"Palm Beach County has no Culture"? Reealllly? (Lake Worth: home, theater)

[Doctor Octagon]

Asheville is a pretty cultural area, I agree. All kinds of people from all over, little independently owned restaurants offering all types of food, very artsy, etc... all kinds of music and festivals.

I have seen performances come through Asheville anywhere from Jerry Seinfeld, to De La Soul, etc...

And now famous people are calling Asheville home...

[EnjoyTheSilence]

I actually like Palm Beach County, particularly the likes of Delray Beach, which is a really nice seaside town. Actually, if I had to choose between Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties to live in, I'd choose Palm Beach County hands down.

Oh....and whenever we go to see a "big" movie, we always drive up to the Imax in West Palm Beach, because it's a much nicer, more hassle-free experience. I don't know what it is, but customer service seems a lot better up there and people seem to have more respect than they do in my part of South Florida (just an observation).

[StarlaJane]

I think that it is strong to say that it has NO culture. I think that most people who move to or visit Florida come from the NorthEast, which is much more culturally enriched. There are some great cultural activities in PBCounty.
The only thing that I don't agree with in the OP's post is a mention of the PBKennel Club as "culture." Perhaps b/c FL residents consider such a venue as "culture" is the reason why PBCounty is criticized for having no culture.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by KoZmiC NinJa

Ive seen all of South Florida and my opinion is based on my
personal observations. We came here from Vermont out of
necessity, not choice, to put my opinion into perspective. I cant
really elaborate on that opinion as well as I want to, but lets just
say in a lot of places, maybe......Louisville, KY, or Asheville NC,
you walk out into a few distinctly different neighborhoods and historic
districts and get some Thai food, hit a coffee shop than a used
book store for a anarchist or lesbian poetry slam or maybe hear a
musician. Multiply that over a few times per area.

Have you actually, truly explored places like downtown West Palm Beach, its Southend, and places like Lake Worth? Historic neighborhoods, locally owned businesses, eclectic people abound.

Lesbian or anarchist slam poetry? Lol, no thanks. That's not culture. That's a bunch of poseurs.

Originally Posted by Kozmic Ninja

To me, thats 'culture'.....
Here, you have 'processed' culture for want of a better term. Culture
is as much of a feeling as it is quantifiables. To me, The Fish House
in Port Salerno is 'culture' but Del Ray is 'tourist'. Also, take anyplace
from Orlando down except for maybe Juno and Hobe Sound,
blindfold someone and drive them around about an hour, take the
blindfold off, and chances are they wont be able to tell you what town
they are in because they look ponderously alike. Condos, stripmall, and
infrastructure that is only meant for car travel. I guess its all in what
you are looking for in your culture.

High brown and low brow culture is important, and both is available in Palm Beach County. Maybe not in North Palm Beach. Maybe not in Palm Beach Gardens, but it's there. I say it again. Those who cannot find it in Palm Beach County are not as cultured as they think they are.

[TriMT7]

[quote=psouth;8960956]Funny but parts are very true. Culture is very limited in these here parts as well as all of Florida. The predominant cultures in S. Florida are Spanish, Jewish, and Haitian with little in between.

Originally Posted by psouth

You won't find a "Little Italy" or "Chinatown" or any other cultural sections that other progressive areas have.

Ethnic ghettos are not a sign of "progressive culture." It's a sign of ethnic exclusivity and non-interaction. But, why is a "little Italy" desirable, yet "Spanish, Jewish, and Haitian" (we'll put aside the fact that Haitians make up about 8% of Palm Beach County population, mostly sandwiched in South Lake Worth).... undesirable or "not culture??"

Originally Posted by psouth

The rich elderly Jews push their own culture while the majority Hispanic and Haitians push what they want for themselves.

What do you mean by the "majority Hispanic and Haitians?" Haitians and Hispanics are not the majority where I live, though I am lucky enough to be able to walk to several ethnic restaurants and shops from my home.

Originally Posted by psouth

Florida is largely generic compared to most places. I guess until you have actually lived somewhere else you would not notice though. It's what you are exposed to.

Give me a break. When my father came to this country, his family lived in an ethnic ghetto in New Jersey. It's nothing special. I guess if you're the type who thinks you're being "cultured" because you get to sample the superficial accoutrements of culture, it'd be impressive, but not to me.

BTW, there are all kinds of ethnic bakeries in PBC... generic ones, yes, but also Caribbean/Jamaican, Hispanic, Italian, French, Finnish, Jewish, etc.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by Liberty911

I have to agree with the disgruntled resident. Those places listed were created to give people without culture a place to buy cultured. Those places are business entities that offer displays, food and entertainment for monetary gain. So I guess if someone considers capitalism a "culture" those paces are evidence of a capitalist culture. However, theaters, museums, and art gallerys do not offer "culture" , but rather "high culture." True high culture was created by the elite to dissenfranchise the middle and lower classes.

