Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Texas suffers from negative stereotypes in regards to LGBT people. People form outside the state view it (outside Austin) is exceptionally unfriendly to the community. Dallas, Plano, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and El Paso at least have high scores from the HRC to show they aren't that way. Houston's equality score is appalling considering how big and diverse we are.
And yes that does affect companies when they are looking for new places. Again as Ive said many times, Toyota would not be in Plano if it were not for the citys ERO.
And for this reason, the faster a new ERO is put on ballot, and passed, the better it would be for perception. Not only is Houston big and diverse, the city often touts those traits heartedly; it won't hold much water if things like an ERO get voted down.
To the extent that Houston has a negative image, there are 2-3 major factors:
1. Everybody knows that it isn't the "energy capital of the world," it's the capital of sludge, e.g. Oil and Gas. The fact that we don't simply own that tells you everything you need to know. It's not an aesthetically (or ethically) appealing industry and it never will be until it diversifies to include wind and solar.
2. The combination of climate and geography. Houston is hot and flat and the nearby ocean area is not very pretty. That makes it unique from even either sunbelt cities like Phoenix, which has mountains and Las Vegas, which has an interesting industry.
3. It's in Texas and that fact alone is going to put some people off. Austin is the only place that is immune to this.
But this whole thing about the "negative media image" is absurd. Houston doesn't have a negative media image at all--its problem is simply that it doesn't have an image to begin with. There is a ton of industry here and there are lots of people here who want to make a profit but the way the city was put together leaves little room for genuine public space and that's what makes a city feel like a city. Then you have to combine this with the fact that there is not an exciting industry or movement associated with this place. You don't drive around Houston just "feeling" the energy like you do in other cities. This is not because we are misrepresented, it is because there is nothing to represent.
But Houstonians ultimately don't care about that stuff. That is stuff that yuppie people from the coasts really care about. This is so silly. Houston is a practical city built on oil/gas, medicine, ports, manufacturing and construction. Why does "image" and all this other stuff matter to y'all so much? It's like a pop culture crazed social media hipster nerd they way some of you guys talk. It's as though a city or state has to be patterned and fashioned after certain tastes and biases or it doesn't fit the mold.
People from the coasts value these intangible things such as vibe, image, feeling, energy, etc. They go to Houston and think "where is it? It needs it." No it doesn't. It needs practical applications to make it a hub for business again and catering to every trendy thing in the media isn't going to save it. It needs to focus on it what it knows, what it's good at and start diversifying there. It doesn't need to be another playground for the Atlantic Monthly dubbed "creative class" who seem to dictate the tastes in the country now. They're the types that think Austin is the best city in the state, when every Texan laughs at that notion knowing Houston and Dallas are the real cities in the State.
But Houstonians ultimately don't care about that stuff. That is stuff that yuppie people from the coasts really care about. This is so silly. Houston is a practical city built on oil/gas, medicine, ports, manufacturing and construction. Why does "image" and all this other stuff matter to y'all so much? It's like a pop culture crazed social media hipster nerd they way some of you guys talk. It's as though a city or state has to be patterned and fashioned after certain tastes and biases or it doesn't fit the mold.
People from the coasts value these intangible things such as vibe, image, feeling, energy, etc. They go to Houston and think "where is it? It needs it." No it doesn't. It needs practical applications to make it a hub for business again and catering to every trendy thing in the media isn't going to save it. It needs to focus on it what it knows, what it's good at and start diversifying there. It doesn't need to be another playground for the Atlantic Monthly dubbed "creative class" who seem to dictate the tastes in the country now. They're the types that think Austin is the best city in the state, when every Texan laughs at that notion knowing Houston and Dallas are the real cities in the State.
I do agree with much of what you wrote. If I couldn't live in DFW or Houston, Id leave Texas in a heartbeat. Probably move to Atlanta or back to LA.
But Houstonians ultimately don't care about that stuff. That is stuff that yuppie people from the coasts really care about. This is so silly. Houston is a practical city built on oil/gas, medicine, ports, manufacturing and construction. Why does "image" and all this other stuff matter to y'all so much? It's like a pop culture crazed social media hipster nerd they way some of you guys talk. It's as though a city or state has to be patterned and fashioned after certain tastes and biases or it doesn't fit the mold.
People from the coasts value these intangible things such as vibe, image, feeling, energy, etc. They go to Houston and think "where is it? It needs it." No it doesn't. It needs practical applications to make it a hub for business again and catering to every trendy thing in the media isn't going to save it. It needs to focus on it what it knows, what it's good at and start diversifying there. It doesn't need to be another playground for the Atlantic Monthly dubbed "creative class" who seem to dictate the tastes in the country now. They're the types that think Austin is the best city in the state, when every Texan laughs at that notion knowing Houston and Dallas are the real cities in the State.
I also agree with much of what you post here. Whenever I read post like the one you replied too, I read between the lines and can't help but to think that much of what's behind the flame is a deep seeded inferiority complex that some people project onto the city in which they live, and end up blaming their surroundings for their unhappiness.
Houston produces more than its share of creative types, however they usually leave Houston at some point and end up on the coasts , or join the creative class in Austin, which basically consist of native Houstonians. We probably should do more to retain some of this native creativity, but I agree with your assertion that economic diversification should begin with the many core competencies that Houston enjoys now, and build from there.
