Everything Wrong with Hawaii: My Response (Viewer Email)

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Like I mentioned in my community post, it's been a long week. 😂 I want to thank the individual for allowing me to share this email with all of you. I think the individual brought up some great points and it's great to learn about perspectives outside of Hawaii about Hawaii. Sometimes we can get defensive when people talk negatively about where we come from. And for Hawaii people, it sometimes hits rather personally because we have so much pride in where we come from. Hope you enjoy this video. Again, really appreciate the individual for allowing me to share their findings. 🤙

[@Bellasie1]

One more great video, thank you very much.

[@allagrimas6975]

🤙😉🤙🙏

[@boorat3573]

CHURCHES COULD OPEN THEIR DOORS FOR THE HOMELESS BUT THEY NEVER DO & CHURCHES DON'T PAY TAXES!

[@gordonames1892]

HEARD WE HAVE SOMETHINGS IN COMMON. BOTH OF US BORN AND RAISED IN KANEOHE. WENT TO COLLEGE IN OREGON.

[@SuiGenerisAbbie]

NOT at all certain why, or how, I missed this wonderful video. Chris, I will only ever seen your lovely state as a tourist does. That is not all bad, of course. But, I want to know what was HARD for you growing up in Hawaii: The bugs, the housing, crowded homes, the fights, the absence of aloha spirit in some of the Mokes, and other downers that make growing up in a tourists' paradise pretty much like growing up anywhere else, actually. What was school like for you? Did you grow up fighting? Were you ever bullied in school? What is having your home "tented" like? What stores on the mainland did you always miss, and do you continue to miss? Do you surf? How do you do battle with cane spiders and 'roaches? Y'know like that.

[@lg5683]

Hawaii is the most prejudice place I’ve ever lived and the most liberal. That’s a formula for failure

[@HMC2133]

I only saw half of it, but dont forget the higher gas price too. Also, if nature is the only reason you want to move to Hawaii-- you might find equally nice place at the affordable price elsewhere. However, to me it is the culture. I am an Eastasian, i grew up in Korea. I received most of my highest eduation in the States ( BA and MA) in America-- but still i get intimidated culturally, liguistically, and do receive occasional raicism in the mainland-- especially during this Covid Era. In Hawaii-- i am most comfortable! I can totally be myself and melt into the local community. Also, my mixed racial baby is so proud of her heritage (both dad's and mommy's) and respects all the diverse cultural backgrounds of her friends! This is a fantastic place to raise globally concious futuristic kids.(fyi, my 8-years-old is pretty much still color blind ;)) I wouldnt be able to provide that to my kid in the mainland. She will just be a minority there. Here, she is the same with everyone: diverse.!

[@genesishernandez9045]

This is also one of the reasons my family keeps working to stay living here, we are from Mexican descent, but here that has never mattered compared to mainland. To us, this is the best place to raise our kids and we can see the difference from when we lived in mainland, our kids are much happier and so are we!!

[@bigmike1850]

You are raising your kids in Hawaii? LOL this is THE WORST place to raise a kid you have ruined your entire family and don’t even seem to know it yet.

[@sw651]

@@bigmike1850 strong parents raise strong kids. Thier influences can steer their kids in the right direction and overcome any obstacles. I worry more for those that only talk about doom and gloom.

[@Chosenone24930]

This is exactly why I want my family to move back to HI someday. We’re a minority mixed family and HI has been the only place where we did not feel like outsiders.

[@Galen-864]

WHERE on the mainland were you living to feel like outsider? I grew up on BI and took after haole part of family. I was treated pretty damn bad compared to my brown skin or Asian cousins. Road goes both ways.

[@dylankeith2833]

I don't think any of these are necessarily invalid points, but they are definitely written by someone who has a surface level of the problems and not the real problems. The real problems being nepotism, government corruption (look at what happened at the State Leg today with English and Ty Cullen, and all the stuff going on with Caldwell), and the crabs in a bucket mentality where everyone is jealous of each other and wants to pull each other down al the time. And just the general anti-progress. Like quick to blame tourists for Covid while throwing 50 local person house parties. And if you're from the mainland but a resident of Hawaii and point out any of the hypocrisies, you're met with a "If you don't like it, go home" instead of actually reflecting on what's wrong and what's keeping Hawaii back. Where we put politicians in office based on what high school they went grad instead of what they're actually doing to help the community. Where we increase taxes every single year and yet our roads still look like we're in a third world country. Nobody wants to actually address the problems because if you do you're ostracized. That's Hawaii's real problem. I'm disheartened every time I see an article from Grassroots Hawaii where they interview someone leaving Hawaii to go move to the mainland and they give their reasons and all the comments are just "good riddance, we didn't want you here anyway" instead of actually listening to the voices of why people are leaving.

[@sw651]

Amen to that. The whole country is just starting to wake up to the stink of corrupt goverment and two tier society that comes from it.

[@mblakenichols]

great response!

[@jameshigginbottom6512]

You nailed it. Spoken truth. Seen it up close.

[@kyounokuma]

OMG! You nailed it!

[@timothyzakaria7397]

​@@jameshigginbottom6512 where do the homeless go for help in Honolulu I really need help I was adopted and have been low income my entire life. It isn't easy to get a decent job but I don't have any income which sucks

[@argeebricks9064]

I was stuck cooking and washing dishes in Hawaii for 10 years. While i was doing that, went to UH, got my degree in Computer Science. I move to Washington in 2007 after i got my degree. Working 15 years for Boeing now making 6 figures. You just cant get an opportunity like that in Hawaii. Sad, but that's how it is there. I miss Hawaii but i will never move back there.

[@KateTsingtao]

Agreed. I too work for Boeing. I came to Boeing the same year. Small world and cheers.

[@tracyalan7201]

Yup. Computer Tech field pays much lower than West Coast. Closest is working for Fed, which is better paying and a little more stability than private sometimes. It depends on the benefits and demands of the position.

[@akiram6609]

Grew up in Hawaii but live in New York state now. I can never afford to live in Hawaii but I miss it every day of my life.

[@Joshuafukumoto]

In regards to race relations, I don't know if Hawai'i is really as bad as the author makes it out to be. I can only speak for O'ahu, I've lived here all my life, grew up in Wai'anae (a predominantly hawaiian community), and work for a native hawaiian non-profit. It's very rare to be confronted with non-solicited "social justice" lectures, unless you're literally out there slapping seals or littering on the beach. For god sakes, we're a culture that doesn't even honk our car horns! We're pretty non-confrontational. Not to say that racial prejudices don't exist, and you won't get the rare dummy who wants to mouth off. I'd say for the most part local people are just looking for respect (for themselves and their home) and that respect will be reciprocated.

[@EEVOL]

I grew up in Hawaii and have been fortunate to go to college (bachelors and masters) all paid for by the DoD. I left Hawaii after graduating highschool 20 years ago, I still consider it home because I have a huge extended family that still live there. Without going into a diatribe, I will succinctly say thst greed over the years has destroyed Hawaii. Not by the locals, but greed from outsiders. One example is from something from my experience thst continues to enraged me to this day when I think about it. I came back to Hawaii 5 years ago to take care of my father's funeral. On the last day I was there I traveled alone to a beach that my father used to take us to all the time. To my surprise I got stopped from going in the water by some haole (foreigner) who had a French accent and told me I couldn't go in the water unless I rented a board from him for a price of $75 for a couple of hours. I saw that most of the people in the water had a neon green rash guard. The local boy in me wanted to "get nuts" on this guy because how appalling this was. This is a public beach that I used to frequent as a kid but now is only open to fee-paying tourists. Of course this wasn't right and this guy was out of line. I did give him a piece of my mind but didn't escalate it any further out of respect to my dad and what I had just gone through in that week. I was discouraged to find that this was commonplace and that there were these propped up "learn-to-surf" shacks all over the island. It's a shame that these outsiders are stopping local people from using the public beach. I haven't been back there since but the next time I go there I'm definitely going to go back to these places and see if these businesses are still there. I would just hate to think that local kids are being turned away so that some outsider can make a quick buck from tourists.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for sharing. I haven't seen anything like that at the beaches, but if it's happening, that's bad. Hawaii is changing and I hope the next time you visit, it hasn't changed to a point of no return from the good ol' days. 🤙

[@mikethompson3534]

Ige sells out for foreign money (taxes)

[@thunt1565]

Great video - I've enjoyed many of your videos and appreciate the effort and thoughtfulness you put into each one. I'd like to share my thoughts, but feel context is important: I lived on Maui for 9 months last year. I had/have a good job paying a very reasonable wage in the sense that I didn't struggle to pay the $1900 rent on my little apartment in Kihei. My work quite frequently took me to Oahu, Hawaii, and Kauai. I lived on a small island (1/3 the size of Maui) in Vietnam from 2016-2018. I have traveled extensively across SE Asia and through many places in Europe. I am now in Denver working for the same company in a different role. The 4 islands I experienced were beautiful. I'm a diver and enjoyed diving on Maui and the Big island. The weather is fantastic and I never wore anything other than shorts. Being greeted by a rainbow multiple times per week never got old. Now, on to the critical points. The costs have been well covered. I would go a step further and say the value of what you get (natural beauty, etc.) versus the cost is the worst of anywhere I've ever been. There are equally beautiful places throughout SE Asia that cost a small fraction of Hawaii. And that brings me to culture. I heard so much about Hawaiian culture before I moved there. I read Michener's "Hawaii" to get a little historical (albeit fictionalized) perspective. I am very culturally curious and literate and actively seek out people/experiences/places to expand my knowledge. Throughout the 4 islands I worked and lived on, I never saw or felt anything I thought was "oh, wow - look at that magnificent Hawaiian culture". Maybe I'm a bit jaded by my experiences in so many Asian cultures far from tourist areas, but from what I saw it felt little more culturally unique than going to Little Saigon in Orange County, CA or Little Italy in NY. Perhaps I didn't get introduced to the right people or go to the right places. I worked with many people, from 25-55 years old, that were born and raised on the islands. The educational aspect mentioned in the video was very apparent to me. With no disrespect intended, let's just say the public education system in Hawaii is on par with the worst on the mainland (AL, MS, SC, WV, OK). I had no experience with crime, but observed the high levels of homeless. Whether it's Hawaii or Ohio, it's shameful and embarrassing that we have such high rates of homeless in our incredibly wealthy country. But that social failure is, unfortunately, never ending in our country. A few more bright spots to finish up. I never felt any hostility or 'stand offish' attitudes' due to race. But I'm a genuinely friendly and outgoing person and anyone willing to take 5 seconds to speak with me quickly accepts that I'm truly interested in learning about others and helping in any way. The people I met - locals and native Hawaiians alike, matched the kindness of anywhere else I've been in the US. Traffic? Like everything - it's all relative! On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being Bangkok or L.A., Anywhere outside of Oahu was a 3 at its worst, and Oahu barely registered a 5 (and that's really a stretch). So, for those of you complaining about traffic, all I can tell you is that if Hawaii is the worst traffic you ever have to drive through, consider yourself lucky! Mahalo and aloha to the beautiful state for all you shared with me. It was a great experience, and I'd do it all over again, but I look forward to the future and adventures around the world at a much more reasonable cost.

