Lived in LA (Manhattan Beach) for 8 years, while NO place is perfect I think LA has much more negatives than positives, I for one would never go back.
Positives
Night Life (clubs, bars, etc)
Jobs (lots of high paying ones to be had)
Entertainment
Great Food/restaurants
Negatives
Smog
Traffic
Weather (I love 4 seasons and unless you live on the coast inland gets unbearably hot in the summer.)
Virtually NO Thunderstorms, how can you live somewhere without thunderstorms, the coolest display of nature.
Graffiti and trash
Mudslides
Drab surroundings (Trees are never really green, just more olive green)
Crime
Cost of Living
Fires
Population Density/overcrowding
I didn’t speak the correct language
Public schools are terrible
Earthquakes
Beaches are dirty and water is cold
Unfriendly (I lived in NYC, Miami, Seattle, and LA has the rudest people in it)
I’m not slamming people who love LA, but everyone has different expectations.