The “Texas Miracle” loses some of its magic as Oracle announces it’s moving its new HQ out of Austin and Tesla lays off nearly 2,700 workers.

  • @[email protected]
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    8122 days ago

    For the first two decades of the century, what it meant to be Texan—as explained by the state’s politicians—was largely wrapped up in a feeling of competition with California.

    As a Californian, I can’t help but think of that Mad Men meme: “I don’t think about you at all” or some such. Do all Texans really think this way or does this author just have a huge California-shaped chip on his shoulder?

    • @[email protected]
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      3422 days ago

      Yeah, as weird as it sounds older Texans see California as some sort of threat, some weird liberalist state that is too far gone to save or some shit. Almost any political conversation thats had about red vs blue ends up mentioning California. It is the typical ‘old man shaking fist at clouds’ group though. Younger peeps either dont care or say something like ‘why would you want to move there??’ Wothout any way to backup why they said it.

      • @[email protected]
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        1922 days ago

        “there’s nothing wrong with California that a good earthquake wouldn’t fix”. Heard that one a few times.

    • @[email protected]
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      1522 days ago

      I’ve lived in both. The average people don’t seem to care.

      Older Texans might namedrop California at times when they’re airing political grievances, but older people everywhere seem to have some casual “product of the times” prejudices against something.

      • @[email protected]
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        222 days ago

        Yeah, as I age I definitely wonder what is going to be my “product of the times” prejudice. I try really hard not to be prejudiced but it can be hard. For instance, I really don’t understand poly relationships. But I’m also not going to yuck someone else’s yum, especially when it comes to the rights of someone to do what they want if it isn’t harming anyone else.

        • @[email protected]
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          1222 days ago

          We have plenty of things to be old grumpy grouches about.

          “Those banks ruined the American dream and we bailed them out!”

          “Fossil fuel companies successfully lobbied the government to allow them to poison our planet in the name of profit!”

          “Those Disney crooks consolidated all media and destroyed independent creative ventures!”

          “Back in my day we could afford a house if we saved 10 years of earnings for a down payment and then took out a loan eventually totaling twice the value of the purchase price. You kids have it easy with your rental sleeping pods and low-monthly rate outdoors park subscriptions. You don’t even contribute to furniture or clothing industries because you don’t own a place to put any!”