What do you all mean when you are referencing the culture of Austin? (living, friendly)
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Alright then, instead of attacking each other, can we get back to question regarding Austin's culture?
Ahhh, a fresh breeze! Thank you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jennibc
In an earlier post someone said that there is only a sense of community in liberal pockets here. I call BS on that statement as I live in Circle C which is a mixed bag in terms of politics and there is very much a sense of community in part of the 'hood where our house sits. We look out for one another, our kids play together in the streets, and we socialize with neighbors fairly regularly.
This is a good example of why it's now much more difficult to describe an "Austin culture" in a single sweeping generalization. As the city has grown, its subcultures have multiplied and this has diluted the vibe of the city as I knew it in 1990.
However, the original laid-back culture does still echo through the mainstream of the boom here. You can dress down a bit more at most places of business, find more quirky small businesses, eclectic music venues, and stubbornly offbeat neighborhoods here than are found in most cities of similar size. I don't know how long this will continue, given that such amenities are generally sustained by creative types who lack sufficient income to remain in the city and are increasingly marginalized by well-heeled immigrants who are pumping money into the core of the city.
We shall see. I still find it a great place to live regardless of the rapid change that's happening in many areas.
i actually said "austin residents tend to have an understanding of community, if only found in small liberal pockets of the city".
i didn't say anything specific about the circle c area, so no need to defend yourself. i'm not at all surprised that your neighborhood is community oriented, and i think it's a wonderful thing. i've lived in far south austin as well, and felt very comfortable and safe in my neighborhood, with the help of several very friendly neighbors. we rarely, if ever, discussed politics.
it is in my opinion that largely progressive communities have redefined the sense of community to extend past the home, and further into every aspect of life, to business and to the streets. i mean community in the social tone that exists all around you always, not only at home. and as i mentioned, i find this to be the case in only scattered areas of austin. regardless, an open arms effort by any group of people in any setting is certainly community, and is hugely beneficial.
This is a nice theory but I would argue that it doesn't necessarily play out that way. I used to live in Seattle and my cousin lives in San Francisco and I feel a much stronger sense of "community" here than I did living in-city Seattle. My cousin in San Fran (even though she is a home owner) knows none of her neighbors and because schools are so deficient there must send her daughter to a private school, taking her out of her neighborhood for school.
Ahhh, a fresh breeze! Thank you. This is a good example of why it's now much more difficult to describe an "Austin culture" in a single sweeping generalization. As the city has grown, its subcultures have multiplied and this has diluted the vibe of the city as I knew it in 1990.
However, the original laid-back culture does still echo through the mainstream of the boom here. You can dress down a bit more at most places of business, find more quirky small businesses, eclectic music venues, and stubbornly offbeat neighborhoods here than are found in most cities of similar size. I don't know how long this will continue, given that such amenities are generally sustained by creative types who lack sufficient income to remain in the city and are increasingly marginalized by well-heeled immigrants who are pumping money into the core of the city.
We shall see. I still find it a great place to live regardless of the rapid change that's happening in many areas.
I am not sure what you mean by this. Could it also be that there has always been a "good-neighbor" culture that you were unaware of in your youth? When I was 18 and living in Seattle I found it to me a much better place than when I was 35 and living in Seattle. I don't know if it had to do with the area changing or my being introduced to more sides of it because of aging and increasing responsibilities. There are still 20 somethigs there that swear it is the greatest place on earth but I was ready to leave come hell or high water when I hit forty.
Ahhh, a fresh breeze! Thank you. This is a good example of why it's now much more difficult to describe an "Austin culture" in a single sweeping generalization. As the city has grown, its subcultures have multiplied and this has diluted the vibe of the city as I knew it in 1990.
However, the original laid-back culture does still echo through the mainstream of the boom here. You can dress down a bit more at most places of business, find more quirky small businesses, eclectic music venues, and stubbornly offbeat neighborhoods here than are found in most cities of similar size. I don't know how long this will continue, given that such amenities are generally sustained by creative types who lack sufficient income to remain in the city and are increasingly marginalized by well-heeled immigrants who are pumping money into the core of the city.
We shall see. I still find it a great place to live regardless of the rapid change that's happening in many areas.
I find this a very interesting theory, and in a way it rings true of what I remember of what Austin "used to be". Austin was NEVER the place to make money, or where money was important in any way, shape or form. It was where people wanted to LIVE, but if they wanted to make lots of money, it was common knowledge that for that you went to Dallas (mostly) or Houston. The expectations of "things" that were necessary was much lower - it was all about the quality of life, and NOT in a "I've got the biggest and bestest house and toys" way, but in terms of experiences in life on a day to day basis that had little to nothing to do with money and things. Some people would go to Dallas or Houston for a couple/three years periodically and make money and then come back to Austin for the quality of life they were missing.
