How much has Houston changed? Is it worth moving back? (Austin: houses, school)

[BarcelonaFan]

Originally Posted by Spade

It's not that slow sleepy hospitality Southern town anymore.

Well that's one thing I was worrying about. Not to generalize a city of millions by any means but my friends back home have been saying that with the influx of transplants from other cities, the town itself has changed culturally too. It's not a bastion of southern hospitality anymore. It's actually gotten a bit rude and competitive. My besst friend tells me the night life has improved a lot but also has also become more idk, "hoity toity". A lot more keeping up with the Joneses. As though some parts of Houston are mimicking Dallas or trying to copy what it thinks LA is like (the image, not the real city). Again I could be totally wrong, but I am just asking. If you feel the need to make sardonic quips than that's fine too but let's at least discuss something in here.

[JoshRall]

Originally Posted by jek74

I thought Houston was suppose to be all white and crusty. Great diversity here after all!

Huh? It is not so diverse after all. How can they all look Mexican?

[BarcelonaFan]

Originally Posted by JoshRall

Huh? It is not so diverse after all. How can they all look Mexican?

Houston is really diverse and I wish people would stop thinking it's some hick town. It's very cosmopolitan with a vibrant art scene, great operas, theater, and music. It's bringing in people from all over and you can carve out a decent living out of a salary that would put you in the poorhouse in LA or NYC.

The only downside, and I think I may get some heat for this, I think there may be a struggle between the local boys and the transplants in terms of developing the future of Houston. I mean the city has the potential to outshine LA and NYC in so many ways but there is a strain of conservatism there thinks if it took that course they they'd end up with big city problems (at least from what I hear from my friends in construction).

[JoshRall]

Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan

Houston is really diverse and I wish people would stop thinking it's some hick town. It's very cosmopolitan with a vibrant art scene, great operas, theater, and music. It's bringing in people from all over and you can carve out a decent living out of a salary that would put you in the poorhouse in LA or NYC.

The only downside, and I think I may get some heat for this, I think there may be a struggle between the local boys and the transplants in terms of developing the future of Houston. I mean the city has the potential to outshine LA and NYC in so many ways but there is a strain of conservatism there thinks if it took that course they they'd end up with big city problems (at least from what I hear from my friends in construction).

I know Houston is very diverse. I live here. BUT, from those Thanksgiving clubbing photos, they are all Mexican clubbers!

[Sunderpig2]

Originally Posted by Spade

It's not that slow sleepy hospitality Southern town anymore.

The problem is, Houston and TX are southern these days. True, the south used to be known for down-to-earth friendliness. But that's changed over the past few decades. The south is now known for hot-tempered narrowmindedness, with racism coming back into prominence and acceptance.

Houston used to be mostly independent, with it's own character, and not really "southern". But now it is, and has all of the recent/negative characteristics listed above. Sure, it's international also, and has the cultures of other countries too, but those are overshadowed by the mentality of the modern southern attitude.

After living for decades in that place, I would never move back to Houston for any amount of money

[BarcelonaFan]

That's a really good way of putting it sunderpig. Thanks for the insight. I actually never thought about it that way but it makes a lot of sense.

The new southern culture involves a lot of pride, resurgence of casual racism, hot tempered, and frustration over the impression they get from the media telling them their lives are not "cool". It's like a right wing version of New York/Northeastern attitude/pride, lol.

I don't want to disparage my home State, I still love it, it's just that there is a perception there that the narrowmindedness is a form of being anti-establishment, a rebel and true libertarian free spirit. Like the t-shirt reads; F ya'll I'm from Texas.

[BarcelonaFan]

Originally Posted by JoshRall

I know Houston is very diverse. I live here. BUT, from those Thanksgiving clubbing photos, they are all Mexican clubbers!

Well the scene is different in Texas. Here in LA, you see white people dressing a lot like ethnic minorities and what not. It's all mixed in. In Houston, and I do not want to attribute it to racism but it might be just that, white people tend not to go clubbing as much as Hispanics, blacks and Asians. A lot, but not all, White people almost have a distinct culture there that almost wants to do the opposite of what minorities are doing. It's more bars than clubs, country clubs than hip hop, more traditional garb than flamboyant flair, love suburban life more than urban life. Drees too nice and you will be mistaken for having a little sugar in your tank (if you know what I means).

[Sunderpig2]

Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan

it's just that there is a perception there that the narrowmindedness is a form of being anti-establishment, a rebel and true libertarian free spirit. Like the t-shirt reads; F ya'll I'm from Texas.

The anti-establishment/rebel stuff - even if true - could be used to justify anything, no matter how dumb. If it were smarter, Texas would be trying harder to return to what it used to be, which was more like traditional America, and screw all the modern southern BS.

As far as libertarian stuff, that's a complete joke. Most of Texan/Southern thinking is about one way of thinking, and if you're any different, you're the enemy and/or your ideas will bring down the country. It goes to other extremes too. You see a lot of heavy-handed stuff. Just one example is a guy the other day who got suspended from his school (Klein High School) because he had some whiskers on his chin. "Oh no, he's not a clean cut soldier... I mean, student!" So much for freedoms, no matter how simple and basic.

The place is mostly militaristic and "be like us or pay the consequences". If you want genuine libertarianism, you have to get far away from the south, and head towards the northwestern states (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Dakotas, etc.)

[BarcelonaFan]

Good insight. Texas is run like a military state compared to most other states around the country. Houston Police are what LAPD used to be in the 90s. I don't think there was a single person I met that didn't tangle with the law at some point there. Even traffic tickets can land you in jail! And the answer from Texans is always, "well it's the law", "personal responsibility". As if the consequences for a small failure on your part are hefty fines, jail time, the chops busting court system, and the attorneys fees. It doesn't even dawn on Houstonians that the law in the city is one big racket. One big economy that props up shady lawyers, bail bonds, the city budget, etc.

Yes I agree with you that the extent to the rebel behavior in Texas amounts to just hating the changes in their State, the creeping "socialism" and the multi-cultural diversity. People are very quick to let you know that you're "weird" if you have the slightest interest in something other than cars, fishing, hunting and sports.

Again this is just a generalization of most the outskirts of Houston.

[jek74]

Originally Posted by Sunderpig

The problem is, Houston and TX are southern these days. True, the south used to be known for down-to-earth friendliness. But that's changed over the past few decades. The south is now known for hot-tempered narrowmindedness, with racism coming back into prominence and acceptance.

Houston used to be mostly independent, with it's own character, and not really "southern". But now it is, and has all of the recent/negative characteristics listed above. Sure, it's international also, and has the cultures of other countries too, but those are overshadowed by the mentality of the modern southern attitude.

After living for decades in that place, I would never move back to Houston for any amount of money

What a load of crap. Apparently you didn't live in the south when we had Jim Crow laws. Or perhaps you don't remember when a young black girl couldn't attend a white school. Rosa Parks ring a bell? Good lord, they use to burn churches down! Let me remind you Houston has a democratic lesbian mayor!

You want to see narrow mindedness come to Chicago where every single Alderman, yes 100% of them are democrats. Where the entire city council are democrats! We call it the democratic machine up here. There is one way to do things here. You do not question power...ever! Houston is a utopia compared to how things are run in the north. You guys have absolutely no perspective. None at all. And that is sad really. Because change can only happen when you know what you have to change. The one thing I do like about TX politics is that it's a red state with pretty liberal cities. That creates a nice balance between Austin at the state level and the left leaning cities. No such balance exists in the north. You get democratic governors, blue state voters, democratic mayors and democratic city councils. No checks and balances.