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Originally Posted by Serpentine Leaf
Not every place is so awash in gadgets. Is that area considered part of Silicon Valley? Research is lagging behind in the effects of so much screen time, but what research has been done does not suggest that it's good for us. Some people where you live seem on the path to becoming Borgs. Not quite the nest scene for dating and friends.
I'm so glad to see that you're becoming able to separate their insults and judgement from reality. They were just live versions of internet trolls. You just live your truth, Lundi, because you're awesome.
Healthcare certainly should be a universal human right, just like healthy food and clean safe drinking water and a safe place to live. What's the A&E? The UK's health system sounds amazing, and the polar opposite of what we endure in the US.
The only healthy thing to do in a toxic environment that is not open to change is to leave it. The environment in which you socialize, especially if it's something you struggle with, is essential. You need people who are compassionate and understanding if your skills are to improve. Socializing with toxic people will only further traumatize you. Congrats on that journal, that's an excellent and healthy way to boost your self-esteem and sense of worth. It will help to keep you grounded in the face of other people's storms. Keep that close to you!
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If you want to know the extent to which this gadget obsession is now, I can give an example: if you come here, you will see on the news and the newspapers sometimes telling people to not look down whilst crossing the street. You may think, why would you need to tell people this. This is because in San Francisco, due to the heavy IT sector here, people are seriously attached to their mobile phones and tablets. A lot of people cross the street, whether they be with stop signs or red lights, with their face down looking at their gadgets. Cars do not expect this, and the pedestrians who refuse to look up get run over by accident. Clearly this is extremely stupid and reckless, but that is how people are. They need to see their social media at every minute, and that is not an exaggeration. Some people even jaywalk with their face down looking at their mobile phone or tablet. This is San Francisco's tech reality.
No, Silicon Valley officially are at the southern end of the Bay Area. It is close to a rural area, farmland and semi-desert. Around 60 miles from San Francisco, where I live. However, in the past years, Silicon Valley have extended their influence northwards, and now San Francisco are essentially an urban extension of Silicon Valley. A lot of tech workers who live in San Francisco actually work in Silicon Valley but have special busses, e.g. Google and Facebook busses, to take them to Silicon Valley and back. So San Francisco are basically unofficially Silicon Valley's "tech city". For this reason, San Francisco are now considered the tech centre of the entire world. From experience, this brings lack of empathy, huge wealth disparity, the disappearance of the middle class, soaring crime levels, etc.
If I go Downtown, I always look behind me every so often to make sure that no criminals are following to rob me. If strangers on the street or even in buildings are close to me, I just look at their actions to make sure that they are not going to rob me in a hold-up. I always walk fast through some areas, because they are essentially third-world slums. The crime is horrendous in many areas, especially near Downtown, due to poor people being kicked out of their homes due to being unable to afford the rent. It is a seriously sad example of rich people having no empathy and treating people like numbers, or in this case, more like dirt. It is sickening.
I do believe from the bottom of my heart that healthcare is a human right, end of story. Unfortunately most people here in San Francisco whom I meet do not believe this. They believe that healthcare is for people who can afford it. Those who cannot--well, too bad. Again, no wonder I cannot get along with so many people here.
The A&E (Accidents & Emergencies) is what they call the ER. I went to A&E due to some accidents and stuff. Again, all completely free.
That is true, leaving the environment is the best solution. In fact, that is why I barely have any friends and acquaintances in this city. So many have left permanently. A lot of them left after having moved here and lived for just a few months or a year. They got so sick of it, it seems.