Could ya'll define "Texas Friendly"?

[Nomadic9460678748]

Originally Posted by harrison512

I moved to Austin about 5 years ago. I am a person of color. I can say that I have not experienced any "Texas friendliness" at all. My neighbors are superficial - the occasional wave hello. My co-workers aren't interested in hanging out. I've donated over 100 hours a year to local charities, and no one there likes to socialize either.

There is a deep-seeded dislike of outsiders - especially Californians. I've theorized that it's because Texas is more a state of native Texans than California is a state of native Californians, and the result is xenophobia.

The reputation Austin markets is great for real estate agents (liberal, arts community, friendly, but probably only applies to the downtown core. Otherwise, it is an unremarkable college town / state capital.

That said, I'm told by non-Austinites that true "Texas friendly" applies to everywhere OUTSIDE of Austin!

Interesting.

I've read a few threads on this board where other Texans are very quick to dismiss Austin as "not being Texas" or being "overrun" by transplants, thus having lost its "true Texan" identity. I'm not quite sure what that even means as I've pretty much lived here for most of my life and the only times I was fortunate to leave I came to realize that outside of certain boundaries Austin is actually still essentially a Texas/sunbelt town (sprawly, big boxy, tract housing, car-dependent, hot as Hades in the summer). But then I've known of people who've told me that their friends visiting from Dallas think it's "disturbing" to see so many women with tattoos, or even to see the occasional white dude with dread locks. Austin is at its best when it's not trying to be anything more than Austin, but I'm unsure you can get a singular definition about what that even is these days. Austin's a great place for some people, not so great for others. I was born in a small Texas town, was grateful for my teenage years and college years in Austin, but am now so very eager to graduate once and for all from the place. If only I could find work that paid enough to aid in my great escape.

And I agree with you that Austin is not all that the marketeers or Chamber of Commerce have tried and crack it up to be. Unfortunately, the few minimally interesting parts of the city are often too expensive for most people to afford on their state/county/city salaries. There are still a few apartments here and there but lots of those have been turned into condos.

Otherwise, I stand by my previous comment: People can be friendly no matter where you go. I've met awsome people on Mass Ave in Boston, in hostels in Guadalajara, on Market in San Francisco, and yes, even in Austin. People are just people to me.

[nomore07]

Originally Posted by makeyes

You nailed it - superficial. Austin is a great example. People come here for jobs, parks, clean air, etc. There are some old Texans with roots but most people you meet are new-so no roots/they just take advantage of the city for what it has to offer. They are not engaged at a connected level. That being said, very open to conversation, making people feel a home, ie: skilled at the art of bring friendly which some value.

Not all transplants are "carpetbaggers". This type of judging and stereotyping is a disservice to those who do move here with a genuine interest in planting roots or connecting - and discourages others from even trying. Personally I tie the growing "superficiality" to an influx from specific cities where those values are encouraged.

[BarcelonaFan]

It's a giant myth that Texans are friendly, just like I was smacked with a dose of reality when I found out how friendly people in LA actually are.

Texans are friendly out of a cultural norm but it's not really genuine. A lot of them walk around with a humble arrogance.

[G Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan

It's a giant myth that Texans are friendly, just like I was smacked with a dose of reality when I found out how friendly people in LA actually are.

Texans are friendly out of a cultural norm but it's not really genuine. A lot of them walk around with a humble arrogance.

I am the OP, having posed the question about "Texas Friendly" 2.5 years ago. We moved to Texas 6 months after that post. My opinion after living here for 2 years is that there is indeed a friendly spirit here. Of course, there is part of it that is superficial because it is the culture to greet people cheerfully. But I have found more real interest, concern, caring, and true friendship here than in many years in California. (I have good friends from my 35 years in California, but almost all of them are from work, where we developed friendships after having worked together. In my experience, CA is not as friendly as Texas, either superficially or genuinely.) I don't doubt that there are arrogant people here, as there are everywhere. But I feel that that the friendship many offer in Texas is quite genuine.

[pjoseph2]

Been an Austinite for 3+ years now. Made a trip to Bryan / College Station this past weekend. Loved the eye contact and cheerful demeanor out there. If that is a taste of small town Texas (albeit in a college town) it was nothing but the stereotype i had envisioned. Think i've transformed into an Aggie fan

[EzPeterson]

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I think Texas is a land of extremes - you'll find everything from the overly nice folks who'll talk your ear off about the weather, the 'Horns/Aggies/Raiders/Bobcats/Rangers/Cowboys/Texans/(not so much the 'Stros these days), to the giant F350 driving "look at me, I'm a good 'ol boy" types. To your point, Houston definitely has more of the latter.

Personally, I feel that you get back what you put out, for the most part, and Texans are - generally speaking - friendlier than the folks I've dealt with from AZ, NV, CA, OR, WA, OH, NM, FL (although the FL panhandle does have a very similar attitude, and should be considered "Lower AL" for the purposes of this discussion.) Those are only the states and areas that I've had extensive dealings in - YMMV and all that.

[EzPeterson]

What they look like, drive, or enjoy doing with their free time doesn't make them any less friendly, IMO. Yes, there's plenty of folks like this all over Texas - it is after all, Texas.

Some of those guys (and gals) are the best people - some of them, not so much - but that's like everything... can't judge the book by the cover.

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