People from Small Towns should be forced to Travel

originally posted by: watchitburn
a reply to: JAGStorm

Sounds like elitist globalist BS to me.

How about leave people alone?

Maybe stop trying to impose your elitist "I know better than you" BS views on others?

Amen. Give me country/small town living any day of the week. 👍🏻

a reply to: JAGStorm

My "small town" happens to be one of the most diverse in the US.


We have a mix of races, cultures, religions, ethnicities, and politics, from all over the world. I count myself lucky in that, rather than having to travel the world (which I could not afford to do), the world, due to various circumstances, has somehow found its way to me.


When I was young, the town I now live in was at the heart of the Space Race; you could almost set your watch by the sound of rocket engines being test-fired daily. With the end of the Space Race, the economy flagged, and lower income Black and Latino families moved in to the rapidly abandoned homes left by departing aerospace employees and their families.

Then came the end of the Vietnam War, and we welcomed refugees from all over Southeastern Asia.

Then the Berlin Wall and the Iron curtain fell, and we began to see an influx of folks from Eastern European countries. We currently are home to one of the largest Ukrainian immigrant communities in the US, and that community has only grown over the last year.


We have also seen both Afghan and Syrian immigrants fleeing the horrors in their home countries.


What does all this mean for "long-time residents" like me?


Incredible food, markets, art and cultural exhibitions, festivals, and music!


No, no one is making a great effort to "assimilate" these newcomers into the existing community fabric, they've been through enough just surviving through their traumas to get here. Their unique cultures only add to the flavor of the existing community, keeping it alive and vibrant.


Give us time, we'll all figure out how to live together. We've done pretty good so far.

a reply to: Mantiss2021

No, no one is making a great effort to "assimilate" these newcomers into the existing community fabric, they've been through enough just surviving through their traumas to get here. Their unique cultures only add to the flavor of the existing community, keeping alive and vibrant.

I'd love to know where this is, it sounds incredible and exactly how a lot of the greatest places in America were formed. Unfortunately, a lot of places now are so resistant to anything different, and it's not a good thing. They are falling behind in almost every aspect. Many of these places end up being swallowed by the drug epidemic.
Somehow people think any progress means turning a place into a big city. That couldn't be farther from the truth.

Give us time, we'll all figure out how to live together.

If I could give this all my flags I would!

a reply to: JAGStorm

City of Rancho Cordova, CA . About 10 miles east of the State capital.

After living in the capital city for just over 20 years, I got an opportunity to buy a home just a few blocks from the house I lived in while in high school. I bought it just after the very bottom of the mortgage crash for a very good price and a sweet 30 year fixed rate. With virtually no improvements (they're coming as soon as Social Security kicks in!), my equity has grown to 4x what I paid.

A strong indication that property values have done anything but suffer due to the diversity of the area.

originally posted by: Mantiss2021
a reply to: JAGStorm

City of Rancho Cordova, CA . About 10 miles east of the State capital.

After living in the capital city for just over 20 years, I got an opportunity to buy a home just a few blocks from the house I lived in while in high school. I bought it just after the very bottom of the mortgage crash for a very good price and a sweet 30 year fixed rate. With virtually no improvements (they're coming as soon as Social Security kicks in!), my equity has grown to 4x what I paid.

A strong indication that property values have done anything but suffer due to the diversity of the area.

I love that your area has embraced it. I'm not saying it's right for all areas either, and this isn't just about people.
Where I live I feel a lot of people think anything, and I mean anything new = liberal.
It's unfortunately because I see a lot of issues with that kind of thinking. The cliche cut off your nose to spite your face comes to mind. Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's ok to take a small town and come in with bulldozers and build a strip mall on every corner, and houses so close they can almost touch. What I said earlier, people have no tolerance, what happened to middle ground?

a reply to: JAGStorm

Many many many many small town folks have never traveled more than 30 miles outside their hometowns. Some of them are terrified of cities thinking they will die the minute they step foot. Visiting another country, that would probably make their heads explode.

Where do you live that this is the case??? Parts of Appalachia maybe? I know very few people in my small town who haven't traveled in and out of the country, including myself. We also have a fair amount of people living here who aren't natives, also including myself. Sincere question.

a reply to: Klassified

Where do you live that this is the case??? Parts of Appalachia maybe? I know very few people in my small town who haven't traveled in and out of the country, including myself. We also have a fair amount of people living here who aren't natives, also including myself. Sincere question.

Wisconsin.. You’d be shocked, but it’s not just here:

www.marthastewart.com...

