Small towns: Myth or Reality?

Benjamin Strange · #1 10-12-2008, 10:36 AM

According to John Mellencamp, Jack Kerouac, and Sarah Palin, small towns in America are wonderful places, where everybody knows your name, people are friendly, and nothing bad ever happens. They are sometimes regarded as the ultimate American experience, almost bordering on having a mythical quality. Many commercials on TV (usually for banks, insurance, or Wal*Mart) have scenes filmed in small towns, artistically shot to increase a sense of comfort, nostalgia, and belonging. Small towns in America are considered to be the heart of the homeland.

But is it really true? I've lived my entire life in big cities - Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, New Orleans, San Francisco. I've passed through a lot of these small towns in my travels, and they generally seem like incredibly dull places to live. I used to go visit my grandfather in the tiny town of Vivian, LA (pop. 3,800), and they only thing to do was to wander around the Wal*Mart. I was only a kid at the time, but I remember it being crushingly boring, and never witnessed the sort of small town charm that people write about in books. Maybe I was just too young to see it, or maybe it didn't actually exist.

Are small towns all their cracked up to be? The picture that is painted about small towns seems to be rather idyllic compared to the stark reality of it, as I see it. Are they really that wonderful, or is John Mellencamp full of crap?

JNowiski · #2 10-12-2008, 10:43 AM

john M is just trying to sell CDs.

Joey3313 · #3 10-12-2008, 10:43 AM

With the right words, a dumpster can seem poetic and a lovely place to live.

Those people may like small towns, and other like cities. There are benefits to both.

Being able to leave your bass gear in an unlocked car and knowing it would never got stolen...kinda nice.

Being able to do something different every weekend...also nice.

**HeavyDuty** · #4 10-12-2008, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

Are small towns all their cracked up to be?

Yes - if that's the lifestyle you prefer.

Matt Till · #5 10-12-2008, 10:52 AM

You are right, small towns are really really really boring. If you like hunting/fishing/drinking and television, then you are all set. There really is nothing to do.

But, on the other hand, the first part of your statement is correct: wonderful places, where everybody knows your name, people are friendly, and nothing bad ever happens. I spent quite a few years in a little town called Randolph, NY. Really small, nothing to do, but the people there were amazing. Everyone was so friendly and knew everyone (usually through relatives, "Oh you are _______'s nephew"), crime was non-existent for the most part. And you know trees? Oh yeah, they had trees.

It was a cultural shock leaving a small town and going to a bigger town, everyone was so cold and uncaring. I went to church when I lived in Randolph, they focused more on the positive aspects of Christianity and it was a really communal type of thing. When we moved, we tried a couple churches: It was ALL the YOU ARE GOING TO HELL unless you spend this life begging to get into heaven. The people all seemed annoyed to be there and didn't care about anyone there. Now I'm all evil and all that, I wonder if I stayed small town if I would be less corrupt.

So, to answer the question: Yes, small towns are everything they say they are. But, they fail to mention how very boring they are.

baalroo · #6 10-12-2008, 10:52 AM

I grew up in a midwestern small town and it was wonderful for the people there, they could be as hateful, rascist, and ignorant as they wanted and no one called them on it because the rational and intelligent people always move away.

I'm, of course, over simplifying.

iamlowsound · #7 10-12-2008, 10:55 AM

I like living in a small town, but I also enjoyed living in a city. I live in a town of 6000, thankfully there is no Wal*Mart, and everyone knows everyones business. It is more family like. Although we do have a lot of problems, we have a worse drug problem than most major cities (mainly on the manufacturing side), there are still upper and lower social circles and there is still crime.

lowsound

Matt Till · #8 10-12-2008, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

I like living in a small town, but I also enjoyed living in a city. I live in a town of 6000, thankfully there is no Wal*Mart, and everyone knows everyones business. It is more family like. Although we do have a lot of problems, we have a worse drug problem than most major cities (mainly on the manufacturing side), there are still upper and lower social circles and there is still crime.

lowsound

That's something I forgot: Meth labs are very very small town.

iamlowsound · #9 10-12-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Till

That's something I forgot: Meth labs are very very small town.