[@tracyalan7201]

Loved the comment. You've experienced so much and are fair about what some parts are claimed to be terrible. Unfortunately, economics for Hawaii is hard for the younger people to get enthusiastic about the future. Partially, generational, as we think about ourselves at that age, how many was really mapping out the next five to ten years and how to achieve it. The advantages of the tech of this generation in some ways are handicaps them from seeing what parts of the world/country is really dealing with. Time/experience will address that to them individually. The older crowd like us just have to keep mentoring them and help them the best way that we can in order to avoid the pitfalls that we've experienced. Good info. Mahalo.

[@aartisan44]

Thank you for all of your helpful information. Did you have any experience with the Big Island? I have heard it is cheaper than the other islands, but also heard there is a serious theft problem there. Mahalo

[@MsLandell]

I appreciate your comments and I agree with some. I have heard from friends how beautiful SE Asia is, but if it involves living outside of America, that's a deal-breaker for many. In my opinion, 9 months is not enough time to get introduced to the right people or go to all the right places. That takes time and depends on your actions and level of respectfulness, but definitely more time spent in the community. Volunteering and helping the community thrive is what introduces you to the unbelievable culture. The love of land and people is abundant and very welcoming. It's a journey of knowledge worth taking.

[@Flying_turnip187]

Yeah….Hawaii is a big mess. One of the reasons I left was the job situation. Finding a decent job (at least on the big island) was near impossible. What people don’t realize is that nepotism and connections make a huge factor in getting a job there. If your uncle works at the state at a decent job, chances that you would get the job perhaps over a More qualified candidate. Also if your family makes decent money, you are more likely to get “help” getting a house , job, etc. For us poor locals guys on our own without help, it’s a slow drowning feeling living there. Hawaii was a great place maybe 30 years ago, today….it’s pretty much a retirement home for rich non locals. The demographic is changing rapidly along with the culture.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Agree on the housing assistance. It's one of the things that I think people don't realize. Wealthy families can help their kids with the down payment and private school tuition.

[@tracyalan7201]

I got friends that moved over from Oahu to Hawaii island and in-law relatives there. I've heard from a few that it can be tough to get established there but people eventually warm up to you but it's no different on the other islands and so-so on Oahu. Has it changed from pre-1960's Hawaii, probably a small amount. That saying "It's not what you know versus who you know" depends on because we are a island with wide roots here and there, whether community, school or family. Non-locals getting started can be difficult depending on their personalities and actions. If people know you, are friendly/helpful, the communications distance eventually diminishes. There is always some sort of barriers in any location, whether on the islands or elsewhere, it's the choices that we make in dealing with them and it sits inside of us. I've encountered barriers about work getting established, promoted and such in the islands. I was frustrated and not happy, but like the sour lemons, you deal with it. I did what I could to prove myself, worked harder, advanced my knowledge and skills, and when that wasn't good enough, I decided that it wasn't me, that wasn't the problem. It was the environment, so I changed employers. I looked elsewhere and tested myself to see where I stood against others outside of my employer. I found someone willing to give me an opportunity to show what I can do for them and worked hard to prove it. You reset yourself in every change, and always must prove to yourself and others that their faith in you is worth it. My old instructors mentioned, "Change the environment or change the attitude" in dealing with problems. Change management, I thought they called it. It helped to deal with insurmountable perspectives. Good Luck.

[@shygurl3384]

I agree with this , my aunt born and raised in Hawaii and her father is Hawaiian , and it helped her get a job and home , especially leaving Hawaii and going back ! She wouldn’t have be able do that without her father and his family !

[@Flying_turnip187]

Yeah...never movin back to Hawaii. Way better places and better opportunities in the continental states. Just bring the Aloha with you .....

[@Jose_Jimenez]

When a 2 bedroom apartment in Waipahu cost over $2400 a month, I'd say that is pretty expensive. Not as bad as California, but then again, pay in Hawaii is much, much lower. Jacking up the minimum wage is NOT going to solve the problem, but make the rent even higher. My pay here in California was twice as much for the same job there in Hawaii. I'm retired comfortably, and have paid off my 2400 sq ft home in a gated community. I dread even vacationing there because of the traffic and the crowds. I grew up in Ewa Beach and lived in Hawaii for about 28 years. I can honestly say, IT AIN'T THE SAME.

[@alexcarter8807]

Waipahu's not only close to Pearl Harbor so, gov't jobs but also the new developments going out to Waianae side. So there may be a reason the prices are that high.

[@DansFunMovies]

to me Hawaii is a fun place to visit but I don,t think would want to live there.

[@BTLwithTony]

I grew up in Honolulu, moved mainland, lived all over the country, including Florida. Living in Florida was by the worst state I ever lived in. Too hot, too humid, mediocre food, outside of Cuban food at least, and the worst part, living in Florida meant you had to live amongst people from Florida, who are by far the most selfish group of state residents I’ve ever been around. There is no aloha in Florida. I’ve lived in Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, , Vegas, Oregon, New York, North Carolina, DC, New Mexico, and Texas, oh yeah and that peninsular state, and by far my least favorite place was Florida. Hawaii is choke expensive, but life is so much better here than in Florida.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for sharing. Good to hear another perspective from someone who lived in FL.

[@Islandgirl58]

I agree with you on Florida. I’m born and raised on Oahu. I lived in Florida as well and was so happy to move back home to Hawaii. I had a hard time living in Florida due to being Asian I wasn’t well liked. Only time people changed their attitude towards me when they found out I was from Hawaii. I was more on the dark skin side and always mistaken for Filipino and Mexican. My husband wanted to buy a retirement home in Florida I said hell no lol. Living in Florida really made me appreciate Hawaii more even though cost of living is so high.

[@gardenia8085]

@@Islandgirl58 ...I've never been to FL. My Filipina/American friend moved to Ft. Myers 4 years ago from San Diego and says she loves it and sooo much cheaper than SD.

[@happycook6737]

I agree about Florida. I've always thought the lure of Florida is the closeness for east coast people who want to retire in warm weather.

[@jttaylort]

I grew up in Daytona Beach, Florida. I have lived in Georgia, Wyoming, and now Texas. I never been to Hawaii, but growing up in a resort city I agree with these comments. However, I do Love Texas, with the people that live in this state, the jobs available, and the relatively low cost of living.

[@puidemare2337]

That race complaint was a very broad brush stroke of generalization. As someone who has been blessed enough to travel and lived abroad and on the mainland, what they spoke about exists everywhere!! It's not unique to Hawai'i. As my tutu wahine would say, be humble, be kind(give and share) and be quiet(meaning: listen, no talk too much) and you'll be fine no matter where you go in the world. I have haole friends who move here and have never had pilikia(trouble) anywhere on the island because they are humble. There will always be the exception at times because there are always assholes no matter where you go. But that goes for anywhere in the world also. It's the attitude you have that makes the difference.

[@alexcarter8807]

Seriously this. The mainland's got its own counterpart to "mokes" and they're far more vicious than anyone you'd meet in Hawaii. If I had to say it simply, In Hawaii if you're humble they'll leave you alone, on the mainland if you're humble they'll bully you more.

[@JohnDoe-xr8dz]

Yeah, be Pono - humble and kind

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Great points 🤙

[@KikaWaiAlae]

Pui, where’s your mainland that you speak? Is it North America? As a Hawaiian my mainland is all of the Hawaiian islands in the Hawaiian Kingdom. If you are an American then yes, your mainland is on the continent and you are correct. 🤙🏽

[@realSimoneCherie]

But Hawai'i is at least 1/4 white american/mainlander and it's a trip to me to hear such woe about how they are treated in the only state in the union where they are an outsized minority

[@ChatGPT1111]

I've lived extensively in both California and Florida but my jaw dropped when I saw Hawaii's beauty. There's really no comparison. California is much more beautiful than Florida but Hawaii is Hawaii, which is a huge complement. Florida, while pretty big, is getting way too crowded so it isn't what it used to be.

[@seditiouswalrus]

Been to both enough times, you have not been to Florida enough. Florida wins by a landslide.

[@ADAtrips]

As the negative statements went, I have not lived thru many, (15 year) here, But he is right as it comes to taxes and things like rail ect. I dont live here for $ money. But if you want a normal US house, buy on the mainland. Thank you for keeping the conversation going about this type. 🌴🌴 Aloha

[@HelloFromHawaii]

🤙

[@issacbrown1087]

I just moved here the end of last year. The weather alone would be enough for me. It rained everyday for 9 months out of the year where i came from. I focus on the positives of living here. But all your points are fair. Mahalo.

[@bazkoa5250]

Where did you come from?

[@gardenia8085]

I moved here just before the covid shutdown so over 2 years now. Everyday I am amazed by the beauty of the island of Oahu on the Windward side and feel so fortunate to live here.

