Portland: Cultured or Not (Phoenix: real estate, homes, college)

[Leisesturm]

I don't think it is fair to use New York in the same sentence as any other city in the U.S. with respect to Arts and Entertainment. It simply isn't fair to. London, Zurich, Paris maybe, but not even San Francisco or Chicago are fair comparisons let alone Portland. Still, what does it matter. If you are here in PDX it isn't likely for the Opera or Broadway offerings. There are a million galleries in NYC but I'll tell you I've enjoyed the galleries in Seattle and PDX much, much more. Somehow they know how to put art, esxpecially glass, on display that people might actually want. The classical music broadcasting in PDX flat out spanks anything I have heard elsewhere in the U.S. Again, however, PDX to my knowledge is not asking anyone to consider it a bastion of class and culture. Thus even if your opinion of PDX with respect to culture is: NOT! For some of us that is not a negative. Maybe we've lived lifetimes in places that were packed to the gills with unattainable art and entertainment that didn't really change ones experience of life a whit. The Wildwood trail in Forest Park, that's my idea of Art and Entertainment for the foreseeable future and I'm quite happy about that.

H

[backdrifter]

Portland is definitely not classy, but it certainly is cultured.

[Minervah]

When Chris Coleman took over Portland Center Stage, attendance for his productions went way down. The plays he showcased were way too "avant garde" for Portland. I agreed with this. Dialog in which every other word is the "F" word and lack of plot may work in some cities but not here. So PCS got wise and began having the good productions like it had under the former artistic director Elizabeth Huddle. I think this showed an amount of cultural knowledge on the part of Portlanders.
In the 30 years I have lived here I have seen the arts grow stronger. It is medicore perhaps in comparison to other cities but pretty progressive for this town.
As far as class, I would say "no." But then there are many defintions of class. To me rudeness definetly shows a lack of class and I think in social situations where there are crowds people here are pretty rude. I saw "The Color Purple" with a friend last night. It amazed me how people were pushing and shoving in the crowded lobby. My poor friend who is very short almost got knocked down. Bus riders are rude; blocking the back door when there are plenty of seats available and refusing to budge to allow people to get off.
But that's the way I was raised; to equate class with the way one treats others rather than the quality of possesions one has although I know many if not most people do think of class in this way.

[subsound]

Originally Posted by Minervah

But that's the way I was raised; to equate class with the way one treats others rather than the quality of possesions one has although I know many if not most people do think of class in this way.

I always think of class this way too, though it seems like in general it's being pushed to the side. It's seems that many of the people who do what ever the heck they want without regard to basic decency are getting a great amount of attention (probably helps ratings not to). It is a general societal thing unfortunately, not a Portland thing exclusively.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Originally Posted by subsound

I always think of class this way too, though it seems like in general it's being pushed to the side. It's seems that many of the people who do what ever the heck they want without regard to basic decency are getting a great amount of attention (probably helps ratings not to). It is a general societal thing unfortunately, not a Portland thing exclusively.

To a certain extent I agree with this. It's a very astute observation.

However, the reason Portland has no true culture (aside from what you say) is that we grew so rapidly that no culture could take root. A true culture evolves and develops as a city matures. Portland simply went from a stagnant stodgy old small city to a metropolis over a couple of decades. Hence, there was no time for developing any real defining culture.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by BLAZER PROPHET

To a certain extent I agree with this. It's a very astute observation.

However, the reason Portland has no true culture (aside from what you say) is that we grew so rapidly that no culture could take root. A true culture evolves and develops as a city matures. Portland simply went from a stagnant stodgy old small city to a metropolis over a couple of decades. Hence, there was no time for developing any real defining culture.

Wow! BP, this is the most accurate description of Portland I have read. Bravo. It's not a criticism, it's just history. I saw it happen from the late 70's to the present since I have been here. Although when I moved here I thought of this place as part provincial, part quirky and part hippie. I miss the good old individualism I used to see.

[suncat]

Originally Posted by Minervah

Wow! BP, this is the most accurate description of Portland I have read. Bravo. It's not a criticism, it's just history. I saw it happen from the late 70's to the present since I have been here. Although when I moved here I thought of this place as part provincial, part quirky and part hippie. I miss the good old individualism I used to see.

I agree with that very astute observation. Portland feels a bit adolescent. It's an immature city, which grew too fast for its own good. As a result, it's rather full of itself but doesn't have the substance to back that up. I'm interested to see what the city's next phase will look like.

[suncat]

Originally Posted by Minervah

to equate class with the way one treats others rather than the quality of possesions one has although I know many if not most people do think of class in this way.

I think the latter would be spelled "klass."

[subsound]

Originally Posted by BLAZER PROPHET

However, the reason Portland has no true culture (aside from what you say) is that we grew so rapidly that no culture could take root. A true culture evolves and develops as a city matures. Portland simply went from a stagnant stodgy old small city to a metropolis over a couple of decades. Hence, there was no time for developing any real defining culture.

Hummm, hadn't thought of it that way Interesting! I wonder if one will grow from all the implants.

[PNW-type-gal]

On the other hand, that's also why the entire PNW has the laid-back, informal feel, which I value very highly, having lived in the east and south.