Suburban Snobbery (Houston, Orange: lofts, condos, house)

[texan_176]

Originally Posted by lukeache

I am considering moving back to Houston and I hope the city does not change for the worse with all these idiots from California and other states bringing this stupid materialistic-suburban-Orange County BS lifestyle.The main problem with society today is that everything is a LIE, most of the people you describe, I guarantee you their lives, careers and relationships amount to nothing but a big LIE. I could be making 5 million/year, I will still drive my F-150 and if you don't like it, you can kiss my a**. You are right, most of these people are very stupid. Houston has never been about this kind of BS. I hope it does not change for worse.

I am 28 years old and have lived in Houston 27 of those years. This town has been completely destroyed by this snob and yuppie mentality of how it is comsidered low class to do your own chores that require manual labor. The epitome of what is good living is to go to the mall in your BMW to get a $5 coffee at Starbucks before maxing out your credit card on designer clothes.

The entire downtown area has been reshaped (at taxpayer expense) to accomodate the yuppies that wanted loft style apartments. This is Texas where land is cheap and we have historically cherised having our room and privacy. The NorthEast has land limitations that require mass population density in small spaces hence lofts. The term Houston loft was unheard of in the mid 90s. Now they are going up everywhere.

Starbucks has even opended stores in high crime and low income areas to brainwash the people who can't afford it that this is the cool hip thing to do and if you do not then there is something wrong with you.

People always bash Walmart for coming in and destorying the small business and culture of a place. Yeah, that is a problem but the one of living a TOTAL LIE and being snooty to seem like you are educated and intelligent is a far worse problem. I see maybe 20 people who are shallow or thugish compared to 1 that is together and knows who he/she is and likes/does what they do because they want to and not because they are looking to fit in and be cool.

[Coast Guard]

Hmmm...this is a pretty interesting thread. Snobs are EVERYWHERE. They don't sign your paycheck and you don't sleep with them...so why care what snobs think...or anyone for that matter?? I wouldn't sell my house because of them either...If your a decent couple (and it sounds like you are) it's the snobs loss!

[tstone]

Originally Posted by texan_176

I am 28 years old and have lived in Houston 27 of those years. This town has been completely destroyed by this snob and yuppie mentality of how it is comsidered low class to do your own chores that require manual labor. The epitome of what is good living is to go to the mall in your BMW to get a $5 coffee at Starbucks before maxing out your credit card on designer clothes.

Ok this type of addiction-feeding behavior is AMERICAN and Houston is included in the USofA, so you're bound to see it here. People waste their money (future investment) by giving people jobs, which is still a good thing. Overall, I still say Houston is laid back and more down to earth than a few other cities I've visited... AND compared to where some of my family lives. (300 miles north-northwest of us)

As far as the grass cutting thing, I do this myself... I have all the gas powered man toys for our 1/4 acre lot, and am getting ready to buy one of those diesel mowers soon. Who cares what the neighbors think anyway? BTW, my neighbors tell me my yard looks great, and they have no problem that this is the only exercise I get as a nerd on a computer for a living. I can definitely understand why people wouldn't want to do it themselves. Who wants to mow their grass in July at 3pm with a 115 heat index, anyway? Maybe I'm crazy, but then again I'm a native and the heat ain't **** as long as you have constant hydration.

Cleaning is another issue I read here. Very rarely you'll see a ''Molly Maid'' in our 170-220k neighborhood. This is too easy of a job to do yourself anyway. I invested in a Dyson vacuum. Some people in our street have been suckered to buy the Kirby. I *think* a good # of people still clean up after themselves.

Someone made a comment about people running their homes as a business. Really more like a multi million $ corporation, when they should be running their homes more like a small business. What kind of small business calls someone out to change a light bulb or plunge a toilet? One that fails! Well I guess the point is that most people who do this are simply living unsustainable lives.

And that's perfectly fine with me. Again, this is America.

[mom22bless]

i love my dyson!

