So, Texas.

[DarthSka]

Just like you said, the stereotypes are the ones that get the attention. And sadly, they'll shape people's opinions.

People generalise. I know it's not always pleasant, but it's kind of what we do. I'm not sure I'd be happier living in a world where people had to make a qualifying statement for every controversial comment they made, along the lines of "Of course, I know not everyone who lives there/believes this/is a fan of this is like that". It would get old.

If it makes you feel any better, I'd generalise Mississippi long before I'd generalise Texas.

Damn it, now I'm going to have to start a thread on how not all of us from Mississippi are like the ones portrayed by the media or news.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

I've lived in Texas for quite some time and I'll say that the stereotypes are only sometimes accurate. I grew up in the panhandle of the state and suffice it to say that when you think of Texas, that's probably the sort of place you imagine. It's generally comprised of small towns (Save for Amarillo and Lubbock, each of which is home to about 200,000 people) and is largely concerned with agriculture or fossil fuel. It is home to towns like Hereford where there are far more cattle than people and one does not need to look far to find a person who owns horses, or wears boots and a cowboy hat or owns an F-150. This is also the most staunchly conservative region of the state and is generally home to those who are likely to say the sort of things you roll your eyes about.

The western part of the state is largely concerned with the exploitation of various fossil fuels and many of the towns present are built on oil (Midland and Odessa for example). Because of self interest, many of the various anti-environmentalist claims attributed to the state are born here. This region is generally conservative in part because the labor jobs are skilled and largely populated by English speakers thus barring most immigrants from working them.

Eastern Texas (known as north Texas even though the panhandle extends several hundred miles further north) is home to one of the largest cities in the world - the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex (home to more than 8 million). Beyond the obvious ties to technology (Texas Instruments is based here, 3D Realms once called the place home and Id Software is based in one of the suburbs), the region is also home to vast natural gas reserves. This region is still generally conservative but is tempered by a massive immigrant population (both foreign and simply out of state). It is still possible to find people who own horses (because they are extortionately wealthy) or who wear cowboy boots or drive a truck as a fashion statement but it is no longer common.

Hill country is where things start to defy expectations. This region is home to an eclectic mix of people though German, Mexican and "Texan" are dominant. This region is home to San Antonio (site of the Alamo and home to 1.5 million people) Austin (The capital of the state, my current home and site of the University of Texas - also notable music destination thanks to the annual ACL festival and dozens of venues), and dozens of small wineries (some of them are very good). This region generally leans liberal with Austin strangely being the furthest left (on average). It is also home to a notable tech industry. Bioware maintained a large office in Austin until recent layoffs and Twisted Pixel (among other indie developers) calls Austin home. Dell computers is headquartered in Round Rock - a suburb to the north of Austin.

The coastal region (including Houston) is one that I sadly know little about having only visited once for a Renissance Fair. Strangely, Houston is host to one of the largest festivals of it's kind.

I suppose my point is simply that the state is certainly populated by people who meet the definition and those who might not explicitly meet it but are close enough for politicians and other talking heads to pander. But considering the state is home to more than 25 million people, it is safe to say that most are not what you imagine. Hell, the vast majority of the people in the state live in regions where extreme silliness gets the same eye-roll it does elsewhere.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

- There are a LOT of trucks in Texas.

The truck is simply a status symbol in place of the SUV. That many have a practical purpose for the vehicle helps.

- There are a lot of hunters in Texas. Plenty of deer and hogs to hunt, and plenty of open space to go hunting in.

I own a gun. Hell, I won several. A Sig Sauer SP2022 (used for amusement and IDPA matches), a Glock 30 (which I carry) a Sig Sauer Mosquito (My fiance wanted to accompany me to the range and this was the only gun we found in the initial search that met her ergonomic preference) and a Bursa Thunder (purchased because I love the Walther PPK but not the $600 price tag - this is my carry weapon if my garb will not allow the significantly larger Glock 30).

I do not hunt in spite of great abundance of opportunity. I find the notion incredibly tedious. I do shoot relationally but that is a tertiary hobby to video games and books and I often justify it as I want to maintain proficiency since I choose to carry a weapon.

- There IS a Texas accent, but it actually isn't as common as other local accents are in other parts of the country.

It's also very regional. The panhandle and west Texas often have strong accents. I grew up in the panhandle and yet most people think I'm from the midwest based on my accent. I do betray my upbringing with various phrases. I'll often accidentally use the word "y'all" for example.

