Simple Oxymoron
I don’t know whether I’ve been inspired meeting a former English teacher or re-reading transcripts. But this is what Fort Worth is like. Simple oxymoron.
‘From an outsider’s perspective, you may see the city as sleepy, but it’s really just a butterfly awaiting release from its cocoon.’
I want to write this brief introduction into how I see Fort Worth, as a person and not an academic.
My dissertation looks towards academic theory to back up first-person research.
But I feel writing this introduction will help me to organise my thoughts for my dissertation write-up.
I also need to write an abstract of my dissertation by Sunday for the BCUR in Cardiff 2019.
So I’m hoping this provides some sort of direction.
The above image epitomises Fort Worth in my opinion.
The ‘Thank You’ sign marking an end but Dickie’s Arena in the background exploring a new Fort Worth.
And the city is full of that.
From the people within it to other subtle indicators.
The city was built undoubtedly from old money. Oil and gas money.
But there was always a philanthropic heart to the men who made their millions capitalising on Texas’ rich geography.
After a tornado in 2000 destroyed much of the downtown, the city was rebuilt and now resides as one of the best downtowns in the USA.
Problem is, or maybe it’s not a problem but the world’s best secret, no-one has heard of Fort Worth.
For me, I see Fort Worth as this simple oxymoron.
The people want to move forward, but not at the expense of losing their heritage.
Places like London and most of Europe have managed to preserve the history and embed it into city life.
London is bigger in size and population than Fort Worth.
But Fort Worth is grappling with these ideas and problems of identity.
This is what my dissertation addresses.
It attempts to look at the influence of the heritage, the demographic change and why population is coming.
Droves of people are coming to Fort Worth every year.
For reasons unknown to most Fort Worthians.
The way of life in Fort Worth is very chilled.
But the work ethic is intense.
There is a even balance between the two and I think that’s what keeps the city on an steady kilter.
I loved to research Fort Worth, because I was one of those people who had never heard of it.
I didn’t know there was anything more around Dallas than suburbs.
I questioned why Fort Worth wasn’t just a suburb of Dallas.
Just like Katy with Houston.
But it’s more than that.
There is an internal contradiction going on within every person.
The thought of more people isn’t frightening, it’s exciting.
But with that growth; does infrastructure, community-building and heritage conservation come in?
The answer is probably no.
But it depends how they grow.
It depends if they choose to follow the pattern of emerging cities and grow outwards.
At the expense of the environment and the sense of the city.
Or whether they grow inwards.
Densifying the inner city at the expense of the current residents.
More pollution, more traffic, higher taxes.
It’s not an easy weigh-up.
But what I find interesting about Fort Worth is that it’s all theory.
This is not history.
This is history to be made.
And I’m not reading about this in a book (which I probably never would’ve opened in the first place anyway).
I’m able to see it happening now.
Or start to happen anyway.
That’s the one thing that drew me to this city.
It’s on the cusp of something quite standard or something quite extraordinary.
And that difference, the to and fro between which one it will be, is something that geographers should be excited about.
I’ve always believed in looking close to home for fixing problems in ‘developing’ countries.
This (in terms of close to home is a ‘developed’ country) is an example of an emerging city in the biggest economy in the world.
For me, it’s exciting.
As I get into the meat of the argument over the next few weeks, I’m sure I’ll be more and more excited to show off the final product.
This piece of work is very lucky to have been found.
I made an educated and intellectual hunch.
Based on hope, ambition and curiosity.
Now, I’m able to see how far I can take it.
Simple oxymoron.