As more people with the differing outlook that quality of life equals money and big houses and toys and such have moved into the area or grown up in the area and taken that viewpoint, the other kind of quality of life has, indeed, become somewhat watered down. Thanks for the theory - it's an explanation for something that I was really wrestling with. And, actually, it gives me reason for hope that perhaps that watering down can be turned around with some real motivation.
This is a nice theory but I would argue that it doesn't necessarily play out that way. I used to live in Seattle and my cousin lives in San Francisco and I feel a much stronger sense of "community" here than I did living in-city Seattle. My cousin in San Fran (even though she is a home owner) knows none of her neighbors and because schools are so deficient there must send her daughter to a private school, taking her out of her neighborhood for school.
there is nothing to argue, it does play out this way in specific areas, like i previously stated. while your cousin's neighborhood may not be community oriented, it says little of the city in general. maybe she lives in the wrong neighborhood if community is something she desires? either way, these examples don't prove that austin is any more community minded than anywhere else.
there is nothing to argue, it does play out this way in specific areas, like i previously stated. while your cousin's neighborhood may not be community oriented, it says little of the city in general. maybe she lives in the wrong neighborhood if community is something she desires? either way, these examples don't prove that austin is any more community minded than anywhere else.
What do you mean there's nothing to argue? You made a blanket statement with no supporting information and I am providing you some examples of progressive cities, one where I spent eighteen years and didn't find the sense of community that you claim exists in progressive cities. How bout you cite some cities where there's this sense of community and back it up?
What do you mean there's nothing to argue? You made a blanket statement with no supporting information and I am providing you some examples of progressive cities, one where I spent eighteen years and didn't find the sense of community that you claim exists in progressive cities. How bout you cite some cities where there's this sense of community and back it up?
in what progressive city does a sense of community not exist? community is key to true progression. your logic is baffling. yes you provided examples of two cities known generally to be progressive, yet the only proving point you provided was your cousin's neighborhood... how compelling.
like i said earlier, austin is a city with community sensibility "if only found in small pockets". i never intended to argue the prevalence of community in other cities.
in what progressive city does a sense of community not exist? community is key to true progression. your logic is baffling. yes you provided examples of two cities known generally to be progressive, yet the only proving point you provided was your cousin's neighborhood... how compelling.
like i said earlier, austin is a city with community sensibility "if only found in small pockets". i never intended to argue the prevalence of community in other cities.
Didn't I write I lived in Seattle for 18 years? Guess what! I worked in the nonprofit sector and attended law school there where you find a high concentration of progressives, and I am telling you there was no overarching sense of community in that city regardless of what you've read about it. Trying to get volunteers for anything was a massive PIA and people were anemic in terms of community involvement. My law school class full of "progressives" was one of the most apathetic disengaged groups of people I've ever met. Oh they liked to rant and rave about things but when action was required they preferred going to happy hour.
It's clear from the swipes you take at people when you disagree with them, that you've got one heck of a chip on your shoulder. You might want to work on that. My experience here is that people in Austin are more engaged in their community. Of course that is only my experience.
Hey, don't forget that the culture of any place is made by the people who are there. Moderator cut: advertising is a wonderful place which provides you music, fun, entertainment, food and shopping – all under one roof. The Austinites are liberal, friendly and sometimes a little aggressive . But man! Nobody is perfect in this world, rt? And Austinites are regarded as the people having best of personalities. And for rest of the things...just as triwing said...” come to Austin and find out yourself ”.
Last edited by Trainwreck20; 02-23-2010 at 07:31 AM..
Hey, don't forget that the culture of any place is made by the people who are there. Moderator cut: advertisingis a wonderful place which provides you music, fun, entertainment, food and shopping – all under one roof. The Austinites are liberal, friendly and sometimes a little aggressive . But man! Nobody is perfect in this world, rt? And Austinites are regarded as the people having best of personalities. And for rest of the things...just as triwing said...” come to Austin and find out yourself ”.
hahaha
"And Austinites are regarded as the people having best of personalities"
where in the hell did pull that from?
HYPE
Last edited by Trainwreck20; 02-23-2010 at 07:30 AM..
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. But man! Nobody is perfect in this world, rt? And Austinites are regarded as the people having best of personalities. And for rest of the things...just as triwing said...” come to Austin and find out yourself ”.