- Square dancing is far more popular in Texas than it is in other places. People wear cowboy hats and boots to them. So yea.

I've never known anyone my age who square dances (I'm 28). I've known people who's parents participated.

- Texas not only has barbecue, but it's the best barbecue you'll ever find in the entire country. North Carolina? Fuck that slop. Prove me wrong, bitches!

I find I like different styles for different meats. Texas style brisket is the only correct version as far as I'm concerned but when it comes to pulled pork, I favor the Carolina style and when it comes to Ribs I favor Memphis.

NEVER.

EVER.

EVER.

Put beans in chili! If I'm eating your chili and I find so much as half a legume in there, a foul curse on your pathetic souls to be damned to the most severe levels of hell for all time! NO BEANS IN CHILI!!!! NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

It is perfectly acceptable to add beans to chilli. It just isn't chilli anymore. My fiance disagrees and every time I make chilli I have to explain at length that chilli does not contain beans as the dish is known in full as "chilli con carne" or "chilli with meat". The title is more or less an inclusive list of ingredients (though cumin is a necessary spice as is salt. Onions are optional).

 

[Dangit2019]

Let me tell you now that I've never met anyone in Texas even close to those representations in my life. The closest I've gotten to one of those stereotypes is the month I tried wearing cowboy boots (that got a bit uncomfortable).

Can I ask if you've ever worked as a cashier? I realize it seems like a weird question, but I promise I am going somewhere with this.

See, I'm one of your neighbors to the north, from Oklahoma, and we've got pretty much the exact same reputation. For the longest time I felt the same way you do. I grew up in a college town, and knew lots of intelligent people. I just kind of felt like everyone was wrong about Oklahoma, or at least Stillwater (the town of my residence).

And then something happened. I took up employment as a cashier at a large grocery store (whose name I hesitate to mention because they'll hunt me down and fire me, but it's probably your first guess). I had culture shock in the town I had lived in my entire life. 75% of the people I deal with in my job are so mind numbingly stupid it's not even funny. I'm talking people so trashy that when they leave my register I sneak a bit of the hand sanitizer I keep near by because I touched something that they touched. Sometimes just because they were inhabiting the same air I was. When they look at you, there's this dull look in their eyes that says "I like watching cars go fast." There is no spark of real curiosity about or interest in the world. They just want a beer and a girl who's still got at least half her teeth left despite the meth addiction. They don't understand that there's something weird going on... that they should pay attention....

... I think I'm ranting here.

The point is it's not like they magically showed up the day I took up employment. These people were always there, the thing was that I never had to interact with them, and thusly did not notice them. So my question here is, is it possible that the stereotypically horrible people actually are there, but you've just never had to run in the same circles as them and as a result do not notice them?

I think those people will always be there for someone working retail no matter where you go...

 

[Dangit2019]

The coastal region (including Houston) is one that I sadly know little about having only visited once for a Renissance Fair. Strangely, Houston is host to one of the largest festivals of it's kind.

Oh yeah, I've been there many times. They have the greatest turkey legs. Also, I saw them selling Ocarinas that were painted like the Ocarina of Time, which was pretty awesome.

 

[Lionsfan]

It's pretty hard to believe it's just a vocal minority when your state does something like, say, elect a governor like Rick Perry. Sure I won't blame every individual in the state, but when your elected officials look bad I'm not going to believe it's just a vocal minority.

Because no other state in the US has elected a bad governor right? It's just Texas amirite?

Is it particularly hard to see that I was using him as an example? It's not like he's the only thing up with Texas.

This is a thread about how the perception of Texas isn't reality, and you're using one governorship to say that no, the perception=reality

So where are those people who are giving it a bad name coming from? They're not phantoms. Rick Perry isn't just in our minds. Someone elected him...

And people from California put Arnold Schwarzenegger in office.

Every state has had a bad leader at some point in their history

 

[Lionsfan]

It's pretty hard to believe it's just a vocal minority when your state does something like, say, elect a governor like Rick Perry. Sure I won't blame every individual in the state, but when your elected officials look bad I'm not going to believe it's just a vocal minority.

Because no other state in the US has elected a bad governor right? It's just Texas amirite?

Is it particularly hard to see that I was using him as an example? It's not like he's the only thing up with Texas.

This is a thread about how the perception of Texas isn't reality, and you're using one governorship to say that no, the perception=reality

Is lying a Texan thing? Because I didn't do that. Maybe read both my posts again? Because I just told you that he was merely an example, and not only that I didn't say that it was a reality. I just said it made vocal minority seem unlikely. Are you ready to try reading it again?