That is something that we have an abundance of. Also, I don't find it that boring. IMO there is just as little to do in a city as there is in a small town. It all depends on what you can think of to do, goes for wherever you live.

lowsound

Benjamin Strange · #10 10-12-2008, 11:02 AM

Interesting. I just have one question: what are these things called "trees"? I'm not familiar with them.

tplyons · #11 10-12-2008, 11:03 AM

Small towns are great because nothing bad ever happens.
Small towns suck, because nothing good happens either.

iamlowsound · #12 10-12-2008, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

Interesting. I just have one question: what are these things called "trees"? I'm not familiar with them.

They grow out of the ground and in the fall they have these things called "leaves" that fall off and you have to pick all of them up.

lowsound

Visirale · #13 10-12-2008, 11:05 AM

I grew up in a "small town" of 40k. It seemed very small since my Grandma and Grandpa were real estate barons and knew pretty much everyone in power. Everyone knew me and always had an eye out on me. I couldn't get away with anything... It blew. I prefer living in a bigger city where I never have to see the same person twice if I don't have to. Orlando is somewhat big, but I wouldn't mind going bigger. Small towns definitely aren't what they are cracked up to be.

warnergt · #14 10-12-2008, 11:08 AM

I live in a small town and love it.
Great schools, great people and most people really
do know each other. And this is a small town
bustling with activity. We have great (but small)
parades and we have what I consider the best
4th of July celebration in the country. It's all
about quality; not quantity.

We have crime but it is very infrequent. It happens
but it is always a community shocker when it does.

WalMart tried to move in but we rejected them.

The big cities (Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C.
and NYC) are just a few hours away. We can visit
them whenever we want.

awakefie · #15 10-12-2008, 11:09 AM

The small town (official population about 2380 people) I live in is nice.

But people are people wherever you are. There are all types of folks. Many folks smile and greet you but I've heard my share of hateful words as well.

I personally prefer the lifestyle but then I'm a hanging out in the driveway drinking a beer on Friday nights person. Anyone looking for non-stop action would be bored to death in my town.

When we do play the nearby city (Omaha is about 390,000) I have fun but usually can't wait to get back to my small town.

That doesn't necessarily mean it's good or bad, just that it suits me.

Crime is low here but we do have meth labs, grade school and high school kids that take drugs, kids that drink underage, etc... Most the teens I've met (that took drugs or consumed alcohol) in small towns (I grew up in a town of 1100) used it primarily to fight the boredom (a few hard-core addicts, etc...) A favorite pastime was cornfield parties (easy to see the cops coming). So I guess people will find their own action wherever they are, it just might be a different brand of action.

I like the church and people I go to. They do celebrate God. They can also be judgemental and petty (can't we all).

So I guess, pick the panacea that suits you.

HollowBassman · #16 10-12-2008, 11:16 AM

I live near a small town where everyone knows your name. ...and your shoe size, your favorite drink and whose bed you slept in last night. Of course, those that don't know aren't shy about pretending they do and spreading vast amounts of false information just to pass the time. Bad stuff happens here just like everywhere else, just not as often. When you know everything about everyone, you can usually prepare before something goes down.

seanm · #17 10-12-2008, 11:17 AM

I spent the early years of my life in a small village of 200 people. Not only does everybody know your name.... everybody knows everything about you. Which can be good or bad.

I am reminded of a quote from P.J.O'Rourke about moving to a small New England town. It goes something like this (too lazy to look it up):

P.J goes to a local store to buy underwear. When he goes to the checkout counter the cashier, who he has never met, says "That's not the underwear you usually buy".

Disraeli Gears · #18 10-12-2008, 11:23 AM

I live in a City (it'd be a stretch to call it a BIG city, but it's definitely not a small town), but I visit a small town every summer.

I suppose it really depends on the small town- the one I visit is really quite nice. A lot of people around there know me, and there's still a good amount of stuff to do. It's on the beach which is a huge advantage, so I can go surf, skimboard, etc. when I'm bored, and it also has a very nice skatepark, so between the two I rarely get all that bored.

anyonefortennis · #19 10-12-2008, 11:28 AM

Everyone is nice, friendly , and all that BS as long as you go to the right church. It really is pathetic.

My fam left a small iowa town for Omaha(not that big I guess) and never looked back.

Grizzly700 · #20 10-12-2008, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

Are small towns all their cracked up to be? The picture that is painted about small towns seems to be rather idyllic compared to the stark reality of it, as I see it. Are they really that wonderful, or is John Mellencamp full of crap?

You won't ever know what you're missing until you live in one. City slicker!!!