Is Austin really weird and progressive? the forum seems mainstream (neighborhoods, university)

[carolinajack]

the forum seems quite mainstream in the answers to many of the questions about a progressive town. It has cool restuarants, nice central austin neighborhoods, a bike friendly philosophy, public transport system, hub of state politics, live music scene, natural recreation, artsy types and great University, and Whole foods, yet folks keep saying its hard to live progressively with all those amenities and more?

i wonder why it is considered weird adn alternative and progressive yet the posters seem to state its more of a mainstream place.

[GreenPlastic]

Probably b/c not too many of the weird and progressive are hanging out on this forum.

[carolinajack]

that is true, i seem to be one of the most non mainstream and i am yet i am so far Right of Atila the Hun

[Trainwreck20]

Weird and progressive don't always go together, either....some are just plain weird. Freebirds is still probably the best place to go see the 'old' Austin .

[mm57553]

Honestly? I don't think Austin is as weird as it thinks it is.

[Trainwreck20]

Austin as a whole really isnt, at least anymore...there are enclaves, though, but I suppose those are in most cities...they used to be a very significant portion of the population some time back.

[carolinajack]

thanks, thats what i was hoping someone would say--it thinks it is weird and progressive but is it really?

i mean, i spend most of my summers in vermont--not a weird place but very progressive. so they do take environment, access to real food and farm markets, alternatives to processed mainstream foods and products, not into sprawl etc. they are not all progressive either though they think they are.

weird doesnt necessarily mean progressive, there are sensible ones too, but when people use weird to describe your city from the outside, they call it the blue dot in a red sea, liberal bastion in Texas and Austin "keep it weird'. what does weird mean to Austinnites then and what does progressive mean to them

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Weird and progressive don't always go together, either....some are just plain weird. Freebirds is still probably the best place to go see the 'old' Austin .

Freebird's? 'Old' Austin? 'Weird' Austin? Not hardly. I don't think that word means what you think it means, frankly.

There's quite a few other places that still have the "old weird Austin" vibe. Not all that sure I'd be inclined to tell anyone about them on a public forum, though, lest they be overrun and ruined like so man before them.

[Moonlady]

Originally Posted by mm57553

Honestly? I don't think Austin is as weird as it thinks it is.

Why do you think they had to remind us to "Keep Austin Weird"? It's definitely lost the funky liberal college feel it had back in the 70's and 80's.

[carolinajack]

moonlady, good point