Living in Austin as a non-leftist (Portland, Montgomery: private school, yard, atheist)

[PSBlows]

Is Austin similar to places like Portland where non-leftist people have to keep their views to themselves?

I've been apolitical for almost my whole life, never even voted until the last election. But the past few years turned things upside down for me and I'm really wary of living in a deep blue area - I just don't like the idea of living in an echo chamber/bubble like Portland or San Francisco.

I'm from SoCal, so I'd probably get a lot of flack in the more conservative areas of TX too.

[Need4Camaro]

On city-data, yes.. ..in the real world.. ..eh, not really.. ..but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll take your input positively either.

[blameyourself]

Originally Posted by PSBlows

Is Austin similar to places like Portland where non-leftist people have to keep their views to themselves?

I've been apolitical for almost my whole life, never even voted until the last election. But the past few years turned things upside down for me and I'm really wary of living in a deep blue area - I just don't like the idea of living in an echo chamber/bubble like Portland or San Francisco.

I'm from SoCal, so I'd probably get a lot of flack in the more conservative areas of TX too.

My question to you would be why you feel like people need to hear anyone's views? I lived in the SF Bay Area for years. I was brought up understanding that etiquette dictates not talking about politics or religion in the presence of company (and I don't). I never did it there and I don't do it here. People don't need to hear about contentious issues like that. I couldn't tell you the political viewpoints of a single neighbor I've had here in the last 5 years. Unlike forums like CD, most people are too polite to bring up such subjects in the real world. The bravado comes out when under the anonymity of the internet.

[DashRiprock]

Texans are by nature very live and let live. For the most part, you're probably not going to encounter leftists shoving their views directly in your face unless you go looking for it. We're just not geared that way.

Now, the flip side of that is that unless there's a specific context for it, even conservative people aren't looking to hear your non-leftist political views, either. As mentioned above, you'll see arguments here but it's not really a thing in the "real world".

That said, what's been happening lately, as I'm sure you're aware since you're in Portland, is that the left as a whole has become increasingly intolerant and vitriolic, and it's getting harder to avoid that. We're not immune, especially at the city and county levels and you'll pull your hair out over some of the idiotic things this city does or tries to do. But what you have here that you don't in Portland or California is a conservative state government that can and will keep the worst impulses of the left in check, and they know it and for the most part don't push it. 99% of the local elections go to Dems but we haven't had a single Dem elected statewide in nearly 30 years.

[Need4Camaro]

We have large rural populations. That is about the only thing that keeps the state red. If Texas were the Texas Triangle only, it would probably shift to a blue state.

[beaste]

Not as bad as Portland but it has its pockets. It's easy to find people who are creatives or people who are in the poly/ENM lifestyle and also agnostic/atheist/liberal/feminist though but that could be indicative of any city nowadays.

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by beaste

Not as bad as Portland but it has its pockets. It's easy to find people who are creatives or people who are in the poly/ENM lifestyle and also agnostic/atheist/liberal/feminist though but that could be indicative of any city nowadays.

From the way I was reading the post those are the types of communities they are trying to avoid. On a personal note, it seems like most people in the online world are ENM/poly and it makes dating here beyond impossible

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by PSBlows

Is Austin similar to places like Portland where non-leftist people have to keep their views to themselves?

I've been apolitical for almost my whole life, never even voted until the last election. But the past few years turned things upside down for me and I'm really wary of living in a deep blue area - I just don't like the idea of living in an echo chamber/bubble like Portland or San Francisco.

I'm from SoCal, so I'd probably get a lot of flack in the more conservative areas of TX too.

We have quite a few conservative friends, but mostly liberal friends. I would say yes non leftists have to keep their views to themselves, while leftists can say whatever they want, put signs in their yards etc.

this definitely applies to social media, if you say the wrong thing cancel culture can get you fired or destroy your business.

My daughter went to a pretty left leaning private school where there was significant peer pressure to follow the liberal agenda. Teachers and students would regularly say they hate trump and if you tried to take a moderate position you would be ostracized.

She is in public school now and says it is much more balanced, but the kids in general are less politically aware in public schools. But if you dont use correct pronouns for example, that is akin to being a bully.

[DashRiprock]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

We have large rural populations. That is about the only thing that keeps the state red. If Texas were the Texas Triangle only, it would probably shift to a blue state.

That, plus the Hispanic population is increasingly voting Republican. I haven't looked at hard data but my gut tells me that that's canceling out whatever gains Dems are making in the cities.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

We have large rural populations. That is about the only thing that keeps the state red. If Texas were the Texas Triangle only, it would probably shift to a blue state.

There are still some mid-sized cities (meaning non-rural, 75,000 to 400,000 residents) that vote dominantly "conversative" (quotes because I'm not sure what that means these days) - without doing the math, I'm willing to bet that they are the most important reason for the statewide results - plus Montgomery County, which is the only really high-population, high-growth Texas Triangle county that is "Deep Red." I would think that these non-rural "conservative" voters are a bigger factor in the results than truly rural voters.