Where does love of home end and national chauvinism begin? (Dallas: house, contractor)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 1.5 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Where does love of home end and national chauvinism begin?
I'll probably be regretful for starting this thread, but here goes. I was born in Texas and have lived in Texas for about 37 out of my presently 55 years, if I'm counting it up correctly. I did live in the Mid-Atlantic, among other places, for several years as a kid and developed some deep identifications with the Upper South/Mid-Atlantic area, especially the nature and topography. There was a time in my young adulthood back in Texas when I really felt that Texas was just the bestest place in the world, or at least in the USA. However, notwithstanding the continuing importance of Texas in the totality of who I am, I certainly cooled in my overall assessment of the state, its predominant culture and people (sorry 'bout that). Basically, I would say that I grew up, individuated and differentiated myself and my values from the dominant society around me.
I obviously read and participate on this thread because I do have a continuing investment in Texas (literally as well as figuratively, as it happens). Nonetheless, I often find the level of chest-thumping state chauvinism and the simultaneous denigration of other states and the values of people elsewhere in the US to be quite dismaying, even shocking. Some of that is perhaps in the nature of fora like C-D, where people express themselves in less nuanced ways than would be the case in RL. The thing is, there's a difference between loving one's home/country and having deep affection for a place and its people on the one hand, and thinking that everyone and everything everywhere else is nothing better than ****. Frankly, when I read attitudes like that it makes me want to have nothing more to do with Texas. However, again I suspect that these expressed attitudes are more an artifact of the internet forum culture and its denizens, rather than reflective of the thinking of most Texans (one can only hope).
I'll probably be regretful for starting this thread, but here goes. I was born in Texas and have lived in Texas for about 37 out of my presently 55 years, if I'm counting it up correctly. I did live in the Mid-Atlantic, among other places, for several years as a kid and developed some deep identifications with the Upper South/Mid-Atlantic area, especially the nature and topography. There was a time in my young adulthood back in Texas when I really felt that Texas was just the bestest place in the world, or at least in the USA. However, notwithstanding the continuing importance of Texas in the totality of who I am, I certainly cooled in my overall assessment of the state, its predominant culture and people (sorry 'bout that). Basically, I would say that I grew up, individuated and differentiated myself and my values from the dominant society around me.
I obviously read and participate on this thread because I do have a continuing investment in Texas (literally as well as figuratively, as it happens). Nonetheless, I often find the level of chest-thumping state chauvinism and the simultaneous denigration of other states and the values of people elsewhere in the US to be quite dismaying, even shocking. Some of that is perhaps in the nature of fora like C-D, where people express themselves in less nuanced ways than would be the case in RL. The thing is, there's a difference between loving one's home/country and having deep affection for a place and its people on the one hand, and thinking that everyone and everything everywhere else is nothing better than ****. Frankly, when I read attitudes like that it makes me want to have nothing more to do with Texas. However, again I suspect that these expressed attitudes are more an artifact of the internet forum culture and its denizens, rather than reflective of the thinking of most Texans (one can only hope).
What do you think?
Having grown up a military brat, served in the military and now a Defense contractor - I have had the great opportunity to travel all over. One thing that I have noticed is that every place has its die-hard nationalists. I've met Californians, Texans, Colorado-ans, New Yorkers, Alabamian, British, German, Italian, South Korean and many more that have held this "We-are-the-best" attitude. Although, I must have admit, I have never met a die-hard Rhode Island nationalist
I don't think the Texas chest thumping is as real as it seems. It comes out much stronger on C-D than it does in real life.
Texans (born and raised or self-adopted) are genuinely proud people. I think they don't like being made fun of - which people in other states do all the time. I think Texans may be in a bit of a "we told you so" position now because the previous glory states like California are struggling while Texas is holding up relatively well.
Well, in all my years in Texas I have never heard people holding forth like they do on C-D, but of course that was pretty much Texans talking to Texans in RL and we were much more willing to criticise things in the state than tends to be the case on C-D forum. I honestly don't know how the attitudes in Texas may have evolved since 2004 when I moved away; I haven't even been back since I sold my house in 2005. I still think there's more here than meets the eye. For example, California is undeniably ****ed up in several ways, many of which don't IMO have to do with "tax and spend" big government or hyper-liberalism (what Texans on this forum seem generally to attribut CA's problems to). However, it seems rather pathetic to have to inflate your own self-esteem by denigrating another place like CA. My own analysis is that CA has developed an absolutely horrible state constitution, constantly exacerbated by inititative and referendum, and that Californians are in deep denial about the realities of the natural environment and the perils of ignoring those dangers (communities being engulfed by forest fires, sliding off the sides of cliffs due to flooding and erosion, etc). I'm not sure, frankly, that those basic types of problems are especially foreign to Texas, which has a very messy state constitution and significant problems with water supply. Pride goeth before a fall, as is said.
I do also think that when Texans or Americans are derided outside their own borders, it might be well to engage in some self-examination as opposed to looking at everything solely through a persecutory lense. Yes, some of the derision is nothing more than irrational and mean-spirited bigotry, but some of it may - no doubt does - have a basis in the reality of our own behaviour. Of course, it's a two-way process -- all of this is. It seems to me that it's much to do with hidden feelings of self-doubt, incipient shame and self-inadequacy on both sides, covered over by narcissistic bluster and loud self-righteousness.
As a resident of Texas continously since 1975 - I have grown to like Texas pride. In some ways I think it is a bit of "glue" or fuel that keeps things moving in a (mostly) good direction. But it is over the top sometimes.
CA is seriously screwed up. I'm not versed on their constitution - but it is clear to me that the voters have only themselves to blame for the state's troubles. It isn't Arnold. The state is unreasonably influenced by the politics of SF and LA. The voters seem to pile on to popular issues - and forget that much of what they vote for requires vast somes of money. And since their revenues are tied so heavily to income - they go down in flames with a recession.
Texas has its own problems of course - but they are smaller (an opposite to the everything is bigger in Texas image). Our rate of change is slower. And we don't truly care as much what others think - although it sometimes seems we do.
A lot of people in Texas have never lived anywhere else and have an inflated view of their own culture/cities etc. This can happen with any country or state of course - there's just probably a higher percentage of people like that in Texas.
"For now, 75.8 percent of adults born in the Lone Star State still live here — the highest percentage of any state keeping its native residents — making Texas the nation’s "stickiest" state, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of census data released Wednesday."
Just imagine if Texans who think the Hill Country is pretty would visit or live in Big Sur, California. And imagine if Texans who think Dallas is cosmopolitan would visit or live in New York. Ignorance of other places breeds undue pride-- in Texas or places like Afghanistan.
I think Texans realize that there are other prettier states, however, Texas also realize that there's no better place to live for quality of life than Texas.
We left Texas to live elsewhere, and I've been to many other States as well. As much as I love to visit other places, we still come back here.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $53,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 1.5 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