[@TheKamakafari]

all i know is i don't plan on leaving my home, I might work occasionally on the mainland but my home is Maui, I don't care about opinions, protests, nor the color of your skin but it's the strength of your character that matters most. Here in Hawaii everyone gets made fun of so you learn quickly to develop thicker skin, it's a weird way that Hawaii people keep each other in check i guess but it's not like we're lacking in the idiot department especially those who walk around with a massive chip on their shoulder thinking they're special or the ones who chant about problems but don't do anything to help remedy them or even worse make more of them. I did what I could and it was for nothing, as a native I'm tired of my people living and fighting for the past, they talk about community and fellowship but the minute someone stops to think differently they get shunned. learn from the past, work for the future, but live for today. I have no shame in the things I say especially after getting screwed over by my own, I have no native connections, never had any nepotistic job offers, or any kokua handouts. I know what I want and I've always worked for it, my papa was the same way and if there's anything i know he would've been proud of it's that i didn't let some aunteh or unko on TV with their mob or our local government and their statistics dictate how I move through life to build my own future. I know for fact I'm not the only one who thinks like this way.

[@nd4804]

This is so beautifully communicated. THANK YOU.

[@kevinhsu8184]

The writer clearly done some research on pros and cons of living in Hawaii. However, I do think there are a lot of exaggerations of the reasons why Hawaii isn’t the place for him. Almost feel like because he can’t afford to live there, he has to give a list of reasons why Hawaii sucks for him. The whole thing feels like a somewhat researched rant. Basically the guy would like to live in Hawaii but it has to be this and that to suit his needs. Otherwise it’s a no go and it’s Hawaii’s fault. There are definitely problems with living in Hawaii but there are problems living in California, Florida, Texas, New York, etc.. There will always be problems in every state of the union. It’s really more about going to a place with an open mind and go with the flow. If you want things your way, you will never be happy no matter whichever state you go to. I for one likes to retire in Oahu someday. I will first rent a place for at least six months to see if I can adjust myself to Hawaiian lifestyle. I think the trick to live in Hawaii is only move there if you don’t need to look for a job there. Money is one way to put space between you and any unpleasantness. This is not just for Hawaii but for any place you want to live. I find people who complaints a lot says a lot more about them than the subject they are complaining about.

[@skymakai]

That's pretty much everything on my list of 'what's wrong with Hawaii'. The race issue is a big one, but I've noticed that violence is also just a cultural norm in Hawaii. Chalk it up to lack of education, low wages, high costs, etc.. basically everything on the list... but it's undeniable that aggression and violence is commonly a Hawaii local's first response to any disagreement. Here's a story of my own: I'm surfing at a local spot I always surf at. I'm deep in a wave and a local guy jumps on it in front of me. As the wave closes out on us both, our boards collide and both get dinged. Guess what happened? He immediately started hitting me. After we get out of the water, he's screaming at me that I owe him for his board getting dinged.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Sorry to hear about what happened. Not sure why aggression is a natural reaction here. You'd think it would be "No worries", but instead it's "Like beef?"

[@cigarillo22]

Totally agree. I experienced it too from a mixture of some locals. It's home grown ignorance.

[@laceyshaine8609]

Violence is rampant anywhere, where you’re born into poverty and grow up in a rough neighborhood? Which yeah, I have to agree that the large populace of the Native Hawaiians resides due to being economically pushed out. But I don’t think that’s a “Hawaii” specific thing lol. It’s a smaller island, so you just are prone more to seeing it since poverty is abundant in Hawaii outside of the “tourist” areas. Same as Brazil associated with Violence, Mexico, certain countries in Europe. That’s just human nature. Not condoning it or advocating for these type of behavior but what can you do about it? Not everyone is “Timmy” from Hawaii Kai that has infinite financial and emotional support growing up.

[@gomoso22]

All I can say is that Hawaiians are amazing people.

[@bkproductions3569]

Btw- the topics you post would make great documentary small films of what life is really like here in Hawaii. Getting real life interviews from different people from race to class would be super interesting. Without sponsors you wouldʻnt have to worry about censorship and Hawaii can be shown for itʻs true colors.

[@rickagulia3767]

Hello Great video very honest. I have been thinking of retiring in oahu. I live in Los Angeles, and also been researching living there. As for housing the prices are comparable to Los Angeles but in Hawaii you get 50% less square footage for same price. The other thing no one mentioned crime in Oahu , I watch Hawaii local TV broadcasts and on Oahu they always there seems, there are shootings, stabbing, children go missing, corrupt politicians and police. And also their is a major drinking water contamination problem. My point is that people I know who live in Hawaii they only focus positive things and not what is actually is going on.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Unfortunately, crime is a part of what goes on here. I see it highlighted on the news a lot too. It's one of the things that's tough to see, especially because we're supposed to be the Aloha State.

[@rayage777]

I don't think crime is as bad as you may think. Hawaii doesn't have that much news to fill the 1/2 hour or an hour broadcast. There aren't that many shootings because there are not a lot of guns, so not sure where the shootings come from. Los Angeles doesn't have a lot of crime in their news, unless it's big or unique. There is just more things the news can cover. I can agree with the corrupt politicians and police, even though many people have relatives that are politicians and police.

[@rickagulia3767]

@R Age well almost daily a shooting or stabbing is being reported on the local news. Unless you watch the local news stations in Hawaii you would never know it is happening. Most people think it is a tranquil place myself included. But when watching the local news I was shocked at first about the violence and the corruption that was being reported.

[@Keliiyamashita]

@@rickagulia3767 that why you want to retire on the Big Island! Way more affordable and the people have tons of aloha! Everyone just waves and 🤙🏼 at you even if they don’t know you.

[@jenanalleman6285]

@@Keliiyamashita I would be worried people would get wise to that and the Big Island gets overrun and no longer becomes affordable.

[@Gpaskymix]

Love hawaii and locals there. If you are just a visitor then u have to understand the deep culture hawaii is about and the love for the deep roots on the island. I see both sides but much has been taken away from the locals and all we have is each other.. please understand its very different living there versus visiting.

[@pennyatcheson8787]

I hesitated watching this because I'm very tired of hearing how terrible Hawaii is, particularly from people who don't live here. However, I so admire your neutrality and open mindedness with this type of criticism. The letter writer's opinions based on research rather than personal experience show clearly where their values are based. I don't think Hawaii's true essence can be described through numerical analysis. What makes Hawaii uniquely appealing can't be measured that way. It's just very personal and different for everyone. I don't even know if that can be understood unless you've lived here and perhaps other places. Your handling of these negative points about your home and your future is an example of one of the best parts of Hawaii. It's culture and tolerance; it's aloha in action. Mahalo again for keeping the discussion real for those who may not want to live with an aloha attitude.

[@Jose_Jimenez]

Do you know anyone who might have lived in Ewa Beach?

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for the comment. I admire the writer of the email because they researched a lot before coming to a decision on what was best for their life. I find the discussion of whether people who aren't from Hawaii can talk about how bad Hawaii is a very interesting one. Maybe a topic for another video.

[@AkkoandTamo]

Thanks for taking these topics heads on. As a family looking to move to Hawaii to see if we can be a net positive, it’s great to learn about the though topics that we will inevitably face as we acclimate. Mahalo 🙏

[@sceek561]

Having lived in Hawaii most of my life, I still enjoy your channel and to hear the conversation around Hawaii. Great job

[@HelloFromHawaii]

🤙

[@rileystein6195]

I've only been living in Hawaii for about 6 months and I agree, yet I think it's possible for Hawaii to solve its issues or at least I hope so. Singapore is an interesting comparison, but for such a small nation, they've done well for themselves. I think Hawaii can learn a lot about how to progress into the future and make life better for the locals and native Hawaiian people.

[@alexcarter8807]

Hawaii is part of the US and too much controlled by Western culture to use the kind of solutions Singapore or a lot of Asian countries use. I'm not gonna go on about Western culture buuuuuut......

[@sheriandreas8260]

Hi Hello From Hawaii guy, how is your family? I hope all is well. I’ve seen 2 documentaries about Hawaii & it was so sad to see the native Hawaiians homeless in their own ancestral islands, homeland. There is so much more to comment but that is the one that my heart goes out to. Have a beautiful day.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

🤙

[@garrettlong969]

@@HelloFromHawaiio

[@parkercroft6183]

Aloha Nephew, Again, mahalo nui loa for your work, particularly this episode. I stay Kaua'i, north side, and for twenty years made a farm and cared for it with my family. Now that is gone. No regrets. One son still teaches on Kaua'i and I will be back when I finish my work on Mainland America. Addressing this entire bundle is too much to do in the "comments" section. ( Maybe one day we talk story.) I will try to stand outside it a little and offer a few thoughts. Hawai'i is not Oahu, sure not Honolulu. Still, Hawai'i is a marvelous place to visit and sure not a home for everyone, in fact very few. For a moment forget the obvious problems with money and housing (I worked on providing affordable housing for years). The culture of Hawai'i is not the culture of Mainland America. When Mainland America arrives and expects to buy into Hawai'i there will be big disappointments. Hawai'i, and particularly Kaua'i, is beautiful. Where I stay now is as beautiful (location undisclosed). Every morning I wake I miss Kaua'i, no matter how good it is here. In my pu-uwai (heart) I became Hawaiian. No, not Kanaka Maoli, but so much of the aina that I will never leave, no matter how far I go. The 'uhane is big and the gods are still alive in Hawai'i. That sounds like some sort of poetry on Mainland America, but it is real. Move to Hawai'i? If can do, can do. If no can do, no can do.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for the thoughtful comment. I agree that Hawaii is not Oahu, although it tends to be viewed that way. In contrast, Kauai is the best representation of Hawaii, at least in my humble opinion. 😁 If no can, no can.

[@tracyalan7201]

Love the response. Growing up on Oahu, having relatives/friends on Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii island, it's something to be cherished with so much to appreciate. There are problems with living here, but they are wholistic in cause and solution. No one person/group of people can arbitrarily solve all its problems on its own. Everyone contributes to the cause and solution. We live on an island in the Pacific, remote from some transportation resources that other locations are privy to. We have limited resources of land and water that comes at a price for management of resources and waste. We have limited economic revenue for the local, with socio-economic-political consequences to develop. These are realities that should comparison be made, should be of equivalent scale of model. What we have are incredible people, compassionate, hard-working, and friendly people with a climate, beauty to die-for and people envy. As they say, Lucky come Hawaii.

