own spin on this elusive spirit, but we welcome you to join our Occupy movements, or our artistic renaissance, or our hip hop fueled music scene.  Small galleries are popping up around our town and music venues abound.  Yes, I love being Oaklandish! I still encourage my gentle readers to visit the city by the bay, but to visit her soul come to Oakland.