Dear Texas, why all the Austin hate? (Houston, Dallas: co-ops, living in)

[augiedogie]

Liberals and liberalism, like going after Gov. Perry on a really stupid ridiculous charge, trying to ruin him.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by augiedogie

Liberals and liberalism, like going after Gov. Perry on a really stupid ridiculous charge, trying to ruin him.

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by Danimarie

but DFW has the oil drilling/fracking and recently large numbers of earth quakes each year very likely related to the dumping of waste water from it.

I just read a recent article about a fault line that was, although millions of years old, recently discovered.

Seismologists Say A Fault Is At Fault For Irving Earthquakes « CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

[homeinatx]

To the OP: envy, deserved and underserved. Austin is the city in Texas that most appeals to coastal opinion makers. Dallas is a corporate bore. Houston is a monumental mess. San Antonio is too Mexican. In Texas no-one one thinks about El Paso or Fort Worth. In SxSW, Austin throws the best party in the state. Austin has much better scenery, a much better downtown, and a much longer and more established tradition of liberalism than any other Texas city. While I think that Houston is the most interesting city in Texas, it is too sprawling and ugly to compete with Austin. Boosters of other Texas cities hate Austin because it has a deservedly better national reputation. I live in downtown Austin. I travel for work all over the state. Downtown Austin is the only live work play neighborhood in the state. Dallas and Houston have MANY more amenities but you have to drive, and drive FAR. Texans hate Austin because it is smarter, prettier, better educated and way cooler than where they live.YMMV.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by homeinatx

To the OP: envy, deserved and underserved. Austin is the city in Texas that most appeals to coastal opinion makers. Dallas is a corporate bore. Houston is a monumental mess. San Antonio is too Mexican. In Texas no-one one thinks about El Paso or Fort Worth. In SxSW, Austin throws the best party in the state. Austin has much better scenery, a much better downtown, and a much longer and more established tradition of liberalism than any other Texas city. While I think that Houston is the most interesting city in Texas, it is too sprawling and ugly to compete with Austin. Boosters of other Texas cities hate Austin because it has a deservedly better national reputation. I live in downtown Austin. I travel for work all over the state. Downtown Austin is the only live work play neighborhood in the state. Dallas and Houston have MANY more amenities but you have to drive, and drive FAR. Texans hate Austin because it is smarter, prettier, better educated and way cooler than where they live.YMMV.

Yet even you just said that Houston is the most interesting city in the state.

I can honestly sit here and say that my feelings toward Austin don't include one ounce of envy. It's a popular city, no doubt, but I've found that I usually do not have much in common with those who prefer it. I tend to be smarter and prettier than most of those that I have met.

If there's anything Austin should absolutely take pride in, it's its devotion to music. But even for that I'd rather be in New Orleans.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by RudyOD

So, at least on these CD threads, there seems to be a marked difference in perspectives about Austin. Basically, where just about everyone I know from the West Coast that has been to Austin raves about it, and with many even uttering the (what is now a common phrase to my ears) "Austin is the only city I would consider moving to in Texas".

Yet, a common perspective from many Texans and southerners (on CD) is that Austin is highly overrated, especially once you leave its trendy neighborhoods. What is the real story behind Austin? How does it compared to other Texan and southern cities? What is with the, supposedly, overblown admiration us westerners have for your city?

I have a suspicion that a lot of my fellow West Coasters attended SXSW or ACL and fell in love with the city, when really...it was those festivals they loved, and probably didn't go out of their way to get to know the actual city. I might be wrong though.

I'm not looking for rants from anyone with some kind of personal vendetta against the city, or those on the opposite end that can't manage to take off their rose tinted glasses. I know that, ultimately, opinions are always subjective, but I'm still hoping for some well grounded POVs.

I lived in Austin for four years as a student at UT and another two as a working stiff in the 1990s.

I don't hate the Austin of 2015. I mourn the Austin of 1993.

To me, Austin's ruined. It's too crowded, too trendy, too expensive, too full of out-of-state transplants.