[@zrienkersh1475]

South Florida has very high property tax rates though. So they get y’a too. I believe Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm beach have some of the highest property taxes in the US. This is prob accurate pre-pandemic, but after pandemic everyone moved to Florida and jacked up the prices big time.

[@kaumingo]

Not nearly enough Republicans!

[@scotkamimae2531]

The real problem with Hawaii is that they have had one political party running the entire state since 1959. When you have inbred political and economic leadership, you get a regressive economy, ruled by the political and economic elites. In the next 10 years, the middle and lower income people will slowly be economically enslaved by the wealthy people moving to the islands. It's unfortunate, but you get what you vote for.

[@rossflores1946]

Aloha I too was born and raised on the Big island and been living on the mainland.remember something the islands can only sustain so much growth at any given time and the amount of jobs can only suffice certain amount of job availability and to damper even further issues, the good jobs are even more comparative in a pool of fish that has way more fish then food.the problem is way too many people for the availability of jobs.had it not being for those of us who chose to move rather we like it or not would have devastated the pool of jobs available even further.now 30 years later we can see that the locals are being displaced in their own homeland as others with strong financial resources are able to purchase what few land and housing remains. As always (the money dictates evetything) so sad.my people has been scattered all over the world due to this displacement of my culture,my people and my kingdom.GOD HELP US ALL!!!

[@cbunming]

I love your responses in this video. They were realistic, not too optimistic or pessimistic. I am tired of both sides, maybe a little more on the latter. People were kind of taking things for granted and nowhere on Earth is really perfect for them. Our lives here are somewhat the best in the world. I would say that, comparatively, our life quality is at the top 5% of world population (8 billions). If these were not good enough, I wonder how could the other 95% survive?

[@ahhitskatie9094]

I know that outsiders are ruining Hawai’i in many ways, but I’d think this is a topic we can all relate to as we see it happening to many states. I do not mean to belittle what has happened to the beautiful native Hawai’ian people in any way and my heart goes out to them. Rather, we see many cities/states that were once “great” being overrun by many people from states like California and New York who bring in their issues. They ruin them and it’s frustrating!

[@parkercroft7066]

Aloha Nephew, Hawai'i has the longest life expectancy of any state. Figure.

[@MB-yg6mb]

I lived in Honolulu Hawaii for a long time...I fell in love and got pregnant with a locals baby from the North Shore and as a white woman I was treated like trash. I was called Casper the friendly pregnant ghost. I was with the baby's father in a long term relationship however, I faced a lot of racism and the Hawaiians are very resentful towards tourism due to what its done to the island. I love the Island but at some point we had to leave and move to the mainland to be free of judgement.

[@ddiver7908]

How to make Hawaii better...kick out the rich Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans who are buying up the lands and give it back to the native hawaiians.

[@ChrisClark_808]

Comparison with Florida… but you gotta actually live in Florida. Apples and oranges. Personally, I don’t think it’s a fair comparison. But I also don’t have an opinion on a better comp.

[@Rahsaun77]

Yeah, cause Florida in the summer no joke. Crime element is different level. I moved from Hawaii in 2000 to Jacksonville, FL.

[@infinitytricks3716]

No mountains in Florida. Too much humidity and gun violence.

[@rosegrace3078]

I think this video was very interesting & good to hear this from someone who’s not a local. I agreed with most of what was said but I know I can’t & won’t live any place else. Hawaii is my home & its a beautiful place! Thanks for sharing!

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@makulewahine]

My sister and I were having this same conversation yesterday. Many of the problems Hawaii has now are the same ones they had when I left 30 years ago. There doesn't seem to be the will to solve them or they are seen as not problems at all. Now I am only talking about Oahu. I have no idea what it's like on the neighbor islands. Infrastructure: I was appalled at the state of the roads when we took a ride out to Haleiwa. I've driven on forest service roads that are better. The amount of trash in the town itself was really sad. It used to be a special place that I took my children to restaurants...Pizza Bob's! As for the schools...my children all started out in public schools because I do believe in public education. There were some wonderful teachers and a lot of really awful teachers. It also turned out to not be a safe place for my children. So I forked over the cash for private education as long as I could. I hated to do it. It is sad to still hear the same complaints about a state that is so beautiful, diverse, and full of potential. I feel really blessed to have been born and raised there and that I was able to raise my children there. All those children now live on the mainland. Sigh. Mahalo for all your thoughtful observations.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

When I talked to my dad about these issues, he also felt that these are the same problems we've had since he was younger. Are these just universal problems or just sticky to Hawaii?

[@chasethe808]

@@HelloFromHawaii I think these are universal problems but, magnified because we live in such a small space.

[@skymakai]

Yeah, the roads! I keep asking myself, "where are my tax dollars going??"

[@qmccall0328]

Hawaii has the lowest property taxes in America. Along with beautiful women - no other reason to live there.

[@mikethompson3534]

What do you expect when Hawaii has the worst governor in America. Ige Ige Ige

[@spinalbaby]

I just came back from a trip to the islands. I'm doing homework to see if the islands might be a place we could consider for semi-retirement. The letter you share articulated many of my observations. I'm Asian American, so hopefully the racial issues won't apply to me as much. In fact, that's one of the reasons I'm considering Hawaii because a majority of the people look more like me. Hawaii is to me Idaho and Montana are to white folk moving there.

[@matthewkeating6970]

my brother rents out his house in o.c. in cali and pays his morgage in hawaii the big island and has money left over on top of that.

[@TeawithTrishy]

Having moved to Maui from Cali, I took a $15k pay cut, and yes the groceries were 30% more, but you figure things out. I saved a lot of $ on vacation because I was already living in paradise. Hardest part for me was not being able to always get exactly what you wanted at store because they were waiting on shipments, which I don't believe Oahu has that problem. Life is much slower in HI and a great place to live if you can be flexible. Re Homeless in Maui I do believe it's out of control. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this letter. Alo)(@

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Haven't heard about the homeless situation on Maui. Is it really bad?

[@TeawithTrishy]

@@HelloFromHawaii Yes it's bad. Individuals Scattered around with several large encampments. I wonder what haolie think? Upcountry doesn't really have any. Mainly tourist areas. Interesting I've not seen any in Wailea.

[@squeento]

It's horrible here now. Too many homeless from the mainland. At my job we only have a public restroom and guess who is always stinking it up. Too many Democrats that are Narcissists and attention whores (Mazie). It's always been expensive but this is ridiculous. We have 3 kids, 2 are minors and we still don't qualify for any EBT. So we work 6 days a week. It sucks here. I'm Okinawan Hawaiian & born here so I'm always grouchy.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Hang in there. I know the struggles. The EBT limit is quite low. Not sure why they calculate it like that.

[@rickchapman3051]

Again too much to address but tax on food makes zero sense, most states don't do that. And with GET it applies at every level and artificially affects cost of living. Soda, sure no problem but bread and milk ...not okay. Hawaii is addicted to taxes. It is like fentinol it will kill them eventually.

[@jaybleu6169]

I took my first trip to Hawaii (Oahu) a few months ago after wanting to get there for ages, and almost immediately booked a second which I just got back from. Working on applying for my NP license there now and figuring out what it'll take to move there. I absolutely loved it, even with the problems, which are not unique to Hawaii. Driving up the Waianae coast was enlightening as to the degree of homelessness that exists there, but there's lots of it here, too. Coming from upstate NY, I don't understand the traffic complaints at all. I drove all over the island at every time of day and it was never worse than it is in medium-sized cities here (except north shore on opening day of the Pipe Pro, which I expected). I drive an hour to work, just because things are spread out more, one consequence of which is that yeah, gas is cheaper here, but I burn a lot more of it than I do in HI. And it's not 10 degrees there, and you won't spin off the road hitting ice, so there's that. Everyplace has its ups and downs and maybe I'll eat my words some day, but from what I've seen Hawaii is just an amazing place. Also, that writer is wrong. I've been to Florida, too, and Hawaii is at least 1000x more beautiful than Florida.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for sharing. Surprised you didn't catch more traffic. Perhaps it was during a school break and because the State is still recovering from the pandemic. Traffic on the west side can be rough.

[@m.valleee]

I’m from Puerto Rico and … several of these sound so familiar to me.

[@mechamonsters7718]

Turn Hawaii Red and maybe it will turn out for the best.

[@walden4112]

Hawaii is not the place it used to be. Makes me sad 😥 to think about it.

[@scully392z]

Whoever wrote that article is a very angry person and doesn’t speak the truth. They didn’t do their homework and is based more on emotion. First of all agriculture, there are very innovative programs and farmer’s are doing Korean Farming which is amazing. No pesticides and no fertilizer. Pigs don’t have to take antibiotic shots. They’re really healthy. There is also the Waikiki Worm Lady who is creating schools with zero waste through harvesting worms and feeding them food waste. Not everything in Hawaii is negative. There’s always a balance of opinion. Also if our schools are that bad, why are there many students who are accepted to colleges on the mainland and are very successful. Did the writer ever collect data on that? I went to public schools and I obtained my Masters Degree. My cousins went to Columbia. My friend’s brother went to Harvard and is teaching at Yale. Yes, all products of our public education in Hawaii. My friend’s nephew a grad from our public school system and UH and got a prestigious job that pays 6 figures in NY but he’s based in Hawaii. This writer is angry and is not a happy person. Life is not perfect but happiness is from within. No matter where you live.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

🤙

[@alexcarter8807]

This guy who's writing in to you ... he really needs to consider TONS of other places that have the pluses of Hawaii like tropical weather, relaxed attitude, etc., but are MUCH cheaper, like parts of Florida, the Caribbean, parts of Mexico, and so on. Plus most of the rest of the Pacific. There are the various Pacific Islands some of which are almost part of the US like Guam and American Samoa, and then there's even places like Okinawa, which is like a blend of the best of Hawaii and of Japan. Do some research!