Your original post was disqualifying his entire argument, simply for the reason that Rick Perry was elected Governor.

Actually reading it would tell you otherwise: "does something like, say, "

When his post was that, no these stereotypes aren't as widespread as everyone thinks, and your post is against his, and somewhat supporting of those stereotypes, then yeah, you kinda are saying that perception=reality

Is lying something you can't stop doing? He said they were a vocal minority. That's quite a bit more minimizing than simply saying they aren't as widespread.

Less lies more facts please.

Less lies and more facts? Do you not know simple definitions?

Minority: the smaller in number of two groups constituting a whole; specifically : a group having less than the number of votes necessary for control

i.e. not as large of a group, or not as widespread.

When you dismissed his post, you were saying that, "No, they aren't a vocal minority, and here's why [saying they elected Rick Perry]

So yes, while certains Texans may have elected Rick Perry, this does not prove one thing or another, every state has had "those" leaders at one point or another

 

[Kyrian007]

I've been to Texas once. Visited a friend who lived in a predominantly Asian neighborhood in Houston. Perhaps my experience was not typical, but the OP's illustration of the negative stereotype was not the impression about the Texans I met there.

But then again I'm a Kansan, and we don't like them Texas types round here.

 

[Woodsey]

"2. An obese bigot with a Bud light in one hand and copy of UFC magazine in the other."

Pff, Bud light. Are these obese bigots all 12-year-old girls?

 

[Helmholtz Watson]

So can we please, please stop acting like Texas is full of idiots with little to no exception? Please?

Don't take it to heart, people generalize everybody. For example, when I go down south, I get asked if I'm a Yank.....as in the Union. I just laugh that these people still have the mindset of Confederates vs the Union.

Luckily, when I visit Texas I have never encountered such attitudes. However I will say this though, at least in Huston, you guys sound like your from up North and you really don't have much of an accent.

 

[Nantucket_v1legacy]

Hang on...

You're nothing like Dallas? I half expected everybody to either dress either like Bobby or JR Ewing. I truly believed you all worked for Oil Companies and ranches. This disappoints me greatly. I hope you're happy.

 

[Dragon Zero]

The coastal region (including Houston) is one that I sadly know little about having only visited once for a Renissance Fair.

Here in Houston, we also have a large and very diverse population, in my area alone (Technically closer to Cypress but I'll refrain from trying to explain it lest your head explodes) we have a large East Asian, Indian, Pakistani, Eastern European, Mexican, Central/South American, and Arab population. Hell, I think there's at least five Sikh families in and around my neighborhood, (nice folk, actually). Politically we're actually more diverse, like I said we elected an openly gay mayor, and while we still lean right, the left also has a good sized presence.

We've also got our fair share of museums, like the Holocaust Museum, Health Museum, The Jung Center of Houston, and a weather museum to name a few. The Astrodome and other large stadiums are also here. We've got a fair amount of Fairs and festivals, like the aforementioned Renaissance Fair and Houston's Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Coastal Texas also has pretty shitty weather, where if you don't like it you can literally wait 5 minutes or walk down the street to change it in some cases. My old reverend had a bumper sticker that summed it up quite nice, "I know it's hot in Hell, but is it Humid?" I still quite vividly remember Ike when it hit and how the day after it was so humid I literally couldn't breath. Of course Beaumont and it's area got hit the worst, I remember helping out on a Mission Trip for my Church a year after and how it looked as bad as Mississippi did when I went there for a different mission trip to help with the damage from Katrina.

Anyway, I could go on for awhile, but I think I gave a good description. Well A description at least.

 

[Aurora Firestorm]

College Station? Screw that, go to Austin. Hippies, vagrants, openly gay people, anti-gun people, intellectuals, computer specialists, THREE Mosques, Indian/Chinese/Thai/German/Italian/Nigerian/etc restaurants, and on, all over the city. One visit to Austin should be enough to destroy ANYONE?S perception of Texas.

While I have no beef with Texas, you can't judge a state by its big cities. That's like saying all of Georgia should be judged by Atlanta. Hell, Atlanta isn't even *part* of Georgia culture. Half the time it doesn't even have the accent.

Though I will generally agree with everyone here who says that stereotypes are dumb and quit that crap. I love me some Southern food and hospitality, as someone from Nowhere, GA.

 

[tangoprime]

I've bitched about my state so much that it's becoming unhealthy, but this time, it seems I'm defending it. And yes, this forum made me post this.

