Moving up levels

Here's a question for all of you that are "successfully" playing $1/$2 nl cash games.
I've been playing a year online now. First, donkey, you know, calling station. Read quite a few books and participate and read many forums. I've learned. I'm a tight, aggressive player. I've only played micro limits and usually do ok, sure, I have my ups and downs but lately more downs. REAL DOWNS!!!!!.
Is the play at a higher level better than at the micro's? Reason I ask, is I'm getting sick of playing people like I use to be..LOL. Calling station. Here's an example.
.10/25 cent cash game. Dealt AK on the button. Bunch call the BB, I raise 4 x's. Get two callers. Flop.....6 10 J rainbow. Both check, I raise, pot size. Get one caller. Ok...slow playing big pair? or small pair? Draw? River is a rag. He/she checks.....I bet the size of the pot....calls. River is another rag. Neither the Turn or the River would help either of us. He/she checks. I'm buffaloo'd, figure has to be try to trap me. I check. Turns over duece 6 unsuited. ?????? Call pot sized bets with bottom pair????????
This sort of crap has been hitting me lately big time and I'm getting really pissed off about it. I know, you go thru slumps....but I don't feel this is a slump. It's donkey's being in hands they shouldn't be.
So, I'm wondering if the play gets better at say maybe the 1/2 level? I'm thinking maybe the more money, the more likely people know they are not getting pot odds to chase the straight or flush (or stupid bottom pair) and can be pushed off. Where I'm playing now,,,,,NO CLUE!!!!!
Any advice? Thanks in advance.

It is generally a myth that play gets dramatically better as you move up levels.

Of course there is a general tendency for standards to improve...but not by that much. $25 that means alot to Person A is often played better than $500 that doesnt mean much to person B.

Stop overplaying AK...?

Sounds like your opponent had a good read on you and you wasted a whole load of bets... or maybe he was just really bad, I don't know. Anyway, if you want to play higher levels you'll have to tighten up a lot.

I agree with Welly here. It is a pure myth that play gets better the higher the level.

I played a $100 SnG and thought I may be up against excellent players.

The truth of the matter is even at this level bad calls/suckouts occur.

People still call with anything/everything.

I am sure that somewhere the standard will be great but I have yet to find it.

For big money bad calls/suckouts will occur.

i feel at the higher level you get alot of raises pre flop with rags, as they like to mix up their play. so if anything you get alot more people like that as they like to try and out play you.

This is encouraging and discouraging at the same time...

Seems it depends how much cash your opponents can throw away without feeling it. So stay at what ever level is comfortable for you and your bank roll. I play micro and if I do extremeley well I will buy into a tourney with the winnings. Good fishing. Don't get bit by a shark.

It should not be discouraging. Rejoice over the fact that if you ever advance up high in the ranks of play, there will still be bad players whose money you can take.

Hoping for opponents who know when to fold isn't much different than hoping for opponents that know when to raise. You don't want either.