[@irissouza8874]

More people should read this so they can think about NOT moving here. They love the islands but the first things they want to do is change it. We like thimgs the way they are and do what we have to do to live here, we manage just fine.

[@jonnuanez7183]

Re: Race...my mom had a really good job opportunity come to her by chance in the late 80s on the Big Island. Upon advice from many people familiar with Hawaii, she said no because she was afraid I would get eaten up in high school, esp coming in at 11th grade. I can blend in lookswise. But my speaking voice is non inflected ethnicwise; I sound very white or haole. I have problems with that here in California, where I'm from. So imagine over there. And I didn't talk a lot over there because of this.

[@Jose_Jimenez]

A lot of my cousins live on the Big Island, you would have loved it. I wish I could move there, and maybe I will.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Interesting. I think the Pidgin is thick on the Big Island, but there are a lot of non-locals living there now. Might be a different story today versus the 80s.

[@tracyalan7201]

Even kids on Oahu and outer islands have problems dealing with peer groups at that age. I'm sure they would have accepted you then and now. I grew up on Oahu, on the Windward side like Chris, and the range of speaking could be the strongest pidgin to private school speaking. When a good opportunity knocks, take the time to think about it as the road is less taken. Sometimes, we must look past the shortcomings and look at the potential. There are somethings that could've, should've, would've are the biggest regrets but you make a choice and accept it. Turned down a position in a sought-after foreign location, that I had been trying for years but not the promotion and lots of economic downsides to it. Hard choice to make, but a year after with the parent got ill, it was a hindsight appreciation of the decline, as I wouldn't have had the time to be there when it counted the most.

[@kathleenelliot5305]

My siblings and I go back home to visit other sibling. I see Hawaii deteriorating and it's sad. I have listened to what your viewers have to say, where are or what are the solutions? Mahalo.

[@stevecheung4750]

I own my home in town and I just retired. Tax is not outrageous for me. Social security is not taxed, pension is not taxed, property tax is incredibly low with generous exemption and home insurance is relatively cheap. Gas is expensive but I just fill up once every ten days since I don't have long commute. Grocery is expensive, can't help. There are three hospitals within 10 minutes drive from my home. Airport is within 15 minutes. Crime is on the rise but still better than Florida.

[@johnclancy6212]

Speaking as someone born and raised in Honolulu that left for the mainland after 34 years I think I can speak to this. Unreasonable? The bottom line for us was our careers were stagnant (like the economy), the cliquish (and racist) nature of business, taxes are ridiculous and housing costs are ridiculous. But the reality is the differential between the cost of living and wages. The "paradise" tax. It would not matter what the costs were if we made a commensurate income -- but we didn't, even with two college degrees. We now visit every year or so, eat all the foods we miss and go beach more than we could when we lived in Honolulu. We don't miss living in Hawaii.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for sharing. Good points on the differences in wages and standard of living.

[@jenanalleman6285]

I think sometimes people are looking for perfection and honestly, a lot of these issues are faced by quite a few states in the U.S. Maybe some issues not to the extent that Hawaii is facing, but they are happening. I live in Oklahoma and comparatively, we have affordable housing here, but all the time I see and hear the response, "Yeah, but it's in Oklahoma." Admittedly, some of it is warranted. We have cringe politicians trying to keep the state in the dark ages and that's what seems to get the most attention with national and international media. People seem surprised when they visit to see what's here because if all they know of the state is from the media then I can see how they'd be very skeptical. I will add the caveat that most of this pertains to the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas. Outside of those it gets iffy in the rural areas, but that's most states. The rural areas in most states aren't going to have as many opportunities and services. All that to say that yes, some of these issues are unique to the state, but also some are indicative of larger systemic issues in the country as a whole.

[@user-sg8kq7ii3y]

I get what you're trying to say, but trying to compare Oklahoma to Hawaii is like comparing apples to oranges. For starters, let's just talk about the MEDIAN price of a single family home in Hawaii. It's currently over $1,000,000. What many people outside of Hawaii do not realize is that this $1,000,000 that you spend on a home WILL NOT buy you a nice home in Hawaii. In Hawaii, $1,000,000 will NOT buy you a 5-bedroom, ocean front home. It will more often buy you a 50 or 60-year old 3-bedroom, single-wall, 1500 sq ft home, with a history of termites, in need of extensive remodeling and electrical repair, in a middle class neighborhood. And being "middle class" in Hawaii means that you are STRUGGLING. Being "middle class" in Hawaii means that you don't make enough money to be financially secure, yet you make slightly too much money to not be able to qualify for government assistance and free medical insurance. The middle class in Hawaii are the group of people who pay for nearly everything, but who don't really get to enjoy all that they're paying for simply because they are constantly working and trying to keep their heads above water. I've actually known a good number of people who were considered middle class in Hawaii, to actually request to their bosses to put them from full-time work to part-time work just so their income would drop enough to allow them to qualify for the plethora of government assistance available to those who meet income guidelines. In many parts of the United States, a married couple can work as cashiers at Walmart and still buy or rent a decent home. In Hawaii, two cashiers at Walmart would be guarantee be on government assistance, would have to live in government-sponsored housing if they are lucky enough to find a place, and they would have NO HOPE of EVER buying their own place. If there's no government assistance available, and if they don't have family in Hawaii who is willing to take them in, then they'll be homeless. And, yes, there are homeless in Hawaii who have jobs. But Hawaii has one of the most expensive cost of livings in the nation, yet has one of the lowest wages in the nation. So Hawaii is very different from Oklahoma.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Good point that other states, like Oklahoma, face similar issues. Maybe it's not just a Hawaii thing.

[@jenanalleman6285]

@@user-sg8kq7ii3y I get what you're saying. I'm not saying both places are the exact same. Hawaii is on the extreme end of what's happening or starting to happen a lot of places. Yeah, Oklahoma has a low cost of living, but the minimum wage here is $7.25/hour and it's been that rate since 2008. Two cashiers at Walmart here wouldn't be able to buy a home. I work in higher education full time and if I weren't married, home ownership would be out of my reach and I make over minimum wage. As it was, my husband had already been living in the house for quite some time alone and I moved in when we got married. There are working homeless people here too. All that to say there seems to be fewer and fewer affordable places that aren't very remote/rural. When did it start to get this extreme in Hawaii and why do you think things weren't reined in because I'm thinking the powers that be could see it would go in the direction it did?

[@martinbayron9274]

@@jenanalleman6285 ' The powers that be ' in Hawaii like the politicians are paid by strong wealthy donors/influencers. I truly believe in 20 years only rich people will afford Hawaii. The governments unofficial attitude is, ' if you cannot afford Hawaii, beat it '. The politicians have done nothing to mitigate the rising hiigh costs of living. Look at housing, unless you inherit your house from parents, grandparents, or some relative, whom bought the property way back in the 1950's, 60's, 70's, and 80's, your shit out of luck. Only a few can make it. With what few government assisted ' affordable housing ' programs are available by lottery, is a cruel joke in itself to qualify. I was raised here, born 1961, so i seen the changes or business as usual (no changes). Greed and money wins all the time. A telling evidence that the state politicians no give a shit about homeless is way back in the 70's, was probably the last State low income housing project was built. Today, the no increase in low income housing units available to a population that has significantly increased has resulted in a very long waiting list and further encourages homelessness. I will agree, to make it in Hawaiii, you either rich or poor. Work hard will seem like you spinning tires and not going forward, and easily slipping backwards.So be careful.

[@TyrannyStudios]

Hah. Love the bit about short commute. Oddly enough, a local BnR from Kauai, I came to the same conclusion. I learned this in my early 20's as islander in Seattle, first I lived in the suburbs, then I lived downtown. When I could walk a couple blocks to work I was like "this is how it should be!" Now I fully embrace town (Oahu) for it's town-ness and totally live in town. I can't wrap my head around people who commute into town... Great video. Bravo.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

It would be tough to go back to commuting everyday. 🤙

[@tracyalan7201]

It is called urbanization. Some prefer hustle/bustle of city living. I seriously doubt that half the commuters want to commute if they really have a choice but having something of their own that they can afford or prefer to have something that they own/control plus not being densely crowded with people is a choice.

[@boho6458]

@@tracyalan7201 If you can live with less there are nice, quiet places to live in downtown.

[@tracyalan7201]

@@boho6458: Thanks. Nuuanu was the closest that I could reach and even then, I commuted to work due to the hours. It's okay, but not really a urban kind of person. I love seeing the views of the ocean, sky, and mountains. When I live in Virginia, I really missed seeing shimmering blue water, blue skies and green mountains and the smell of blooming ginger as I drove over the Pali at night or early mornings. Seeing that panoramic view of the Windward side in morning sun was a rush every day, especially with the traffic going the other way. I lived long enough on that side and experience commuting back and forth over the Pali or Wilson, that it was really difficult to get that kind of feeling. No even seeing the vastness of the South-west or Greenery of the Appalachian mountains during the fall. It's beautiful and breath taking, but not home.

[@kithg]

Okay, to.be fair, there’s a good bit of exaggeration in that email. The writer makes some good points, most of which you have already made, as well as a few you haven’t touched on. What I don’t understand is the resentful tone the email takes.

[@JeffHalverson]

Interesting, but it seems your viewer has a very limited experience that they draw from. They seem to be stuck in a conservative feedback loop. "Public schools bad", "high tax rate=government waste", "California is a liberal disaster,", etc, etc. They provide no solutions, just criticism. The Florida comparison is, however, a good one. Florida has major tax revenue from tourism, like Hawaii. Hawaii seems like they haven't spent that tax revenue well. but, the problem is not solved by adopting laissez-faire policies. Actually, they are correct to reference another conservative favorite mentioned by your viewer, Singapore, but for vastly different reasons. Like any successful business, investment is crucial. If you spend your tax revenue on building your resources (people, education, infrastructure, public transit, innovation subsidies ), you will grow the economy and increase your tax revenue.