DFW's full of out-of-state transplants too...but it has always sucked IMHO, so you can't ruin something that already sucks. Austin, on the other hand....RIP.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by homeinatx

To the OP: envy, deserved and underserved. Austin is the city in Texas that most appeals to coastal opinion makers. Dallas is a corporate bore. Houston is a monumental mess. San Antonio is too Mexican. In Texas no-one one thinks about El Paso or Fort Worth. In SxSW, Austin throws the best party in the state. Austin has much better scenery, a much better downtown, and a much longer and more established tradition of liberalism than any other Texas city. While I think that Houston is the most interesting city in Texas, it is too sprawling and ugly to compete with Austin. Boosters of other Texas cities hate Austin because it has a deservedly better national reputation. I live in downtown Austin. I travel for work all over the state. Downtown Austin is the only live work play neighborhood in the state. Dallas and Houston have MANY more amenities but you have to drive, and drive FAR. Texans hate Austin because it is smarter, prettier, better educated and way cooler than where they live.YMMV.

Your post presupposes that the "hate" is a one way street and it is not. Austin is more vitriolic in its attitude towards other parts of the state than vice-versa. Most people in Texas who are not fans of Austin will say things like it is overrated or has changed from what it used to be, while the prevailing attitude in Austin about other Texas cities is they truly are horrible vapid arm pits that don't deserve the hot air it takes to talk about them. Is the envy a two way street as well ?

Even though your prose are dripping with arrogance it is moderate in some ways when compared to the usual Austin tripe, but Austin is not the innocent victim here. People don't hate Austin because it is beautiful they hate on Austin because it is stuck-up on itself. It is cultish and in some ways borders on self idolatry...

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by homeinatx

To the OP: envy, deserved and underserved. Austin is the city in Texas that most appeals to coastal opinion makers. Dallas is a corporate bore. Houston is a monumental mess. San Antonio is too Mexican. In Texas no-one one thinks about El Paso or Fort Worth. In SxSW, Austin throws the best party in the state. Austin has much better scenery, a much better downtown, and a much longer and more established tradition of liberalism than any other Texas city. While I think that Houston is the most interesting city in Texas, it is too sprawling and ugly to compete with Austin. Boosters of other Texas cities hate Austin because it has a deservedly better national reputation. I live in downtown Austin. I travel for work all over the state. Downtown Austin is the only live work play neighborhood in the state. Dallas and Houston have MANY more amenities but you have to drive, and drive FAR. Texans hate Austin because it is smarter, prettier, better educated and way cooler than where they live.YMMV.

They are only opinion makers if you feel their opinion is superior. Of course we know that many people feel that those in Hollywood and NYC are just "super cool" and want nothing more that to be part of that circle.

Dallas is a bore? Sorry, but only boring people are bored. If you require a festival to make yourself interesting, maybe Austin is the best place for you.

Houston is a mess? Yeah, all the great jobs, well planned highway system and great museums, restaurants and performing arts are so embarrassing.

San Antonio is too Mexican? So, the culture that makes it special is too much? lol. OK.

Liberalism. Ah, there it is. "I want to be in a place where everybody thinks like I do. If somebody challenges my political ideology, it makes me sooooo sad."

"I know I live in the best place, because I'm such a smart, educated and cool person. I dress the best, listen to the best music and everybody admires me." And you wonder why so many people elsewhere are saying Austin is filled with D-bags.

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

Your post presupposes that the "hate" is a one way street and it is not. Transplants who recently have moved to Austin are more vitriolic in its attitude towards other parts of the state than vice-versa.

Most people in Texas who are not fans of Austin will say things like it is overrated or has changed from what it used to be, while the prevailing attitude among transplants who recently moved to Austin when talking about other Texas cities is they truly are horrible vapid arm pits that don't deserve the hot air it takes to talk about them.........

Fify.

Most native Texans who live in Austin have mostly good things to say about all towns (or just about all towns) & cities in Texas. We also agree with you that it is "overrated" by most of the coastal rags (& interwebs) and is not the funky/pokey/fun place it was in the 60s/70s/80s/90s & early 00s. It's slowly (but surely) becoming more like North Dallas (& it's suburbs)....but with a cr#ppy road system & an interesting downtown.

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

I lived in Austin for four years as a student at UT and another two as a working stiff in the 1990s.

I don't hate the Austin of 2015. I mourn the Austin of 1993.

To me, Austin's ruined. It's too crowded, too trendy, too expensive, too full of out-of-state transplants.

DFW's full of out-of-state transplants too...but it has always sucked IMHO, so you can't ruin something that already sucks. Austin, on the other hand....RIP.

This pretty much nails it. (& I mourn the Austin of 83 & 75 too.)

But Dallas doesn't suck....(parts of it does), lots of fun & nice areas in the metroplex.