So, Texas.

[mysecondlife]

Most Texans that live in California whine about how much he/she (people I came across are mostly she) misses Texas.

They also turn out to be biggest douche I've ever met.

I don't think Texans are idiots. Just unlikeable. But its something I look forward for it to be wronged.

 

[Nuke_em_05]

You think Texas to the rest of the U.S. is bad? Try U.S. to the rest of the world.

It's simple; bad news spreads fast. People want to hear the bad, and they filter out the good, if the good even makes it far enough to be heard.

People need something to compare themselves too even if it is a fabrication. In the thread you mention, everyone was quick to say "Har har, Texas people are so backwards and dumb"; and began the circle-jerk patting each other on the back about how "enlightened and progressive" they all are.

Look at the story more objectively, and it looks a lot like a teacher in a cut program creating a scandal to save the program. Cosmetology programs are notoriously expensive with limited interest. Budgets are tighter than ever all over. It's likely that "budget reasons" is legitimate, but this teacher fabricated a story about "anti-gay" because she knew the public would eat it up.

We'll never know, because everyone was so quick to do exactly that; assume Texas is backwards and congratulate themselves on being so "forwards". If something comes up later clarifying that the allegations were false, no one's going to give a crap.

So, get used to it, buddy. That's what people are looking for in stories from Texas, so that's all that they're going to see. If any "good" major news comes from Texas, they will play it up as "surprising".

Just how it goes.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

How do you live in Bryan/College Station and not see the guys in cowboy hats and F150s? Every time I'm there I see them all over. Look no further than the Corps, or the labs. Guys are everywhere. They're proud of it, too! It's not like they hide or anything.

But yes, Texas is a wonderful place, with a myriad of peoples and cultures across the state. But it's a divided state--Our rural areas tend to be more conservative, and our cities tend to be more liberal, but our population is large enough that it's actually about even. Our state government is a farce, since it's best use is in civil construction and policing, and most other areas are woefully inadequate.

 

[Kpt._Rob]

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...

It wasn't just horrible customers though. They are specifically the people one stereotypically associates with Oklahoma. They make up the majority of my customers, and I didn't even realize there were so damn many of them until I started working retail.

I'm not trying to say that everyone in Texas or Oklahoma conforms to the stereotype... I'm asking if you've considered whether the stereotype might actually describe the larger portion of your fellow Texans (as I found here in Oklahoma), and you just didn't realize it because as someone who doesn't conform to the stereotype you never end up associating with such individuals, so they don't stick out in your mind. I'm saying that your psychology could be such that a large portion of the people around you might be invisible for all intents and purposes. The notion wouldn't be without parallels in the study of perception.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

Being from Quebec, I can't judge Texans any more than I can judge Albertans. Does it mean I try and rein in the occasional stereotyped comment? Not necessarily. I'm human, and humans have been known to say stupid shit from time to time.

In Quebec, such a case of Stupid Shit involves saying that first-generation Chinese immigrants and anglophones can't drive for shit. Stupid Shit can also include considering Ontario natives to be a bunch of squares, anyone from the Prairies as being braindead, God-fearing and gun-toting Conservatives, and folks from British Columbia from being artsy-fartsy types.

Being Canadian, I can't go a day without hearing Stupid Shit about America, too. I mean, OBVIOUSLY, all Americans are fat and ugly and dress in stars and stripes because FUCK YEAH, right? Of course not. I keep hearing that at least once a week, though. There's Anglos, if you're from Quebec, and then there's worse than any Anglo or immigrant. There's Americans.

The reality of it is that I have friends in Texas, and family in New Hampshire. Considering that, all of the above is the sort of stuff I've learned to consciously repress as much as possible, because you can't take anything for granted, when Real Life (TM) is concerned. I generally succeed, but being a human being, well...

Humans can and do say stupid shit. It's best to just accept it and move on. The best you can do is try and keep a level head and remember to kick yourself in the mental balls when something does slip past your mouth without your brain noticing, like an off-putting joke that's been perceived as hilarious by a small group of which you happen to be a part of.

Stereotypes always do come from somewhere. Look hard enough, and you'll maybe find one or two Good Old Boy types, who happen to be God-fearing and proud members of the GOP. They become stereotypes because they're impressive. They seem larger than life, so they stick in our minds, the same way people still impersonate Peter Lorre or Sydney Greenstreet to this day. They've become less recognizable people than they have archetypes - the Skittish Type with the Weird Accent and the Obese and Wealthy Man with the Nefarious Plan.

It's human nature. You can't really stop it.

 

[Frostbite3789]

Also, Anybody pointing to Rick Perry as a reason to constantly bash Texas, obviously knows absolutely jack shit about Texas.

Anyone who doesn't understand the fact that using the fact he is an elected official to point out that he probably doesn't represent only a vocal minority is different from saying he's all powerful needs to reconsider what others are saying.

And if you go to the rural areas of any other state, you'll find the same exact people that you'd find here.

It just so happens that as a large state we happen to have a lot of this so called "land" that is so called "rural" that contains these people. I dunno if you get off on being the Devil's Advocate or what, but it's getting pretty annoying that you have one point to harp on and you just keep quoting people and harping on it.

Also, a few years back at a Stars game, he was booed out of the arena when he dropped the ceremonial first puck.

 

[BOOM headshot65]

It's Georgia your mom went to. And except in very very few locations the entire state is full of the most idiotic people in the entire country. Georgians are not known for being intelligent for good reason.

Except that it was a conferance of middle-school principals from across the country that happened to be held in Atlanta, Georgia. The woman who said that was from California. :/