[@Jose_Jimenez]

There are no solutions to Hawaii's problems. With the democrats in charge, the islands will be in decline for all these years to come. Many of Hawaii's children are now moving to the Mainland where the opportunities are a whole lot better. California is a big place, and we decided to live in a more Conservative atmosphere. We could do without the freeway shootings, smash and grabs, Asian assaults, and the rest of the crime that SF and LA's democrat liberals have brought their cities. When your whole purpose is to win elections and nothing more, you don't care how it is done, and you sure don't care about those who voted for you.

[@hori166]

@@Jose_Jimenez Uh...aren't a lot of people leaving California? Conservatives love to hold up California as an example of what happens when Democrats are in total control.

[@jonnuanez7183]

CA IS a disaster. The train thievery mess in Lincoln Heights. SF mayor walking right past people shooting up and on the ground in the BART station. LA city officials constantly wanting money for the homeless yet doing nothing with it. Unfriendly business taxes. Pelosi stocking up on $9 ice cream and getting her hair done while we're in lockdown. Garcetti and Newsom-eating mask less at a $200/plate restaurant in the middle of a pandemic while we can't look at each other for fear of contagion-in public photo ops without masks while we have to wear one in public. 405 and 5 freeway traffic. 3 cities with the highest homeless populations. Oh...rent prices.

[@tracyalan7201]

@@Jose_JimenezJimenez : Comparing the second largest state with much more economic resources, transportation access, education, corporate and communication hubs is not something that is only political party issue. Since agriculture departure which are corporate decisions not based in Hawaii, that left only Tourism and Defense as hubs of economy. Attracting new business investment into an island in the Pacific would not easily be achieved if there were more conservative policies, which existed prior to the 1960's. The solution to Hawaii's problems is everyone's responsibility and not just politicians, as everyone needs to be part of the solution, otherwise, they are just part of the problem. If most of the occupants in the canoe don't paddle, you can't blame the few that paddle.

[@Jose_Jimenez]

@@hori166 LA and SF are now sewers, guess who runs them.

[@lynnvia3943]

I would ask the homeless if they were born and raised in Hawaii. If they are from another State or Country, I would ask them if they would like to return to their home. If they want to return home, Hawaii should buy them an airline ticket so they can go home. Hawaii could ask other States and Countries to help with the cost of returning citizens to their homes but chances are those States and Countries are happy their citizens are now Hawaii's problem and not theirs. Hawaii needs to take care of their citizens homeless and health care needs, not the world's.

[@billyzman666]

I’d pay extra to NOT live in Florida lol

[@kaykavanagh8948]

Yes...living and visiting a place two different things...overall luv Hawaii....❤️🇨🇦Vancouver 🙋💥

[@Puna_G]

The comments from the person who wrote/commented seems strongly influenced by mainland/western American perspective. That person seems to assume everyone in Hawai'i has the same beliefs and values as they do. Furthest from the truth. I've been in Las Vegas since 2001, grew up, raised, went to school & lived (as a young adult) in Puna & Hilo of the Big Island. My life was/is way different from someone who grew up in central Honolulu, Makaha, Kailua or Hana Maui, Kaunakakai Molokai, or from Kauai. There is no one way anyone can generalize or speculate how life is in Hawai'i. It's way different and can't be categorized the same. My Hawai'i is different from theirs.

[@bkproductions3569]

So happy to watch and listen someone who can relate to what locals struggle with on a daily basis. Itʻs one thing to remain positive and optimistic but that getʻs old. Hawaii is being gentrified insidiously….

[@dieterszczypinski9495]

Absolute worst state government

[@AlchemicalApothecary]

great points! I lived on O'ahu for 10 years and it was hell some times, heaven other times. It was really difficult, however after being stuck on the mainland for 2 years because of the pandemic (and a series of personal unfortunate events) I honestly can't wait to go back. For some of us it will just be worth it for a series of reasons that may not logically line up with all the problems. But for me, connecting with the culture of my grandparents that I didn't get to grow up with is so much more fulfilling than living in Hawaiʻi is draining. Most of the time lol.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

🤙

[@Bellasie1]

Florida and Hawaii don't have the same seascapes at all, since Florida is so flat and Hawaii's mystic is partly due to its iconic mountainous landscapes. It's like deciding what's most beautiful between the Maldives and French Polynesia... when actually, they can't really be compared, since their amazing beauty is so very different by nature. What they have in common of course, for anyone more familiar with harsh winters, are warm temperatures year-round within the nation, and a glamorized imagery that we owe to generations of fanfare in popular culture. Much like the Paris Syndrome however, Hawaii seems to be on its way to sending lots of dreamers not only back to the mainland, but also back to reality. In today's world, beautiful places to live are scarce, thus more sought after than ever, and as always, they come with a price tag, which of course makes it harder to live in such places for the lower middle class. It's just the equivalent of living in a big fashionable city like Paris, London or New York, it's become tough, leaning towards impossible for many. When it's harder, at least some of the locals become more aggressive in defending their land. Sad but logical.

[@rjmurray5128]

Aloha and allow me to promote an optimistic view of Hawaii, What we have here is the gateway to the Far East economies of Asia, why are we not a major trading hub? that alone would really bring in well-paying jobs and create niche markets, we are sitting on top of a potential economic gold mine, let me put it this way we could have a Honolulu stock exchange that would rival Wall St. and London. Hawaii should be the envy of all the other 49 states & US territories scattered around the globe. It is sad to hear of locals having to go back to the mainland just to get a better paying job when there should be jobs where they can earn a living wage here on the isles. Praying everyday for a better Hawaii.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Great idea about making Hawaii a gateway to Asia.

[@alexcarter8807]

Honolulu stock exchange would be hard because of the sheer remoteness of Hawaii - look up latancy in communications, there have been some interesting NPR and PBS documentaries on this. But as a gateway to the East, I agree absolutely. Hawaii is like a blend of East and West. There's a lot of mixture going on, like the University of Hawaii has a really good architecture school because they work with universities in Tokyo on such things are earthquake-resiliance.

[@just_inhawaii]

I’m just going to address one thing: Public vs. Private School. I’ve always wondered how different our educational system would be if private schools didn’t exist. Image if families and communities put the money they pour into private schools toward better public schools for all children of Hawaii. Utopian thoughts, I guess. Castle grad here, by the way. 🙋🏻‍♂️

[@HelloFromHawaii]

It's an interesting thought. Maybe better public schools.

[@BabyBlue5716]

Lol@lidat.I left after High School and I still remember in school when the poor teacher would be from the mainland and having to pronounce our names during roll call lol Thank you for a great video I think it is a mess wherever you go but, we just have to think positive and keep pushing for a better tomorrow❤🙏

[@anthonygambitta6220]

I was considering moving to Hawaii from Florida, but after intense research I decided I will stay in Florida. I would not be able to buy the type of home I have in Florida in Hawaii for $450-$500K!! I also understand that some homes in Hawaii cannot be insured due to their location near the lava flow (USGS survey.) Most upgrades I have seen in homes do not have permits, hence they are uninsurable or you cannot get a mortgage. The volcano can spit VOG gases and the air quality might be compromised. The cost of living in Hawaii is much higher than in Florida, like gas, groceries, eating out, and other overall expenses. Property taxes are lower in Hawaii, but then they get you with State Tax for IRA contributions (which I do get monthly since I am retired.) No State Tax in Florida at all. Then there is the isolation syndrome in the islands, being far from great Hospitals (I have some health issues), theme parks, shopping malls, etc. And last but not least, the weather in a specific location has its own micro-climate, which can be annoying since you cannot get a home in a consistent climate area. In Florida, what you see is what you get as far as climate- dry and comfortable in the winter and humid/rainy in the rainy season (May-Oct.) I decided to stay in Florida, since I still have my tropical climate, access to great theme parks, lower cost for homes, cars, food, gas. etc. I live inland, in Ocala, so I don't really worry about hurricanes (I prepare anyway, but I never had to evacuate in 30 years since living in Florida.) Hawaii is very beautiful much like California, but after careful research (based on my annual retiree IRA/SS income of $45K), the bang for my buck will go a longer way in Florida than Hawaii. It's all about economics not ergonomics.

[@elevatedsoulsyndicate9754]

Enjoy your channel. I moved to Hawaii 8yrs ago. First living in Big Island for 3 years (Loved it!!!) and now in Oahu for almost 5yrs. I did appreciate living in Kailua, Oahu right off the beach during the pandemic but now that things are going "back to normal" I'm ready to leave. I've dealt with micro-aggressions, prejudice and racial discrimination in Oahu that I've never had to face before. It's effected me in a profound way. I've always been able to make friends anywhere I go but not in Oahu. I think Oahu is great for Asians, military and mid westerners but not for others people. I'm weighing my options to leave this summer, it's a hard decision because of the beauty of Hawaii but I don't see a future here in Oahu. Also feel for the native Hawaiian people being priced out of their own land, most living in multi generational homes or even homeless. 😢

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for sharing your experience. Oahu is definitely different than the Big Island. Just a lot faster pace of life. Hope you figure out your moving situation. Big decision.

[@kevininforks]

don't forget the college kids, I'm one, daddy didn't pay for me, but dam their is a lot of spoiled ass kids up their. I busted my ass cooking for 5 years to save up enough to get a career and get the hell out of thew kitchen and its really frustrating seeing them not take it seriously and basically just one big vacation, iv been to the beach maybe 3 or four times in 2 months. I have however found the tantulus road...dam its beautiful up their at night, i got some amazing pictures i road up their on my moped during that hurricane that past...not a smart idea.

[@bombslab]

My GF always wants to move there but I feel like the last thing Hawaii needs is another mainlander moving in, worsening the housing situation and further diluting the culture. I personally can't see Hawaii staying Hawaii if more of us move there while more locals move away. Love your channel, BTW!

[@user-sg8kq7ii3y]

Many will tell you that Hawaii stopped being Hawaii in the year 1778...