A New Survey Reveals That One in Six Americans Have Never Left Their Home State

a reply to: JAGStorm

1 in 6 is a small percentage. That means American's are a well traveled bunch overall.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I've lived in a small town most of my life. Traveled all over the country for the last 20 years. I've been everywhere in the USA.

The longer I've traveled, the more blessed I've felt to live where I live. I've been enlightened but not in the way you thought someone like myself would be.

You couldn't pay me to live in one of these prison cities. The amount of freedom and security I would have to give up to live their is a non starter.

I like a yard and privacy. I like being able to drive to the store without having to combat an hour of traffic. I like not waking up to the sound of sirens everyday. I like knowing I'm surrounded by decent people and not having to worry about being robbed or dealing with random crazy people in the street on a daily basis.

As far as the "diversity", I really don't need diversity in my life to feel good about it. I just need decency.

The city folk scream "diversity is our strength" all day long. But is it? If it is, then why do all these different people live in their own neighborhoods in these "diverse" cities?

The blacks stay in their neighborhoods, Spanish in theirs. White folks have their own area too, and there's a Chinatown in everyone of these places. That seems to me more like staying out of each other's way than the big diverse Utopia its made out to be.

"Diversity is our strength" but the "our" in that statement is TPTB. The opposite of diversity is unity, and that is not "their" strength.

a reply to: chiefsmom

Same here I traveled the US working in the Oilfield so I saw a lot of the country. I spent about 10 years when I was single in the cities ( no thanks).

We have people in my family from close to 100 to newborn. There are prolly 100 of us in a town of 1500. I'll just stay put. I'm not to fond of outsiders if they want to change the place, but if your into this lifestyle come on in. There is plenty of work to be done and wide open spaces everywhere you look.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: Mantiss2021

No, no one is making a great effort to "assimilate" these newcomers into the existing community fabric, they've been through enough just surviving through their traumas to get here. Their unique cultures only add to the flavor of the existing community, keeping alive and vibrant.

I'd love to know where this is, it sounds incredible and exactly how a lot of the greatest places in America were formed. Unfortunately, a lot of places now are so resistant to anything different, and it's not a good thing. They are falling behind in almost every aspect. Many of these places end up being swallowed by the drug epidemic.
Somehow people think any progress means turning a place into a big city. That couldn't be farther from the truth.

Give us time, we'll all figure out how to live together.

If I could give this all my flags I would!

Incredible. Maybe, until you realize that there's no original culture left. Take a look at immigration all over Europe.
European culture is slowly , purposely, being erroded. Culture that goes back hundereds of years.
Then they want to 'modernize' on top of that, as if letting in half the world isn't enough to cause disruptive changes.
It may be different in the US as there's not much culture to talk about here.

a reply to: JAGStorm

So, what do you consider a small town? Living in the U.P of Michigan, we have lots of small cities, the biggest city here not that big. But people meet lots of people from out of the area with college students and tourists. Much of the area of the U.P is conservative, but a few more liberal larger cities tend to have more voters than a lot of the small towns.

Most of the locals years ago were skeptical about the air bases flyboys. But most were pretty decent people out there and when they closed the base it took a hit on the local economy. I knew some of the people there, some of the military people liked it here and retired here because they liked the area and people seemed to accept them well when they retired here.

Locals don't want to get attached to people that are going to leave, they like to make long term friends. Military bases tend to transfer people around quite a bit and then your friend is gone far away. Nowadays with facebook people can keep in touch more which would make it better.

I myself dislike having a good friend leave the area, but I understand it happens so I tend to try not getting to be good friends with people who are just here temporarily. People in the military seem to be all right with that changing but I do know some who disliked being transferred when they got older, some left the military and went to areas where they came from and some moved to an area where they made good ties with locals...like some who stayed here or who moved here when they left the military because they made good friends here. Even if they had friends, a lot of those flyboys who are now living here tend to flock together because they have a lot in common. We know some our age and the guys tend to hang around with each others and share friends with each other. Birds of a feather flock together applies.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Funny, I live near a large city, and during Covid, with everything closed, spent almost every weekend traveling to small towns all over my and neighboring states, including Appalachia.

And I found most of these small towns delightful - people were friendly and helpful, everyone said hello, and we had the most interesting conversations.

And thing is, many, many people *had* traveled- many left for work or the military, then retired "back home", others lived all over the planet in professional careers, and chose to live in a kinder, calmer place.

Many started small businesses to keep them busy - antique stores, bakeries, breweries, cideries, cafes, etc.

Of course, many locals have made bad life choices, and are stuck in poverty, and the worst of them fell into drug addiction.