I disagree with your assessment. You are entitled to your critique of capitalist cultural offerings, but to sort of put people who enjoy, say, ballet into some box of "uncultured people buying culture".... is, well, wrong.

People are entitled to enjoy the offerings. You don't have to be third world to claim authentic culture or some bizarre "closeness to earth" that is superior or more "real" than the symphony -- THAT is a privileged, upper middle class and University inspired WHITE view of the world.

Originally Posted by Liberty911

The original meaning of the word "culture" comes from within the spirit of the people and the land itself. It's the way people live and how they interact in the land they live on and those they live with. It cannot be bought, sold or viewed with a simple admission ticket. Culture cannot be viewed.

The Palm Beach area has a very rich and interesting history, development pattern, and culture. What is great about this place is that you have everything from Donald Trump types, to fisherman and boating types, to Bohemians, to gold diggers and wannabes, to gayborhoods, to New York lite, to Latin and yes, Haitian, influence and vibe.

The 'feel' of this county is distinct. It is distinct from its neighbors to the North, South, and West, which each have their own feel and "culture."

[KoZmiC NinJa]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

Lesbian or anarchist slam poetry? Lol, no thanks. That's not culture. That's a bunch of poseurs.

Although I was just using this as an abstract example, your
response to it shows you to be one of the:
"not as cultured as they think they are."

I get it....your culture, "good", mine bad.
What makes a coffee house hipster at a poetry reading a
'poseur' but someone who goes to 100.00 a seat opera in
their Lexus not ?

More importantly, if both of them are doing something they
want to be doing, why do they require a derogatory title ?

Originally Posted by TriMT7

High brown and low brow culture is important, and both is available in Palm Beach County. Maybe not in North Palm Beach. Maybe not in Palm Beach Gardens, but it's there. I say it again. Those who cannot find it in Palm Beach County are not as cultured as they think they are.

Again, its all what you want for your culture and how much you
effort you want to put into finding it. Im a self-employed freelance artist.
Im pretty open minded to all culture. But, the very limited culture
you mention, is to me, too processed and homogenized for some peoples
tastes. There is culture everywhere if you want to look for it, but WPB
will never be known as a cultural place in the same way NYC or any
other northern city will be. Limited accessibility -Too much car
culture/mall plasticity. Obviously you disagree

[Doctor Octagon]

Originally Posted by KoZmiC NinJa

Although I was just using this as an abstract example, your
response to it shows you to be one of the:
"not as cultured as they think they are."

I get it....your culture, "good", mine bad.
What makes a coffee house hipster at a poetry reading a
'poseur' but someone who goes to 100.00 a seat opera in
their Lexus not ?

More importantly, if both of them are doing something they
want to be doing, why do they require a derogatory title ?




Again, its all what you want for your culture and how much you
effort you want to put into finding it. Im a self-employed freelance artist.
Im pretty open minded to all culture. But, the very limited culture
you mention, is to me, too processed and homogenized for some peoples
tastes. There is culture everywhere if you want to look for it, but WPB
will never be known as a cultural place in the same way NYC or any
other northern city will be. Limited accessibility -Too much car
culture/mall plasticity. Obviously you disagree

I was thinking the same thing. Some are "poseurs" and others are not? It's just a matter of taste, just like I could care less about the culture that Haitians, Latins, and gayborhoods bring. Not trying to be rude, but to me, I could care less. Give me the fishing and boating types though!

[KoZmiC NinJa]

Originally Posted by Doctor Octagon

I was thinking the same thing. Some are "poseurs" and others are not? It's just a matter of taste, just like I could care less about the culture that Haitians, Latins, and gayborhoods bring. Not trying to be rude, but to me, I could care less. Give me the fishing and boating types though!

Its all good !

I have to temper my opinion, because Im just not used
having to drive to do lots of stuff. The driving here is
pretty scary and uncivilized. Many people dont think so.
But to people like me, the 45 minutes of treachery to get
somewhere definitely factors into decisions to do stuff and when.
I usually go into Martin to do the stuff I like to do. In all
fairness, though, it is there once I get there
I just miss walking out my front door to get it

[psouth]

I am not saying there isn't any culture. It's just that there is not enough varied culture. There's too much Haitian, Hispanic, and gayborhood type culture while many others are non existent. Where is Chinatown, Little Italy, French section, German section, Russian sections, Palestinian restaurants, Pakistani restaurants (like on Seinfeld), yada yada yada? Big cultural cities like Chicago and NYC and Boston and L.A. have all this and much more. That's all I'm sayin'. Fo' shizzle.