Which city is most struggling to find its identity (1M+ pop) (compare, America)
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Nordstrom and the Nordstrom family certainly have an impact in Seattle. And visitors are apparently half of the customer base of the flagship store. But I suspect it's way down the list if people start throwing out words for the Seattle brand, and many don't know the connection.
People don't know these things. Until HQ2 a lot of people probably thought Amazon was from the San Francisco area.
The TV show? Maybe, but almost anyone who knows anything about that show is an aging population.
JFK? No. That one is specific to Dallas.
State Fair? Sure. The slightly more popular Houston Rodeo is also extremely old school Texan, but I'd say the State Fair "out-Texas" the Houston Rodeo, because the Rodeo also implements local culture. Heck "Houston Rodeo" vs "Texas State Fair" the name shows this. And Austin's SXSW obviously is far less Texan than both.
Neiman Marcus? How is this Texan at all?
Central location? Sure, I'd say this gives it some pointers over why its Texan over Houston. But then again, Austin is seen as even less "Texan" than both Houston and Dallas, yet it's right in the center of the state.
Well rounded economy? No. Texas stereotypes are O&G and cattle.
Houston and Austin have individualized themselves from the state more than Dallas whether on purpose or naturally. Dallas is beginning to individualize itself more, but of these three, if one thinks old school Texan, Dallas comes to mind more than the other two. The things that hold weight in Dallas are just generally more Texan.
For Houston, it's done this for decades with NASA, Texas Medical Center, prominent Hip-hop culture, it's ties to the south, etc.
For Austin, it was quiet and now that it's loud, it's your white liberal capital.
Meanwhile what holds most weight in Dallas pop culture wise with the Cowboys and outsiders often literally think it's cowboyish there and I just laugh at them.
Maybe I misunderstood your post, which I thought was about why Dallas is the first big city that tends to come to mind when people think of Texas.
Not all (or even most) of the reasons why are explicitly "Texan."
Maybe I misunderstood your post, which I thought was about why Dallas is the first big city that tends to come to mind when people think of Texas.
Not all (or even most) of the reasons why are explicitly "Texan."
That response was to Dallas being the city to most showcase Texas identity of all Texas cities. Which is true, even as Dallas is starting to form its own. As you mentioned, Fort Worth is the major city who most has that old School Texan mindset, but it’s name doesn’t hold near enough weight as compared to Houston, Austin, Dallas and even San Antonio. I would like to say the old school Texan identity is going away, but it seems like something always takes Texas back there. The laughing stock of the winter storm and republicans response certainly didn’t help. Whether Houston or Austin is more individualized, that’s for the jury to decide. But what keeps Dallas as the most “Texan†of the majors is pretty obvious to me. The Cowboys, Big Tex, and Austin and Houston identifying with white liberal and prominent Hip Hop culture are the drivers.
Of the points you mentioned, the State Fair and tv show give it a Texas feel. But as mentioned above, the tv show’s audience is extremely aging. Most people my age, below and slightly above May not even know about it let alone know what it’s about. But I’m with you on the State Fair. Despite the Houston Rodeo getting more attendance, they do a better job of mixing in some Houston culture than the State Fair does of mixing in Dallas culture. While SXSW has very little “Texanâ€. But some of the other points neither do anything for popularity nor Texan identity. JFK and Neiman Marcus headquarters... really?
That response was to Dallas being the city to most showcase Texas identity of all Texas cities. Which is true, even as Dallas is starting to form its own.
This is why I rather think Dallas is the answer to this thread: IMO, very little about the city's image is really attributed to the city itself but rather the entire state of Texas. That's no knock, but rather an observation.
Houston and San Antonio definitely have qualities that define them as cities imo, Dallas not so much.
This is why I rather think Dallas is the answer to this thread: IMO, very little about the city's image is really attributed to the city itself but rather the entire state of Texas. That's no knock, but rather an observation.
Houston and San Antonio definitely have qualities that define them as cities imo, Dallas not so much.
Again, this is just my observation.
And it's why I had it tied for second to last.
1. Phoenix
2. Dallas/San Jose
Austin has also showcased its uniqueness since last decade with white liberal culture, ACL, SXSW. Unlike RodeoHouston and the State Fair, SXSW has 0 Texas ties to it.
Despite what you (and I) said, Dallas still has more urban identity san SJ. But the Silicon Valley automatically gives SJ more of an identity despite that.
On the other hand, Phoenix doesn't have much of an identity at all outside of the desert and cacti. And that's why this one was first for me.
Last edited by ParaguaneroSwag; 04-15-2021 at 03:14 PM..
On the other hand, Phoenix doesn't have much of an identity at all outside of the desert and cacti. And that's why this one was first for me.
I don't agree. Phoenix may not have historic urban bones (after all, it was a small town before the advent of air conditioning and in the early days, people weren't moving to Phoenix to live in high rises and ride streetcars) but it definitely as an identity and a unique feel.
I don't agree. Phoenix may not have historic urban bones (after all, it was a small town before the advent of air conditioning and in the early days, people weren't moving to Phoenix to live in high rises and ride streetcars) but it definitely as an identity and a unique feel.
Which is what? It seems everyone is struggling to define it on this thread.
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