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Obviously, I can't speak for others but I know my group of friends and I are here primarily for jobs (This is a good place to be for my industry). I didn't think I would mind it at first, but Texas is definitely not for me. In no particular order, a list of some of the things I don't like about this area:
Super conservatism - I can't count the number of times where someone, out of nowhere, just starts going in on Obama. Its weird; never experienced this so much in the other cities Ive lived and they were all in the south. And Im black, so I probably don't share your apparent outrage at everything Obama does; not sure why some people seem to be filled with so much hate just because they disagree with their philosophies (or at least thats what they will claim). I didn't agree with a lot of Bush policies but I can't say that I hate him; Ive never even met him! lol
Super family-focused - It seems like most people here are either trying to start a family or got married at a very young age. Its so bizarre to me that so many young people are in a rush for added responsibility and potentially missing out on some opportunities that are afforded to young, single professionals.
Super Religious - So many times you are asked "what church do you go to?" and other religious questions at work, which make me a bit uneasy.
Driving - OMG! This has to be some of the worst driving I have ever encountered in my life. I commute back and forth between Dallas and Ft. Worth and I genuinely fear for my well being sometimes. I-30 seems like some sort of obstacle course between all the random trash, never-ending construction, and insane, no-turn-signal- using drivers who like to make last minute lane changes across 3 - 4 lanes.
Racism - So, Im not one to really pull the race card but it was definitely an issue in Ft. Worth. Its one of the main reasons I live in Dallas now. One positive is that I haven't had any issues in Dallas so far and, ironically, I don't really have to dress up to get into places like I did when I was in Ft. Worth.
Scenery - I hate the scenery here! its so blah!
Weather - Absolutely horrible! Its like you get the worst of everything-not only does it get super hot in the summer and cold in the winter (I remember the ice debacle from a couple of years ago), but you have tornadoes and hail for good measure.
Full disclosure: most of this is about Ft. Worth (except for the horrible driving which is rampant across the DFW metro, horrible scenery, and horrible weather).
So, yea, I would definitely rather be in LA, NYC, or CHI. According to friends, I would like these areas a lot better and they are obviously a lot more liberal (even though, I wouldn't classify myself as liberal per se). Many of them are currently trying to get back to the west coast; they say they made a horrible mistake in leaving. Anyway, this all obviously from my perspective and experience but I can easily see why others would bash this place.
We work out our problems. When the drunkards in office scrap trillions of work to line their pockets with millions, we have lots of problems. When the racist out there on the farm is busy, he and she has less time to misbehave.
Why go through all the trouble of moving all the way back to California just so you can be nosey and interfere with our business in Texas? Just mind your own business.
We work out our problems. When the drunkards in office scrap trillions of work to line their pockets with millions, we have lots of problems. When the racist out there on the farm is busy, he and she has less time to misbehave.
Why go through all the trouble of moving all the way back to California just so you can be nosey and interfere with our business in Texas? Just mind your own business.
Good point. I don't know why some people especially from the coasts are so fixated on an area being totally devoid of opinions that are different from their own? Unless you're living in 1960s Birmingham Alabama, the level of racism in any big city is going to be very minimal and down to a few stubborn individuals with emotional problems. I refuse to believe that a city as big as Dallas or even as mid size as Ft Worth has a level of racism that is discomforting enough to want to make someone move. I just don't buy it. I really get tired of the posts where someone asks, "I am a gay African American, atheist Green Party member, will I be OK in Dallas or Houston." I am always shaking my head thinking, are you serious? You'll be fine. I mean how uncomfortable can you be in your own skin if you have to ask that about major Texas cities in 2016?
A lot of the disdain is due to the media narratives about Texas and the slightest thing that triggers a transplant just seems to confirm the bias they came with. Things that they'd also deal with in California or the East Coast are elevated to 11 in Texas.
