Does Austin subscribe to groupthink? (Melissa: real estate, home, pros and cons)

[lemonlime22]

One thing I have always noticed about Austin (and Texas actually), is that you CANNOT be the least bit critical of it--or you will be pounced on by people who seem to take your observations personally and get testy.

Any grumble (or slightly less than glowing observation) about the city seems to me met with someone asking you defensively why you're still here or saying that you have mental issues, and you would have them no matter where you lived.

Must everyone who lives here feel exactly the same about it? How interesting is that?!

I've always wondered if this esteemed view of Austin is actually an inferiority complex in disguise? Is this just Austin, or are other cities like this?

Curious...

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by lemonlime22

One thing I have always noticed about Austin (and Texas actually), is that you CANNOT be the least bit critical of it--or you will be pounced on by people who seem to take your observations personally and get testy.

Any grumble (or slightly less than glowing observation) about the city seems to me met with someone asking you defensively why you're still here or saying that you have mental issues, and you would have them no matter where you lived.

Must everyone who lives here feel exactly the same about it? How interesting is that?!

I've always wondered if this esteemed view of Austin is actually an inferiority complex in disguise? Is this just Austin, or are other cities like this?

Curious...

I like austin, but it is just a place to live. I would much rather live in the bay area and am working towards that. I like austin more than the other places Ive lived by a lot and even if I stayed here forever I would be ok. A home is more about the people you know than the stuff to do.

I havent found that I cant complain to people about austin except on this messageboard

[thesonofgray]

Originally Posted by lemonlime22

One thing I have always noticed about Austin (and Texas actually), is that you CANNOT be the least bit critical of it--or you will be pounced on by people who seem to take your observations personally and get testy.

Any grumble (or slightly less than glowing observation) about the city seems to me met with someone asking you defensively why you're still here or saying that you have mental issues, and you would have them no matter where you lived.

Must everyone who lives here feel exactly the same about it? How interesting is that?!

I've always wondered if this esteemed view of Austin is actually an inferiority complex in disguise? Is this just Austin, or are other cities like this?

Curious...

Are you talking about people that simply live in Texas/Austin, or people that frequent these boards? There's a big difference.

If it's the former, I don't know what you're talking about. I have casual conversations with friends and acquaintances involving some complaint about something, and the response is often "well this is Texas."

If it's the latter, then you need to get off the internet and socialize with people in person. As much as I enjoy the City-Data forums, they don't exactly reflect a good representation of reality. Also, keep in mind that these boards serve a business function for many in the real estate industry, so there is an incentive to emphasize the positives of living in Texas/Austin.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by thesonofgray

Also, keep in mind that these boards serve a business function for many in the real estate industry, so there is an incentive to emphasize the positives of living in Texas/Austin.

A wiser sentence has never been typed on here..you just answered any question about this, or per what CD is all about, with one sentence...answers essentially ALL questions on here....

[lemonlime22]

Originally Posted by inthecut

A wiser sentence has never been typed on here..you just answered any question about this, or per what CD is all about, with one sentence...answers essentially ALL questions on here....

I honestly never thought of that...just seems odd that the same people who complain about the overpopulation/influx of *others* are the same who won't allow anyone to say that they don't like it, for any reason.

If people reading here come and are less than thrilled--who can blame them? Most of what they read is about how Austin is on "top ten" lists.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by lemonlime22

One thing I have always noticed about Austin (and Texas actually), is that you CANNOT be the least bit critical of it--or you will be pounced on by people who seem to take your observations personally and get testy.

Any grumble (or slightly less than glowing observation) about the city seems to me met with someone asking you defensively why you're still here or saying that you have mental issues, and you would have them no matter where you lived.

Must everyone who lives here feel exactly the same about it? How interesting is that?!

I've always wondered if this esteemed view of Austin is actually an inferiority complex in disguise? Is this just Austin, or are other cities like this?

Curious...

I somewhat disagree with your assessment. When people complain about Austin on this board, you will OCCASIONALLY have some poster take it personally, or question your personality/mental health/personality issues but mostly I see people write things like, "it's not for everyone" or something to that effect. Now on the Seattle board, if you mention the gray is too much or the people are somewhat standoffish, a good fifty percent of the posters get down right NASTY. By comparison, this board seems really tame.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by lemonlime22

I honestly never thought of that...just seems odd that the same people who complain about the overpopulation/influx of *others* are the same who won't allow anyone to say that they don't like it, for any reason.

If people reading here come and are less than thrilled--who can blame them? Most of what they read is about how Austin is on "top ten" lists.

People are intellectually inconsistent -who would of thunk it?

[Melissa78703]

Austin has both pros and cons. Your satisfaction with it will vary depending on your reason for living here in the first place. I probably would have said that Austin was the be-all, end-all 20 years ago, because it was the type of city I wanted to spend the rest of my life in. Now it's no longer that type of city. It still has its good points to my mind, IMHO, but they're becoming fewer and fewer, and it's far less unique than it used to be. If Berkeley (or even Venice Beach) weren't in CA (of the horrendous economy), I'd choose to move to one of those places, as they remind me more of the Austin I knew as a child.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by Melissa78703

Austin has both pros and cons. Your satisfaction with it will vary depending on your reason for living here in the first place. I probably would have said that Austin was the be-all, end-all 20 years ago, because it was the type of city I wanted to spend the rest of my life in. Now it's no longer that type of city. It still has its good points to my mind, IMHO, but they're becoming fewer and fewer, and it's far less unique than it used to be. If Berkeley (or even Venice Beach) weren't in CA (of the horrendous economy), I'd choose to move to one of those places, as they remind me more of the Austin I knew as a child.

I just think at a certain point Austin wanted to be LA..funny, that you mention LA is actually more like the old Austin in VB....LA still has more characters per capita than even Chicago or NYC....the Bay Area near SF would be a close second....

I lived in Alaska, and that beats all of the above, but its off the gridwork, so doesn't count! You want REAL weird? not play weird, arty weird, or keep Austin weird, I mean REAL LIFE weird? Go to Alaska for a year!

[texastrigirl]

LL22 - it's called Texas Pride!!!