We’ve kind of gotten used to it. You know, the hype about Portland. I mean, it seems like every day there’s another piece extolling the virtues of the Rose City and all of its magicalness. Celebrating the craft and weird and beard and whatnot. But there’s a darker side to this sort of promotion. Take a moment to consider the carefully constructed counterpoint.
That said—if you’re thinking about visiting—we do have a pretty cool Portland Startup Week coming up.
Crap. Did it again.
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People have been bitching about folks moving to Portland since forever. Back in the 80’s they had a billboard downtown with a counter for how many Californians moved in and jacked up their property values. This was back when my grandma’s house next to Peninsula Park was not exactly prime real estate and when folks moving here were making rural towns like West Linn into McMansion suburbs.
It’s always going to be changing and there have been douchebags here since back when we were more known for our vast number of strip clubs than for Portlandia stereotypes.
BTW you only get to call yourself a native if you were born here, that’s the definition of native. 20 years does not a native make (what does that say about where you were born?). Yes I was born here, and yes I’ve complained about change but I’ve also loved a lot of it – I left for a few years 20 years ago because Portland was so boring and when I came back there was a lot better food. I ended up working in the building where I was born after it went from a hospital to a sports apparel company. So be it. If it weren’t for the changes in Portland, I wouldn’t have the awesome job I have now.
And like Chase said, “the rain will continue”. I just ask those who’ve moved here to STFU and stop complaining about rain. You came here because you love how green it is yet you’re upset about what makes it green.
But really, who cares. I love my hometown, in all its incarnations over the past forty years and for what it was to my parents who were born here as well, and for what it will signify to my kids.
Really? We’re trying this again? I spread this word 15 years ago, and look at all the good its done. Tom McCall had another approach. He was the governor, and still couldn’t keep the settlers out. It’s the same-ol same-ol: now that I have my seat, lock the door. We’re all settlers at some point.
I agree w/another poster above that change is good for the Rose City, but there is a whole scale change this iteration that’s not so good, imo. The douche-factor has shot up tremendously, random murder, rampant destruction of the architecture in favor of the same ‘brown wood & aluminum” condos. It’s really more a colonizing.
WRT a “better” place to live: most people just want a “different” place, with all the luxuries of whence they came. I had a simple rule that said most new folks loved how different PDX was their first month here, got annoyed at how different is was the second and spent the remainder of their stay trying to make it like the place they came. Human Barred owls.
So I say bring ’em on. The town they find will not be the one they’ve read about. Those days are over, but the rain will continue.
Funny 🙂 but you’re bringing bad memories from 1989 when I moved here and there were signs saying “Californians Go Home”…. Rick please connect me to these cool people to make a video inviting people to move here. …
OMG that was funny! Love it. Yeah that is what’s happenign out there, people in search of a ‘better’ place to live. That happened to Austin and now Austin is overrun with folks from all over completely transforming the city from weird to hip to yuppie. This is happening all over with the reemerging tech boom and companies. When one place becomes crowded due to too many tech startups people go to the next up and coming area…. at least Portland is prettier than Austin 🙂
Bring it.. people from the rest of the world please move here. Portland could use some variety of culture, attitude and business. Please please move here. Change is good Portlanders. Most of you moved here from somewhere.
Yes pls, let’s cap it at 20 years.
How long do we have to live here before we’re accepted… 20 years? Can 20 years please be the line?
what if we’re from Eugene? Are we still welcome?