Texas mentality vs South mentality (buying, rated, metro)
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Bigger cities, more diversity (race, culture, religion, etc), larger population, economy (no other city in the south comes close), world recognition, and more.
One thing though; when did I say Texas was more liberal??? Progressiveness =/= liberal in my eyes.
I get it. So Texas is more progressive than the south, according to jluke's personal definition of the word "progressive."
It would be less confusing if instead you just stated, "Texas is more preferable to jluke."
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Texas does indeed seem apart from the rest. It's as diverse as the South itself, from the Hispanic south, to the Western west, southern East and vaguely Midwestern panhandle.
I've never been but yes, their attitude seems more entreprenueral (perhaps being more ranchers/cowboys than plantation farmers), and progressive.
I get it. So Texas is more progressive than the south, according to jluke's personal definition of the word "progressive."
It would be less confusing if instead you just stated, "Texas is more preferable to jluke."
Progressive-
favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, esp. in political matters: a progressive mayor.
Dallas, Houston, Austin, and and the McAllen area (more recently) have been changing at a rate than can only be rivaled by Atlanta in the the South. It seems as though Texas is in a constant state of change for as long as I can remeber, and although it does hold on to some of its traditional values and culture, the state has very well adapted to its ever changing demographics, economy, and population influx. Except for maybe Southern Florida (which might be a stretch but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt), you can find more diversity in the major cultural influences of Texas than any other state in the South. You can find it in our food, our people, our music, and our economy.
I see what you are saying, but just wanted to make few additional notations that you might agree with. Some of this was alluded to in an earlier post referring to the tendency of people to make comparissons of "Southerness" from east to west. In this case though, it is modified to note a related tendency to "define the South" by the yardstick of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
Backtracking a bit, I can even understand this to a goodly extent. Hollywood movies such as Gone With The Wind have a lot to do with it, and those states embrace and advertise their "Southern identity" in a way one can't fail to miss it! LOL (And BTW -- I don't mean this in a critical note. Not at all, my family roots are deep in MS and AL and I proud of that. If I ever had to leave Texas, one of them is probably where I would go).
But back to the point, certainly, for many reasons, folks in West Texas (and Texas in general, with the exception of East Texas) are going to be different from people in Alabama. But the South has never been a monolithic region. People in the Mountain South are going to differ considerably from those in the lowland areas of the Deep South. And those in the "western South" (i.e. most of Texas and goodly parts of Oklahoma, and possibly some of western Arkansas) are going to differ from both. What bond them all together though are commonalities of a shared history, speech, and other cultural considerations that make them much more similar to one another than they are to the Northeast, Midwest or Far West.
Here is an excerpt from a "review" concerning the Encyclopedia of Southern Culture which kinda sums all of that up pretty well, I thought:
[I "The American South is a geographical entity, a historical fact, a place in the imagination, and the homeland of an array of Americans who consider themselves Southerners. The region is often shrouded in romance and myth, but its realities are as intriguing, as intricate, as its legends...
There are many Souths, many southerners. The region's fundamental uniqueness, in fact, lies in its peculiar combination of cultural traits, a somewhat curious, often elusive blend created by blacks and whites who have lived together for more than 300 years. In telling their stories, the Encyclopedia of Southern Culture ranges from grand historical themes to the whimsical; from the arts and high culture (William Faulkner and Leontyne Price) to folk culture (quilts, banjos, and grits) to popular culture (Gilley's and Gone With the Wind)...
The Encyclopedia's definition of the South is a cultural one: the South is found wherever southern culture is found.
Although the focus is on the eleven states of the former Confederacy, this volume also encompasses southern outposts in midwestern and middle-Atlantic border states, even the southern pockets of Chicago, Detroit, and Bakersfield..." [/i]
Many of the reasons I've seen you give for West Texas being attributed to the South (such as religion or political views) can really describe rural and small town American culture than just the South.