[pwright1]

Originally Posted by lukeache

I am considering moving back to Houston and I hope the city does not change for the worse with all these idiots from California and other states bringing this stupid materialistic-suburban-Orange County BS lifestyle.The main problem with society today is that everything is a LIE, most of the people you describe, I guarantee you their lives, careers and relationships amount to nothing but a big LIE. I could be making 5 million/year, I will still drive my F-150 and if you don't like it, you can kiss my a**. You are right, most of these people are very stupid. Houston has never been about this kind of BS. I hope it does not change for worse.

Why do people always blame transplants for their cities problems. This materialistic bs is happening in EVERY city.

And for the person that mentioned loft living downtown. That is a good thing. People are so fed up with commuting on massive clogged freeways to get back and forth to work. Continue to build apts, lofts and condos in the downtown core. This is an excellent thing.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by lukeache

I am considering moving back to Houston and I hope the city does not change for the worse with all these idiots from California and other states bringing this stupid materialistic-suburban-Orange County BS lifestyle.

I was hoping that these Californians were from L.A. County.

I think Sugar Land is much worse than Katy/Cinco Ranch with all the traffic, overcrowding, etc. It is a more established suburb so that's why it is on par with Naperville and there is a Mercedes-Benz dealership there along with everything middle-class that can be found in Houston.

[jptexas]

By reading this thread, it looks like lot of reverse snobbery in Houston as well !!

[tstone]

Originally Posted by pwright1

And for the person that mentioned loft living downtown. That is a good thing. People are so fed up with commuting on massive clogged freeways to get back and forth to work. Continue to build apts, lofts and condos in the downtown core. This is an excellent thing.

This is Houston and Texas. The sprawl will continue because we still have the growing room. Oil, gas and your vehicle will always be the kings here. Freeways will get more crowded and the inner city air will get dirtier than it already is. People who are fed up with what makes Houston ''Houston'' will live downtown only until they outgrow their space, and when their kids need to go to school and have a backyard to play in. The non-rich who can't afford private school will sell out to move to a larger place in a good school district. The inner city is not middle-class-child-friendly and it either has a long way to go or will never be that way. Or perhaps some people just care about themselves and not anything about their (future) kids. But who am I to say?

And what about reverse snobbery? Some people got the brown end of the snob stick forcefully waved in their faces while they were minding their own business!

[texan_176]

Originally Posted by tstone

Ok this type of addiction-feeding behavior is AMERICAN and Houston is included in the USofA, so you're bound to see it here. People waste their money (future investment) by giving people jobs, which is still a good thing. Overall, I still say Houston is laid back and more down to earth than a few other cities I've visited... AND compared to where some of my family lives. (300 miles north-northwest of us)

I agree with most of your post but this town was not like the mainstream stupidity most of the big cities like NYC or LA were up to their necks in starting in the early 1980s with mass condo and loft projects as well as the feeling all mighty and powerful if you buy stuff you can't afford and live paycheck to paycheck making the min. monthly payment to keep it.

Houston was a very laid back town that was for the most part inhabited by very friendly people up until the mid 90s. Since then we have gone in the wrong direction. Just look at all of the sports arenas bulit in the last 10 years. This was pure insanity in hopes of landing a summer olympics which failed (THANK YOU GOD!).

I also have a problem with the politicans in city govt. The mayor Bill White is the most phoney of them all. He is a limo liberal that will promote BS projects that waste taxpayer money and are anti free trade (Safe and Clear being the sterling example). I also get a kick out of how he is always telling the voters HISD is so great and we should pass bonds for millions of dollars when he sends his own daugter to a private school 1200 miles away in the northeast that chrages a tuition higher than what most poor people in Houston make in a year.

The Houston Chronicle aslo reinvented itself about 5-8 years ago to be hip and cool. The main library downtown is under reconsturction but God help us if they city leases Starbucks commercial space inside and puts up signs that thank corporate donors for the project.

Ahhhh...I just hate the phoney mentality of everyone these days but what is worse is how they pretend is it so great to live a lie.

[crbcrbrgv]

I am white and my wife is Mexican. Our being together is a great radar for snootiness. We can tell within in 4 seconds whether or not a person or couple (or family for that matter) is snobby. It has been my experience that people who are uncomfortable around other races or interracial couples also tend to be snobby. And this is regardless of race or social class. I've met snobby people of all races and all income levels. Maybe you aren't looking hard enough for the good people in your neighborhood?