Unless you're living in 1960s Birmingham Alabama, the level of racism in any big city is going to be very minimal and down to a few stubborn individuals with emotional problems. I refuse to believe that a city as big as Dallas or even as mid size as Ft Worth has a level of racism that is discomforting enough to want to make someone move. I just don't buy it. I really get tired of the posts where someone asks, "I am a gay African American, atheist Green Party member, will I be OK in Dallas or Houston." I am always shaking my head thinking, are you serious? You'll be fine. I mean how uncomfortable can you be in your own skin if you have to ask that about major Texas cities in 2016?
Shrug, you can refuse to believe it all you want, but racism is still alive and well, even in big cities.
I do think the Dallas area and surrounding suburbs are better than most, simply because we have a very large percentage of Hispanic, Indian, Asian, and Black people here now. All together, they're basically half the demographics in some areas, and about a third in affluent areas like Collin county.
Ft Worth however... I can easily believe that racism is encountered more frequently there. I'm a white guy, and when I used to work in that area, the number of times that off-color or racist jokes were made was pretty high. It's not nearly as integrated as Dallas is, a lot of people out there are still holding on to redneck values and want the south to rise again.
Try not to discount something just because you have no experience with it.
Shrug, you can refuse to believe it all you want, but racism is still alive and well, even in big cities.
I do think the Dallas area and surrounding suburbs are better than most, simply because we have a very large percentage of Hispanic, Indian, Asian, and Black people here now. All together, they're basically half the demographics in some areas, and about a third in affluent areas like Collin county.
Ft Worth however... I can easily believe that racism is encountered more frequently there. I'm a white guy, and when I used to work in that area, the number of times that off-color or racist jokes were made was pretty high. It's not nearly as integrated as Dallas is, a lot of people out there are still holding on to redneck values and want the south to rise again.
Try not to discount something just because you have no experience with it.
I'm half Greek and half bohemian Czech. I'm a white guy but on the darker side sort of like John Stamos. People confuse me for being Italian or Hispanic all the time. I'm discounting that racism exists but that a whole pervasive culture of racism that existed in the Jim Crow south is gone. All that's left are off color jokes and slurs said by ignorant people who aren't even in the majority. Texas cities are very diverse and you'd find the same amount of jerks in those cities as you would any other. That's my point. That there's nothing uniquely "racist" about Texas towns. My other point is that you're going to be moving from place to place trying to find true paradise because all cities are essentially the same these days. Dirty secret I've discovered about Southern California is how many hate groups are based here and I've seen similar off beat remarks regarding race and class (elitism) in the beach cities. That is truth not only about cities in America but a sad and gross fact about human nature.
I have a theory. Dallas has traditionally built developments around anchors of retail. Such a philosophy has created a situation of horizontal prime real estate. In other words, in Houston where the focus is placed upon tall skyscrapers as the anchor, the prime areas are fewer and, well, vertical.
Dallas has constructed a single skyscraper of over forty stories in the last thirty years. Oddly, that skyscraper, the museum tower, hasn't been doing so well. Dallas just isn't a tall city. That was never the city's focus. Dallas has always been about competitive rertail and the building of monuments to it. The areas around its numerous legacy shopping centers then become prime.
Pretty women tend to gravitate to these prime areas. They then reproduce and give birth to lots of other pretty women. It becomes Paris all over again.
I'm half Greek and half bohemian Czech. I'm a white guy but on the darker side sort of like John Stamos. People confuse me for being Italian or Hispanic all the time. I'm discounting that racism exists but that a whole pervasive culture of racism that existed in the Jim Crow south is gone. All that's left are off color jokes and slurs said by ignorant people who aren't even in the majority. Texas cities are very diverse and you'd find the same amount of jerks in those cities as you would any other. That's my point. That there's nothing uniquely "racist" about Texas towns. My other point is that you're going to be moving from place to place trying to find true paradise because all cities are essentially the same these days. Dirty secret I've discovered about Southern California is how many hate groups are based here and I've seen similar off beat remarks regarding race and class (elitism) in the beach cities. That is truth not only about cities in America but a sad and gross fact about human nature.
Racism will never be substantiated on the scientific level. Allow me to explain. If everyone continues living in temporate zones, evolution over time will create a white or yellowish skin. This is a scientific fact. It has nothing to do with the dominant gene. That aspect is only half of the process. Another determining factor is level of sunlight pertaining to vitamin D intake, diseases spread by mosquitos, and that kind of thing.