I can understand where you are coming form though. From what you have said, it seems like you have had more experience with influences of Southern culture in the Texas and have also had a great deal of experience with other states in the South. So it would make sense that the first cultural influence you notice anywhere in Texas is related to the South.
As for me, I have also had a great deal of exposure to the Southern influence in Texas, but I think I have been even more exposed to the Western and Mexican influence in Texas than Southern. So that's why I don't normally think of Texas cities' relevance to the South when analyzing the cultural influences of different regions in Texas.
I would say neither one of us is "wrong" about Texas culture, we've just have had different experiences in one of the most culturally diverse states in the country.
favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, esp. in political matters: a progressive mayor.
Dallas, Houston, Austin, and and the McAllen area (more recently) have been changing at a rate than can only be rivaled by Atlanta in the the South. It seems as though Texas is in a constant state of change for as long as I can remeber, and although it does hold on to some of its traditional values and culture, the state has very well adapted to its ever changing demographics, economy, and population influx. Except for maybe Southern Florida (which might be a stretch but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt), you can find more diversity in the major cultural influences of Texas than any other state in the South. You can find it in our food, our people, our music, and our economy.
Raleigh, Charleston, Greenville, Columbia, Atlanta, Huntsville, Richmond, Greensboro, Charlotte, Wilmington, Jacksonville, Nashville, Chattanooga and Birmingham have been changing at a rate that is rivaled only by Austin, in Texas. It seems as though the south is in a constant state of change for as long as I can remember. You can find more diversity in the major cultural influences of the south than Texas. You can find it in our food, our people, our music, and our economy.
Raleigh, Charleston, Greenville, Columbia, Atlanta, Huntsville, Richmond, Greensboro, Charlotte, Wilmington, Jacksonville, Nashville, Chattanooga and Birmingham have been changing at a rate that is rivaled only by Austin, in Texas. It seems as though the south is in a constant state of change for as long as I can remember. You can find more diversity in the major cultural influences of the south than Texas. You can find it in our food, our people, our music, and our economy.
I completely disagree with that. I was comparing Texas to individual states on the entire region. And it may not make the national spot light, Houston and Dallas have gone through some MAJOR changes in the past 20 years. Much more so than any individual city in the Carolinas. And besides, I've only noticed the Carolina cities rise in population and economy. I haven't heard any thing about any of those cities changing form a mid size college town to arguably one of the to ten most influential cultural cities in the country in a span of about 25 years. That's what happened in Austin. Again, in today's terms, Atlanta is the only other city in the South that can make that claim.
I completely disagree with that. I was comparing Texas to individual states on the entire region. And it may not make the national spot light, Houston and Dallas have gone through some MAJOR changes in the past 20 years. Much more so than any individual city in the Carolinas. And besides, I've only noticed the Carolina cities rise in population and economy. I haven't heard any thing about any of those cities changing form a mid size college town to arguably one of the to ten most influential cultural cities in the country in a span of about 25 years. That's what happened in Austin. Again, in today's terms, Atlanta is the only other city in the South that can make that claim.
So what you're saying is, because you are ignorant about the south and "Didn't notice" the growth of southeastern cities, therefore Texas has "progressed" faster in the past 20 years.
So what you're saying is, because you are ignorant about the south and "Didn't notice" the growth of southeastern cities, therefore Texas has "progressed" faster in the past 20 years.
Um no. I said Atlanta is the only city in the South that can lay claim same level of progress and change as to what has happened in Austin over the past 20 years. I was trying to be open minded and give a chance to defend the cities in the Carolinas but instead you chose to insult me. Houston and Dallas have DRASTICALLY diversified their economy while adding over a million people to their metros each decade over the past 30 years. This is because the Texas after the oil buts in the 80's, decided they they need an economy much more diverse than just energy and live stalk or else this would happen again. That is VERY progressive.
Before you bring it up, I am very aware of the growth and in the cities and the state in North Carolina, but over all, the numbers don't compare to Texas.
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