To the extent that Houston has a negative image, there are 2-3 major factors:
1. Everybody knows that it isn't the "energy capital of the world," it's the capital of sludge, e.g. Oil and Gas. The fact that we don't simply own that tells you everything you need to know. It's not an aesthetically (or ethically) appealing industry and it never will be until it diversifies to include wind and solar.
No argument there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jerbear30
2. The combination of climate and geography. Houston is hot and flat and the nearby ocean area is not very pretty. That makes it unique from even either sunbelt cities like Phoenix, which has mountains and Las Vegas, which has an interesting industry.
This factor doesn't stop New Orleans, Charleston, Savannah, etc from having appeal across the US. Dallas isn't any better in this department either. On top of that, there is more than goes into natural beauty than either of those things.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jerbear30
3. It's in Texas and that fact alone is going to put some people off. Austin is the only place that is immune to this.
Just like that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jerbear30
But this whole thing about the "negative media image" is absurd. Houston doesn't have a negative media image at all--its problem is simply that it doesn't have an image to begin with. There is a ton of industry here and there are lots of people here who want to make a profit but the way the city was put together leaves little room for genuine public space and that's what makes a city feel like a city. Then you have to combine this with the fact that there is not an exciting industry or movement associated with this place. You don't drive around Houston just "feeling" the energy like you do in other cities. This is not because we are misrepresented, it is because there is nothing to represent.
There is an image, as well as street-level culture associated with Houston. That just has to come out to the mainstream. Again, the average American might not have an idea of Houston, but they also don't have much clue about Shanghai, Tokyo, Cape Town, etc.
I also agree with much of what you post here. Whenever I read post like the one you replied too, I read between the lines and can't help but to think that much of what's behind the flame is a deep seeded inferiority complex that some people project onto the city in which they live, and end up blaming their surroundings for their unhappiness.
Houston produces more than its share of creative types, however they usually leave Houston at some point and end up on the coasts , or join the creative class in Austin, which basically consist of native Houstonians. We probably should do more to retain some of this native creativity, but I agree with your assertion that economic diversification should begin with the many core competencies that Houston enjoys now, and build from there.
Let's look at this notion of the image problem and where it's coming from. Like I said earlier it stems from this need for Houston to follow the pack and become a creative class city with ample catering to the latest trends. Like you said many Houstonians leave Houston in search of the creative class in cities along the coasts. I am one of them having gone to college in Boston and left to work in LA. I love LA and still have an affinity for the creative hubs but you don't want a city dominated by this supposed class. Rents go sky high and the affluent areas in these cities are terribly snobby, pretentious and overly competitive. Everything is guided by the latest and greatest trend and to continually follow that and keep up appearances to get ahead professionally is exhausting.
I spend most of time in the Valley, I love it and it reminds me of home and has a solid mix of creative types with down home appeal. That is how Houston should stay if it wants to follow any path of creativity.
Besides, Houston has a great arts, theater, opera and music scene (mostly rap). It does things for the sake of it not because of some trendy appeal. Do you know how hard it is to find that genuineness in this trendy a$ $ hispter-ized world? LOL It's a city that hasn't sold out when in order to break in these days the first thing you do is sell out.
Houston would do great just to remain practical and attract people that are "trill" as they say there; True-real.
Houston to me is like that type of creativity that existed in the boomer years. Where it was practical and not done for the fame. People do it for the money, the skill involved and the peer recognition. Like the NASA aeronautical engineers or something. The creative hub cities to me just seem to be doing things for the image, the energy, the vibe, the fame, to be grafted into the zeitgeist. The typical reason why any younger millennial does anything these days; to get notoriety.
Houston to me is like that type of creativity that existed in the boomer years. Where it was practical and not done for the fame. People do it for the money, the skill involved and the peer recognition. Like the NASA aeronautical engineers or something. The creative hub cities to me just seem to be doing things for the image, the energy, the vibe, the fame, to be grafted into the zeitgeist. The typical reason why any younger millennial does anything these days; to get notoriety.
Yes the definition of creativity has been stretched to its limits in the electronic media by the You Tube aristocrats, don't you think ?
I believe Houston will have to diversify organically from within, for the most part, but we are capable of attracting some economic diversity externally if we make simple adjustments and believe we can
But Houstonians ultimately don't care about that stuff. That is stuff that yuppie people from the coasts really care about. This is so silly. Houston is a practical city built on oil/gas, medicine, ports, manufacturing and construction. Why does "image" and all this other stuff matter to y'all so much? It's like a pop culture crazed social media hipster nerd they way some of you guys talk. It's as though a city or state has to be patterned and fashioned after certain tastes and biases or it doesn't fit the mold.
People from the coasts value these intangible things such as vibe, image, feeling, energy, etc. They go to Houston and think "where is it? It needs it." No it doesn't. It needs practical applications to make it a hub for business again and catering to every trendy thing in the media isn't going to save it. It needs to focus on it what it knows, what it's good at and start diversifying there. It doesn't need to be another playground for the Atlantic Monthly dubbed "creative class" who seem to dictate the tastes in the country now. They're the types that think Austin is the best city in the state, when every Texan laughs at that notion knowing Houston and Dallas are the real cities in the State.
Yes it all comes down to not caring what others think. At the same time, the apathy can't extend towards needs regarding infrastructure, or QOL. A balance between the two is needed.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