In other words, getting zapped and eliminated by radiation and diseases is another important part of the reproductive process. People living either at the equator or close to the north and south poles develop darker skin over time for this reason. One can argue that people living in such harsh environments are just darker white or yellow people.
(Give me a break. People in China don't have yellow skin just like Anglos don't have white skin. That just had to be established politically in order to stir up controversy)
I for one cannot use racism as an excuse for my disadvantaged condition. As an Anglo, my conscience won't allow it. I once tried accusing an Hispanic of behaving racist and all the while my conscience was shouting at me telling me to shut up. I just don't think racism has ever been part of Anglo culture. It is sink or swim. We are taught that someone somewhere has to stand responsible.
Making our ancestors prior plight an excuse for our poor condition today puts parents of such a belief system at a disadvantage when raising children. How can we expect children to be behlden to our authority when we are always complaining about slavery? And the plight of slavery has always been a human condition and not just a black thing.
Last edited by Yellow pool of piddle; 10-07-2016 at 01:19 PM..
I have a theory. Dallas has traditionally built developments around anchors of retail. Such a philosophy has created a situation of horizontal prime real estate. In other words, in Houston where the focus is placed upon tall skyscrapers as the anchor, the prime areas are fewer and, well, vertical.
Dallas has constructed a single skyscraper of over forty stories in the last thirty years. Oddly, that skyscraper, the museum tower, hasn't been doing so well. Dallas just isn't a tall city. That was never the city's focus. Dallas has always been about competitive rertail and the building of monuments to it. The areas around its numerous legacy shopping centers then become prime.
Pretty women tend to gravitate to these prime areas. They then reproduce and give birth to lots of other pretty women. It becomes Paris all over again.
And THAT is why the whole world hates Dallas.
*Yawn*
There's more to a city than just retail. Why is Deep Ellum revitalizing? Why is there development around Klyde Warren Park and the Katy Trail?
Also, I don't think the whole world hates Dallas. Many people throughout the country don't know too much about the "real" personality of the city other than outdated stereotypes.
There's more to a city than just retail. Why is Deep Ellum revitalizing? Why is there development around Klyde Warren Park and the Katy Trail?
Also, I don't think the whole world hates Dallas. Many people throughout the country don't know too much about the "real" personality of the city other than outdated stereotypes.
Yeah, yeah, the typical list of complaints again by disillusioned transplants. There's always a tinge of moral superiority I sense in those posts because they feel as though they need to even out the perceived Texas pride with harsh criticism of the culture. It's always filled with personal insecurities and disdain for the people and culture too.
Also how can one not know about the weather and terrain before moving? You think I wouldn't know about California being hilly and sunny before moving? Most of the time I gather that people who write stuff like the post above are hard to please and are incapable of finding peace anywhere. How can one not find their niche in a big city? Why do they need a city like NYC or LA to define their happiness? I just think that these types of transplants are wandering souls who hear about the next city that's hot and move there in the hopes that it's heaven on earth and the minute they're disappointed, they want to move on and blame the area for not fitting their standards. I could understand if it was about the lack of job opportunities, COL, being far from family something practical but it's usually always these highly personal overly emotional things and disdain for the Texas people/culture. That and the scenery. Always with the scenery.
I'm glad though that many aren't moping around complaining to others and have decided to move on and the media hype about Texas is over so it will slow down the influx of more people who will just be disillusioned anyways.
Disillusioned transplant? LOL, oh ok... and moral superiority? Well, someone is being super defensive. I simply listed some things that I haven't enjoyed since Ive been here in my response to the OP; nothing more, nothing less. If you feel that your "Texas pride" is at stake at here please don't; I just don't think this place is for me and what I value in life. And yea, I heard about many of the things about Texas but hearing about it is different then actually living it... didn't realize that I would care about some of this stuff, but yea, it turns out I do. I like the feeling of energy I get out of big cities, decent public transportation, and more varied events that appeal to my tastes.
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