Answer to "Why Do You Still Live in Oklahoma?" (Norman: home, neighborhoods)

[Griffis]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

Sorry, but Oklahoma women are pretty hard to get along with. Oklahoma imprisons women at a higher rate than any other state. I wonder why? Well, have you ever tried telling an Oklahoma woman, "no"?

This is an overgeneralization, but I do think a lot of Oklahoma women are really strong and sturdy.

God bless 'em. They are better looking than women from other states, they know how to take care of themselves and their men, and they know when their men need to receive an old-fashioned butt-whippin'.

[flintysooner]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

As far as AA history, few people want to have to arrive to the Tulsa riot, or that the first law Oklahoma passed as a new state was Jim Crow.

Or the Trail of Tears.

Good point, too.

It is interesting to me that at least some Oklahomans - maybe many - are more able to honestly look at and discuss these events. I think partly it has to do with such a strong individualism that is present in Oklahoma and a diminished sense of group affinity. When the founding member of a family came here on a horse by himself as a teenager in late 19th century it does mean something. Is it genetic or cultural or a combination? I don't know but it does have some kind of influence even 100+ years later.

[Goodpasture]

Originally Posted by flintysooner

Is it genetic or cultural or a combination?

Both.

We are descended from risk takers and survivors. Those characteristics are essential to open up new lands. Those characteristics were valued by society, creating the culture that we have now. I would suggest that that is, in part, the basis of my impatience with whiners who bemoan their inability to do something. Okies have a long history of making do and adapting. The inability to make do and adapt generally earns contempt.

[Goodpasture]

I think part of the "cowboy culture" that we have in this state is exemplified by Chris LeDoux's song "Cowboy Up" where he says

You gotta cowboy up
When you get throwed down
Get right back in the saddle
As soon as you hit the ground
You've heard that the tough get goin'
When the goin' gets tough
Around here what we say is
Boy you better cowboy up

Chris LeDoux - Cowboy Up - YouTube

you don't do a "I hate this" or "I hate that".........what a waste of time and emotion. You have to toughen up and take the bad hopin' it gets better. If you have standards, great. Stick by them. Just be aware that you are limiting your options. And if what you are wishing for doesn't appear like you like, tough. cowboy up, partner...........it only gets better when you keep trying.

[the12ronin]

Spoken like a true cowboy.

[flintysooner]

I think another part of the Oklahoma culture is our willingness to forego immediate gratification in order to secure a better outcome not necessarily even for us but our children. My first surname ancestor to arrive in the US indentured himself for 7 years and likely endured the death of his wife and children on the voyage. Some say this is a dead concept but I still see it rather often.

[the12ronin]

Yea, that concept has basically gone the way of the dodo on both coasts I'd say.


Although there's selfless people everywhere. They just betwixt the cracks and crevices of society. At least near the Oceans anyway.

[Atlguy39]

Originally Posted by Griffis

This is an overgeneralization, but I do think a lot of Oklahoma women are really strong and sturdy.

God bless 'em. They are better looking than women from other states, they know how to take care of themselves and their men, and they know when their men need to receive an old-fashioned butt-whippin'.

They know how to take care of themselves? Really? Where are you finding these women? This state is one of the most obese states in the country (I'm not only talking about the women here). There are several in my office that take care of themselves, but they seem to be the exception just from what I see. I'm willing to try a long distance relationship and go to Dallas to find someone if I have to. Everyone's taste is different, but I do not think they're among the better looking women in the country. I've lived in GA and FL and those women are more attractive to me. TX women seem to be as well, but I haven't spent a lot of time there. But it only takes one for me because I don't want to date around. So if and when I find her here, that will make a huge difference.

[the12ronin]

ATLguy, I give you a lot of credit for sticking to your guns and speaking your mind. But especially so because you do it in a respectful manner.


I don't see anything disrespectful or dissentful in the above post. Informative firsthand account actually. He's just stating what he has observed and a statistic along with it.

Now I myself, when I passed through OKC, met a couple of extremely pretty gals, but who knows if that was a fluke or what.

Then again, I'm not an highly sensitive and defensive local either. Now if someone were to start throwin' around Jersey stereotypes at me, then Mister, them's fightin' words! Heh.

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by the12ronin

ATLguy, I give you a lot of credit for sticking to your guns and speaking your mind. But especially so because you do it in a respectful manner.


I don't see anything disrespectful or dissentful in the above post. Informative firsthand account actually. He's just stating what he has observed and a statistic along with it.

Now I myself, when I passed through OKC, met a couple of extremely pretty gals, but who knows if that was a fluke or what.

Then again, I'm not an highly sensitive and defensive local either. Now if someone were to start throwin' around Jersey stereotypes at me, then Mister, them's fightin' words! Heh.

Obesity is a problem in OKC but percentage wise it really isn't that much worse than most other places. It just has that stereotype because every time a ranking of obese cities comes out, OKC is near the top.