I got a kick out of the firestorm my post(s) started. I certainly
didn't have any intention of changing anybody's opinion about Las
Vegas; how likely was that to happen? The people who have moved here-
-especially if that involved a major commitment of some kind--aren't
likely to admit (even to themselves) that the Land Of Free Money and
Endless Fun hasn't turned out to be all it was cracked up to be.
Anyone else--visitors of one stripe or another--doesn't count, as
many of the Vegas negatives I relate: corrupt politics, bad schools,
inadequate services and infrastructure, don't come into play until
you actually LIVE here.
I will reiterate my opinion--and of COURSE it's only my opinion--
that living here carries insidious negatives that may not be
apparent to anyone who doesn't live here (hell--they're not apparent
to many people who DO live here). These were merely the sort of
things I would tell a friend who was thinking of moving here. If I
sounded negative, it's because I didn't NEED to act Chamber-Of-
Commerce and repeat all the reasons, real and illusory, of why Vegas
is such a wonderful place to be. I actually agree with some of those
rationales; for instance, I am a night person, and in that regard I
find it easier to live here than elsewhere. The trouble is, there
are too many associated costs.
The bottom line is that Vegas allows you to discard inhibitions; to
act like a child; to be irresponsible (at least as long as the
pension checks keep coming). In that regard it's useful as the adult
Disneyland; a place to blow off steam. But no one should spend their
entire LIVES in Disneyland.
It's telling when you read the post from (I forget whom) earlier on
this thread that they intended to play VP every day and spend their
kid's inheritance, nyahh, nyahh. It's their money, they can do what
they want with it. I totally agree with that. You can do what you
want with what's yours. Selfishness and self-absorption are far from
against the law. There is nothing wrong with sending this message to
the world in general, and your children in particular. Hopefully,
you can time things so that when you die, all that your children
inherit is a stack of unpaid utility bills and all your old slot
cards. Now, THAT'S a Vegas attitude! If you think that way, then
there's no better place for you to be than here!
And BTW, anybody who thinks they can play VP twenty or more hours a
week without being a potential addict, is fooling themselves.
EVERYBODY thinks they can simply play as much as they want, or as
little as they want. But then--you start putting aside other
activities to play VP. You truncate your social life. You stay and
play longer than you had intended. It's insidious.....