But for the most part, the people I met were kinder and happier than the much wealthier, better traveled, and far more unpleasant people that live in the city.

a reply to: rickymouse

So much of what you wrote hit home.

As a military brat we lived in a lot of place, many small towns. Some of those towns were severely impacted by the constant movement of military personnel.

Military kids and parent learned to put up an emotional wall when it came to constantly moving. Home is where you hung your hat. There is one incident that has stood with me for many decades.

I dated a boy in high school. He was very local going back many generations. Both of his parents were my teachers.
When his dad found out I was moving, I was in his class alone with him. He literally cried and said why do all the good kids have to move!!??? He was talking about me, but I think he was also talking about all the military brats. He literally sobbed. I think he also wanted me to marry his son (wasn’t happening).

Back to that small town mentality. Many people like you feel as if the person isn’t going to live near they aren’t “worth” an in depth friendship, partly due to the hurt the come from moving and the hassle of keeping in touch. I’m telling you, you are missing out…………

My group of school friends (100% brats) have kept in touch for many decades, only two hermits aren’t part of the group and a few people have died. All the rest of us keep in contact on a regular basis. I’m not talking just Facebook and social media either. It is incredible. I’ve wanted to make a documentary about it. It’s the little world of military brats people have no clue about.

a reply to: ancientlight

One has to wonder where the streets are in that mess.

Cheers

Talking about small town USA - and yes, I have met a few from such over the years - I see this is causing quite stir at the moment.



www.bbc.co.uk...

a reply to: JAGStorm

I totally get where you were heading with this thread Jagstorm I think you missed the off ramp when you started talking about in breeding
.

It amazes me that for a week's wage I can now fly round the world in next to no time , I prefer just gubbing some valium when I get on to Train/plane /automobile and snoring my head off till we get there , I am that hermit in your classroom who gets about . You get off shift after a couple of weeks offshore turn up at a travel agents and ask them for the cheapest tickets they have unsold leaving today ,you really would not believe some of the stories I have heard from guys on this over the years it would blow your mind , but it is the guys I know that did a competition to see how far they could get with almost 0 money on them I believe that really blow all them out of the water , I struggle to remember now exactly with dementia but Scotland to Asia was the winner I think with less than ten bucks , now that is some going.

I met guys years ago offshore who showed me their photo album of travels on last minute deals before all the wars in Afghanistan they ended up there in tents by a river and for a pair of jeans got a lump of solid weed that 2 weeks smoking like a chimney never even put a dent in , they were to recked to even leave the tent and had food brought to them and just handed the blow back when they were leaving .

I have had that Edward Norton moments like in fight club where he is going up the escalator not knowing where the heck he is or what city as everything looks the same .

It's true one retail park or high street looks the same to me same with airports or bus stations same with the mountains, the number of times I have asked people what city is this I am in because I have been out of my tiny mind not knowing am I coming or going .

Try getting to Barcelona at 2 am dumping your bags and going straight on the drink with the lads and not having a clue of the name of the hotel or pretty much anything else ,then waking up at 9 am next to a busy road with 0 money or smokes ,rough as a Badgers backside and spending the next 13 hours desperately hunting for them , o the good old days .


I try not to go for from base now thankfully, but if anyone reading this was on a plane or train and there was some idiot snoring like crazy for the entire journey it was probably me . I have come to and everyone onboard has been staring at me like crazy , and boy can I snore when I am tired /drunk/stoned .

Traveled all over the globe, and my new work will take me to some more parts I havent seen before I retire.

Grew up in a small town, I live right now in the 2nd biggest city in alaska a whopping 30k people, so really just a moderate sized town.

Lotta people would fit the generalization you wrote about, but these same people get to experience a lot, pretty standard mix of ethnicities and a healthy dose of asian folks come by every year to see the aurora.

Honestly its still to many people for me so im moving to a small subdivison bout 20 mins outside of town, where after talking to the sellers of the house I have a pretty good idea of the types of people.

Have a surgery they will cut your grass in the summer no worries, just moved in havent had time to buy all the tools you need, they will keep your driveway clear, and some will help you split wood.

Break down on the highway, especially during the long winter people stop to make certain you are ok and have reached the people you need to, or if its really cold let you get in their car to warm up.

Thats why I prefer living in a small town, and I 100% understand why some people prefer it.

I enjoyed my travel, made friends I still talk to, but I also saw a lot of stuff I did not like, so now we are going to live in an area where we will be left to our own devices without judgement or pressure.

The curse of the kipster. - moving into a "deprived" neighborhood.
How "revolutionary".

Two year later; flip it's hipsters all round me.