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for the comment. I made a video about feeling bad about moving to Hawaii. I don't think people moving here is a bad thing, although it's complicated for some. Lots of mixed emotions as cost of living continues to rise.

[@packinginktattoos8918]

@@user-sg8kq7ii3y it was actually 1896 when the illegal occupation occurred… prior to that Hawaii was a well established democratic monarchy with its own government and recognition as an equal nation state of the world… a lot of things that we were NOT taught growing up here in Hawaii… because we would have been aware of the fact that Hawaii was illegally taken and that we were and till this day, not part of America…🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@waveriderz2687]

Haha! ...generalizations? Grew up in a great metropolitan city, and lived in others . Been in Hawaii 54 years, and would live no where else. There's a price to be paid to matter where you live? I won't waste time addressing generalizations. Am in my 70's, and pretty much heard them all. You want the beauty of living here, with it's people, you'll figure it out? Hawaii no ka oi !

[@michaeltakata9927]

I don't follow you, but I found this video entertaining. I live in New York City and I've worked alongside the greatest finance professionals. Please investigate the Jones Act and the cost it contributes to virtually everything in Hawaii. Cost differentials between Hawaii and California are linked directly to the Jones Act. The great citizens of Hawaii need to become educated about the JA and petition to exclude themselves and Alaska from compliance.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@amehayami934]

Nah what I think the real problem is? Is most of the locals they either don't care about politics or don't know much about politics. And they keep voting for the same damn people who isn't making their life easier. Not to mention when elections I don't even know what policies most of the candidates are running on? I know because I am born and raised in Hawaii. And I want things to get better. I want higher pay, I want better education and and free higher education, I talk a lot to other locals including my mom and most of the time people doesn't even what to talk about politics. But we still complain about the cost of living here. Most of the problems we have is dew to our own government. As for me I hate politics but you have to admit it affects us all. Do I wish we wasn't so dependent on tourism? Yes. If anyone should be leading in green energy it should be us. Let's be real we have no shortage of sunshine. I mean as far as I know in Hawaii The candidates we elect doesn't even have any debates. Everything is about "how good of a family person they are" Ya when you get money it's easy to have a good family. Most of us live by pay check to pay check. All I'm saying is if people wants to fix these problems we have which does effect us locals. We have to get more involved. If we want the cost of living to come down we need to do something and hold people in power accountable.

[@philrabe910]

Grandpa moved to Kailua in 1918. Now I think it was to escape the pandemic in New York state. IMAGINE that move?!? So dad was transferred (Hawaiian Tel) to California when the phone co was bought out. Then they moved us to Florida where I grew up and met a certain Mouse King, THEN they moved us to Chicago... oh my... so I moved back to CA when I could, on my way back to Oahu. That was in 1987, because the film biz in Honolulu is so much harder to break into than it is here. But I'm also a home builder, and that almost got me back, but isn't it The Jones Act which contributes to the high cost of goods shipped to US islands? Anyway, I am seriously considering finishing my move and coming home. Maui Strong!!

[@packinginktattoos8918]

In response to persons letter: The ILLEGAL occupation of Hawaii is and will always be the reason for all issues listed…once Hawaii becomes de-occupied, the nation of Hawaiian Kingdom can sit down and begin to clean up all the “mess” that America has bestowed upon us… it happened over 100 years ago but the trauma of that event is still killing us today… The source of every problem is the solution once it is resolved, weather it happened yesterday or 100 years ago… it’s not a matter of “it is what it is, we can’t do anything now” … that is a gross negligence of thought and processing of the issue at hand…

[@dman030]

You're a smart guy and so is your emailer. I lived there 20 years, in "the good ol days", when you could still work and have some free time to go out and party and go to the beach (probably cant do either now). Maybe a bit of a trust fund kid too. I share your videos because the people around me always have this "paradise / easy life" impression of Hawaii. Everything you said there could be summed up in one impression: Hawaii dug itself into a hole where it is reliant on everything from the outside, even as you said "importing the teachers", money for living / roads/ transit, tourism. Everything comes from the outside, with almost zero self-reliance. So you could say Hawaii is one big trust fund case, just on a huge scale. This is also why it always votes blue and as you say is afraid to change anything. I love my aina and I truly wish the best for it, but I am afraid the change (in mentality mostly) that is needed to fix things will either never come or will come difficultly. I truly wish the best for the kama'aina and kanaka.

[@shinyluckfairy]

I have to say, you are wrong about the Cost of Living in Florida. As someone who is a Vegan, it is expensive for me as a Florida Native. On top of that, we have all of the same problems as Hawai’i, except we have a tyrannical Governor forcing us how to live our lives, taking our Rights, and inciting Hate & Violence on the LGBTQIA+ Community. The Worst Part is how difficult it was for me to get a Job because 99.9% of my Applications never got me an interview. I’m not going to be able to afford to live in my Home after my parents pass away because it’s going to cost me $3000+ a month for all of the Bills and Mortgage. On top of that, Florida is the State with the #1 Worst UV Index Rating and that’s because of the 130+ Million Tourists that come to my State. Honestly, I bet Tourists are the reason that our Entire Coral Reef System died because People are reckless, ignorant, and irresponsible. Hawaii only gets about 10 million Tourists each year, that is nowhere as bad as the 130+ million Tourists that invade Florida every year and expect us to tolerate it. We need to heal our Environment.

[@NZDLo]

This was an interesting video for me. I moved to New Zealand over 15 years ago from the US. And like Hawaii, it has a strong Polynesian culture and great natural beauty. However, there are lots of issues that would definitely make quite a few people pause when considering a move here. The basic point is: there’s no “perfect” place. There’s just the place where you personally want to live the most, faults and all.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for sharing the situation in NZ.

[@moonlightmistandmemories9623]

Having lived in Las Vegas for the past 3 decades , I have born witness to so many people from Hawaii moving into the valley , hang out at the Hotel California in the downtown area , full of Hawaiian tourists , but also a lot of locals who have moved from their home State , I've met some really nice people from Hawaii over the years , actually saddens me that they can no longer afford to live in Hawaii , but I do enjoy that they have brought with them their Hawaiian spirit , and of course sharing with us all their wonderful culture and food , I've been eating at Aloha Specialties at the Hotel California since the 90s , always good eats , never been to Hawaii myself , just grateful so many native Hawaiians have made Las Vegas their home over the years , take care Hawaii , wishing you all the best , Peace

[@HelloFromHawaii]

The Cal...where the locals go 😁

[@kathleenelliot5305]

Have they opened Zippy's yet? Many Hawaiians have moved to Alabama as well. Great ukelele festival there every year.

[@Puna_G]

As a former Hawai'i resident now in Las Vegas I've been going to the Cal since the mid 90s, but my time there have become less and less in recent years. As great a place as The Cal is/was, sadly they don't cater to and shun the Hawai'i Locals who live on the 9th Island. Majority of the Cal are Hawai'i tourist. Boyd only cares about the tourist's money. Many 9th Islanders have found other hangouts that welcome Las Vegas locals.

[@JohnDoe-xr8dz]

'Ae, Vegas get plenty expatriates no can afford Hawai'i. Hele aku mainland 40 years ago.

[@darrylk808]

Did you know that the entire island nation of Singapore is smaller than the island of Kauai? It's my favorite vacation spot. The city is as clean as Japan and everyone speaks english. But mostly because the food is great! You should go. The reason Hawaii is the way it is is basic supply/demand. Locals are unwilling to leave so it skews supply/demand. People take low pay to live there. If many would leave and there was a shortage of workers pay would have to go up or the business couldn't survive. Also prices would go up. But everyone (including mainlanders) wants to live there so take it or leave it. Also, to solve affordable housing, just build the supply,, but no one wants Hawaii to look like Hong kong where sky scrapers block all mountain views. Homeless is big business. SF has budgeted $700M for homelessness. There is an estimated 8,000 homeless in SF (the city is 7miles by 7 miles, small). Do the math, that's $87,500 per. Why is there still homeless? It must be because the money is going toward growing the homeless. Only conclusion right? If you ran a non-profit that gets this money and you feed 1,000 people a day wouldn't you want to feed 2,000 to get more of this money? Money can't fix it.

[@SS-fw7wp]

One word “RETIREMENT “..No Driving..No Schooling”…No Working. Just learn to respect, live happily. (Of course I’m speaking for myself). Think positive live positive 😊🤟

[@HelloFromHawaii]

🤙

[@SS-fw7wp]

Eoublue, sir, the answer is YES. It’s called planing your retirement 👍

[@SS-fw7wp]

I’m sure for some😊

[@skymakai]

It's interesting to suggest that tourists should speak up about the issues in Hawaii. When I read posts and comments on Reddit or FB about issues in Hawaii, the OP is immediately dogpiled with locals telling them to either leave or never come to Hawaii. I see the same sentiment over and over... "tourists, come visit, leave your money, and leave." The disdain for tourists is pretty extreme here. Heck, I'm pretty annoyed with how busy it gets in the winters, but at the same time it's locals who're usually cutting me off then driving 10 under the speed limit. Honestly, it's pretty absurd to suggest that Hawaii become less 'tourist dependent'. Really, what would that look like? What jobs would people have? Our main 'export' is tourism and I think we'd do well to appreciate the money it brings. The biggest down-side is that much of that money goes to overseas investors and little of it actually does stay in the State/Counties where the money comes in.

[@bananaskin7527]

If your credential read Harvard would you know favoritism too? Sal Khan asked the interesting question. Try the Remarkable People podcast with Guy Kawasaki.

[@Jose_Jimenez]

I remember Hawaii when you could just drive to Hanauma Bay, park, and walk down to the beach without having to see a video. When there was just a two-lane highway in and out of Ewa Beach with no traffic, and only one light in town. Ewa Beach was surrounded by cane fields, and you could walk or ride your bike anywhere. I used to ride my bike through the cane fields to go shop at the Exchange on Barber's Point NAS. Things were so quiet, and peaceful. It was still even pretty nice when we were stationed at Hickam AFB in the 80's and early 90's. And I don't even remember sitting in traffic much. My how things have changed.

