The folks in Texas: another arm of the DSC

So I'm rushing off to Texas. It's an interesting state, at least the few parts I've connected with. I'm going to this little town called Wylie. There's a legend that it was founded by pirates. No, it isn't near the coast (that way people wouldn't suspect it was a pirate town, right?) But that's part of what I love about Texas -- they just do and say things there that people in other places wouldn't. Take belt buckles and cowboy boots, for example. A good Texan can wear them anywhere in the country and not think about it. There's something about fitting in that just isn't on the radar in the same way that it is in some other subcultures I'm a part of.

Of course, there's a dark side to that as well. Some Texans, in the spirit of this unselfconscious confidence, have done things that have resulted in damage that will have long term ramifications. Yet, the overly cautious also do damage with their inaction.

So every time I go to Texas I am struck by the cultural contrast between the Texan vibe and the current DSC culture (as much as we have a culture, which I think we actually do). DSC culture, I think, tends to be somewhat tentative and self-critical (or at the very least pretty self-reflective). This introspective, questioning vibe seems pretty standard for GenXers, and the DSC culture was started by artistic GenXers who all had some sense of displacement, so that kind of makes sense.

One of the groovier changes I've seen happening lately is the infusion of younger than GenXers into the DSC. I think this is beginning to shift our culture a little bit -- these younger people (Justin, Jordan, Kimberly, Zac, etc) tend to have a different way of being. There is still angst there, but there's an ability to engage life in the present moment, and relationships with openness and joy. There's awareness of differences without them being divisive, and a way of embodying things they care about without self-incrimination, which I find really inspiring. I see these qualities on the NING interactions and on some of the younger DSCers blogs (one example is Kimberly's last post in which she talks about sailing). You won't catch me saying this culture is perfect either, but I think what God is building in the DSC capitalizes on the coming together of these two subcultures with their strengths and weaknesses.

So, I'd like to see how Texas rubs off on the good ole' DSC. We're going to do another small DSC gathering in Texas while I'm down there. There are a couple Virginians and a North Carolina DSCer also visiting, so it seems like a natural mix. Can't wait to see what comes out of it.


Jonathan