Yes, we have conservatives in office. Yes, we are a mainly Christian state. No, we are not all absolutely backwards-ass, discrimination-breeding, homophobic, racist, culturally-blind, pants-on-head retards.

Your right technically all people in a state the size of Texas can not be such. But you have to admit the vast majority of your state is exactly that. And if you think otherwise prove to me and everyone else here that Texas has been horribly misrepresented by incorrect stereotypes.

The vast majority of our state voted for a governor who has had our state at the top of, or in 2nd place for the cnbc's best states for business ranking for the last few years? We apologize that we actually enjoy being successful. Seriously though, the backwards, homophobe, non-cultured, retarded stereotype is complete BS and that's apparently to anyone who has actually ever been here.

Be it Dallas/Ft.Worth, Houston, Austin (especially), College Station, or San Antonio, the only indicator you're in Texas would be temperature and the fact that there are people everywhere who seem to have jobs (and, well, maybe the lone stars decorating almost everything). If you were dropped off in southwest Houston or spots up around Richardson/Garland in Dallas, you may not even be able to tell what country you were in, only that you're able to get authentic ethnic food near what appears to be a magical border between southeast Asia and Mexico.

And seriously... anyone who doesn't believe this, go to Austin, just go to Austin. It's like San Francisco, but for people who actually want to keep most of their paycheck. Clean, green, and gorgeous.

 

[Chemical Alia]

I've been living in Plano since coming down from Pennsylvania to go to grad school at SMU a little over four years ago, and ended up working here in Dallas.

There definitely have been some things that surprised me about this part of Texas (my only other experience with the state was living in San Angelo ten years ago when I was in the military). It's a lot more multicultural than I expected (though also way more segregated), and instead of there being tons of rednecks, it's more of the super Jesusy soccer-mom types around here and a bit more upscale.

I have a ton of awesome friends who are from Texas, and while the job market is way better here than where I'm from, this is pretty much the last place on Earth I would want to spend the rest of my life. I literally have to drive hours to see anything resembling nature, and everything around here is just highways, strip malls, and cookie cutter housing developments. I can't sit outside and enjoy the outdoors any time of the year, because if it's not 110 degrees outside, I'm being assaulted by mosquitoes (West Nile capital of the world, lol) and the smell of pollution from all the cars.

Austin and San Antonio were pretty cool, though. Too bad they're also like 5 thousand hours away v:

So yeah, Texas has it's ups and downs, but overall, I think you can keep it.

 

[Lieju]

From what I've heard from people who live in Texas, it's very different depending on where you live; Austin is totally different from the countryside.

Generalising a whole state is obviously inaccurate.

 

[Daveman]

Shush. Everyone knows all stereotypes are true so stop trying to say otherwise.

Typical rednecks... so confrontational...

Now I'm off to drink tea and punch some frenchmen.

 

[Dangit2019]

So can we please, please stop acting like Texas is full of idiots with little to no exception? Please?

Don't take it to heart, people generalize everybody. For example, when I go down south, I get asked if I'm a Yank.....as in the Union. I just laugh that these people still have the mindset of Confederates vs the Union.

Luckily, when I visit Texas I have never encountered such attitudes. However I will say this though, at least in Huston, you guys sound like your from up North and you really don't have much of an accent.

It becomes more apparent in the rural areas.

 

[Helmholtz Watson]

So can we please, please stop acting like Texas is full of idiots with little to no exception? Please?

Don't take it to heart, people generalize everybody. For example, when I go down south, I get asked if I'm a Yank.....as in the Union. I just laugh that these people still have the mindset of Confederates vs the Union.

Luckily, when I visit Texas I have never encountered such attitudes. However I will say this though, at least in Huston, you guys sound like your from up North and you really don't have much of an accent.

It becomes more apparent in the rural areas.

Cool, I can only hope that in those areas you guys sound like your from Tennessee. haha

 

[userwhoquitthesite]

I tried wearing cowboy boots (that got a bit uncomfortable).

You were doing it wrong. Boots are hard to fit properly

stop acting like Texas is full of idiots with little to no exception? Please?

Texas IS full of idiots. It also has REAL people too. Texas actually has sorta heavy gun control laws. We love owning them more than anyone else does.

Whining that no one realizes Texas is the best state in the US (and therefore one of the best places in the world) is pointless. Intelligent people are quiet, stupid people are loud and think we can/will secede. Just be secure in the knowledge that you know better, and also that being Texan makes you better than most people.

Now go get a better pair of boots, and watch Masterpiece Theater