[@adaynasmile]

As a military wife who has lived on Oahu for the last 3.5 years, I can agree and disagree with this email. The one for me, as a white woman, that has been very frustrating, is the haole name and attitude. I know its not supposed to be used as a derogatory word for all white people but in my experience that is EXACTLY how it is used. Over the last three years I have been amazed by some people's amazing friendliness, other people's horrible hostility, the gorgeousness of the island, the horrendous traffic, the animosity towards the military by locals, and the celebration of a man who was a mass murderer but somehow is the hero of Hawaii history while all white people are demonized (haole means no breath so...there's that). The prices are so high. Even going to Olive Garden is more expensive here than going in Arizona when we visit our family. We have an amazing church that is a blend of great people of all cultures, and very accepting of all people from all walks of life. I am so grateful for that. The school system was not my fave and my boys are homeschooled now, but some of that is not specific to Hawaii schools but to flaws in the public school system itself. I did not like the Hawaii culture classes though. I like the concept but there were a lot of racist, anti-colonial things being taught to kids at a military elementary school full of kids who's ancestors were likely part of the colonialism, but themselves had no part of. My kids should not be demonized simply for being born in white skin, anymore than someone who is born in another color of skin should be. I have never looked at people as being better or worse because of their skin color and have always enjoyed being surrounded by many cultures, languages, and different skin colors. It breaks my heart that the racial tensions are growing across the country, but even before I saw a lot of stuff about it in other parts of the country, it was big here on the island. I despise the condescending politicians who are corrupt and tyrannical with their mandates and rules, while stealing from their own people. That is not unique to Hawaii but the intolerable conditions over the last two years that have greatly restricted all people in Hawaii has been harsher than many other places in the country. I think that I would have had a much kinder opinion of the place had I not been locked in my house for so much of my time here since my family was too big to do much for a long portion of the covid restrictions. I think there are problems wherever you go. There is no way around that. I have just found that a lot of tension exists on Oahu and it hurts my heart. There are so many great people living here that are dealing with some really rough situations, as well as the wealthy individuals and visitors. It is a hard balance to strike but I think a more gracious attitude from the locals (especially Hawaiians) would be helpful. I know that there is a lot of hurt from past generations, I get that. I also understand that there are a lot of spoiled people who come and mistreat the island and the culture. But there are also a lot of white locals who deserve to be treated with respect and not treated as less than. To me, that was the hardest. I am not naive of racism. I grew up with huge amounts of racism in a hispanic community where I was excluded for not being hispanic or speaking Spanish. I lost jobs because of my race and lack of being bilingual. This is not something that only happens to "people of color." But I find that the nationalists here on Oahu have caused a great divide with unrealistic expectations, and it is disheartening. Done ranting. I am just frustrated and Hawaii has been no end of frustrations for me as a white woman over the last several years. I AM NOT A VICTIM. But a culture that claims to be welcoming and to want all people to feel the "aloha" spirit should think twice before insulting the people who provide them with the resources needed to continue the life they have chosen to live on the island.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for your comment. I'm glad you pointed out the struggles and highlights of what Hawaii has to offer. And I do understand the frustration of Hawaii carrying an aloha spirit culture with that hint of ...you know what I mean. It's often what makes Hawaii such an interesting culture to study.

[@dgale1023]

I will only speak from my experience from a tourist. Hawaii is a beautiful place but as a white person generally I was shunned for no other reason than being white. We had a tour guide that talked about how white people messed up Hawaii by taking over and putting their Queen in prison years ago. We had another guide who was a Hawiian and was great fun. Seemed the white peop[le who lived there were more friendly toward mainlanders. I was friendly with everyone so that could'nt be it. I would like to go back but I would do more research. It is a real shame LaHaina burned down. It seemed to be real, not made up for tourists. Don't know how I would feel if I were a true Hawiian maybe the same. Hope Lahaina gets rebuilt soon. Just my 2 cents. You have a great and informative channel

[@ludrigosanchezjr.3182]

My only critique of the email would be based on the comparison to Florida. I agree with the cost-of-living analysis for obvious reasons. Florida is most definitely cheaper, significantly cheaper. However, having grown up in Hawaii and lived in Florida for a sizeable chunk of my adult life in Orlando, the Space Coast, and Miami, the tradeoffs I made when moving back to Hawaii were worth it. Taxes in Hawaii suck; every year, I look at what I paid the state and realize I could take just my state income tax and buy a lovely home in most neighborhoods in Florida. Full disclosure, my wife and I used to want to move back to Florida despite being from Hawaii. We planned to move back once the kids were out of high school here on the islands. That being said, we fly back to Orlando about 2-3 times a year, and every time we go back, we have a more challenging time seeing ourselves trading Enchanted Lake for anywhere in Florida.

[@alexcarter8807]

Traffic is bad, I'm old and I remember traffic being bad on Oahu *40 years ago* lol. Because Hawaii is part of the USA, there's the "religion of the car" where if you don't have a car you're a failure, so there's been less emphasis on public transportation and things like motor scooters and bicycles.

[@OkiP0wer]

Hers is an insult to injury. Okinawa island (the POOREST prefecture in Japan) has a fully functioning rail system for YEARS.

[@brentsnyder5564]

@Lenny Miyasato I believe the issue with the rail is that Oahu doesnt have a traffic problem or a population problem. It has a development and cultural value problem. The issue is not modernisation. You can have modern buildings, tech etc and not lose who you are or your cultural values. Those in control have developed Oahu based on foreign cultural values that are not inline with traditional island values. So we see the major traffic issues, the boom in population. We also see the loss of the international local culture and displacement of local and indigenous people of Hawai'i.

[@Charalldredge]

I was there for two weeks a few weeks ago. It was my 15th vacation there so I obviously love it. I did notice that the food was quite high this time . I get it , COVID. We would move to Hawaii in a heartbeat, but value our retirement fund and 💯 will last longer on the mainland. Being an island is always going to be more money. Shipping is getting more and more . People really need to take all of that into consideration. I’ll continue to come to the islands each year, they hold a very special place in my heart.

[@laurakibben4147]

COVID was all but another natural disaster after which raising prices is deemed gouging yet why has no one screamed bloody murder over the blatant gouging going on still??? And because people refuse to stop paying for and buying everything for long enough to teach themselves at least, this lesson is loko!

[@Chosenone24930]

I’ve lived in both Florida and Hawaii. Florida is beautiful and affordable but the crime rate and dangerous reptiles make it not worth it. Hawaii is 1000 times better than Florida. Especially in safety! Much better weather too. I’ll take the high costs any day over the crime, maniac drivers, and the Florida heat.

[@patrickkemp8047]

I think the letter brings some points however with a lot of exaggeration. Lots of truth however. I think the big mistake people who move to Hawaii make is comparing living somewhere with vacationing somewhere. People always say it must be so great to live in Hawaii going to the beach all the time… I tell them that people who live there have to go to work, raise families, maintain your house. It’s not a life long vacation. I love Hawaii and understand it has a lot of challenges but it is still the most wonderful lace on earth. Very entertaining letter though. 😃

[@brentsnyder5564]

I think sometimes we forget that life in Hawai'i in the past was different then modern life today. Hawai'i has always been a little more expensive since statehood when compared to the mainland. But imagine in the 60s- the start of the 70s the average cost of a single family home was $85,612!!!! Same aina back then as today. Remember leaving doors unlocked or leaving your keiki to play while shopping and coming back and they ok? Remember having more time? Is this paradise? Lets not forget that we lived this way back then. So it was possible? Why and how could we? Not saying we didn't have issues back then. We did. Just different kine. I think we need to bring the reality of the past and how we lived it in discussions today. Focusing on the cultural changes on the islands.

[@chasethe808]

@@brentsnyder5564 Agreed. I grew up in Kealakekua and we never locked our doors growing up. Also, just had to be in before dark. I love reminiscing about the past but, times change.

[@brentsnyder5564]

@@chasethe808 I agree Chase. Be patient with my response ok. My intentions are good here. Times do change but sometimes things never change. Look at Oahu as an example. We hear the word progress to justify major change. However progress often means to move forward. What we are seeing is not a move forward to something new on Oahu in a local or international, Hawai'i way. What we are really seeing is a replacement of one peoples old for another peoples old. I believe the western term for this is called gentrafication? Now don't get me wrong here ok. Modernisation is not the problem or even having a balance of international business here or culture. Hawai'is culture was build on this delicate ballance of cultures.It brought wonderful things. Today this balance of cultures has been lost. We see this in our unique social issues today and that never in history has more locals or indigenous hawaiians are lived off island then today. Even local generational business is becoming lost.. What would true progress or even moving forward would look like understanding our traditional local island culture and its values?

[@tracyalan7201]

But the continental United States is growing as well and parts of it aren't the same as it used to be. Given that Hawaii isn't what it used to be for those that live here in the 50's - 60's -70's - 80's - 90's, neither are parts of mainland as well. Just as much crowded and built up. Crime, traffic, crowds, congestion, air pollution, trash. It has changes of weather, if you enjoy the changes. It has lots of everything if you need everything. It also has more climate change problems, hotter/dryer weather, shortage of water, colder/wetter periods. More floods, fires, earthquakes, tornados and hurricanes, colder winters. Some of us as we get older find life can be as good doing with less.

[@gardenia8085]

@@brentsnyder5564 ....my friend told me in the late 1960s her parents bought a small new house in San Diego near Miramar Air Base for $36,000. So looks like Hawaii has been more expensive than CA for awhile.

[@clarkd1955]

My wife and I have holidayed in Hawaii 4 times. Big island, Maui, and Oahu twice. Prices are high but the worse part is the surly and threatening nature of some native Hawaii’s. The poverty and tents on the side of the road also isn’t very welcoming. Natives get a lot compared to other natives that live on Pacific islands. Hawaiians might have been mistreated 175 years ago but what is wrong with making the best of what you have today. Is it realistic to think that all the non natives will give up their assets and leave Hawaii? Current natives weren’t wronged by anybody so just get over yourselves. We probably will never come back as there is just too much negative attitude.