Survey says we are the 35th Smartest City

[mheaton76]

According to a study posted online at the Daily Beast.

America's Smartest Cities—From First to Worst - The Daily Beast

I'm always a tad skeptical of these surveys, obviously, but from my totally non-quantitative vantage point it would seem we have an education deficit vis-a-vis other metropolitan areas of our size. Am I wrong?

I'm glad they used a nice picture of the downtown skyline.

[SOONER8693]

OKC ranked ahead of Houston, DFW, San Antonio, Orlando, Phoenix, Louisville. I don't think that ranking is really too bad.

[adaniel]

Well we're higher than Dallas, so I guess we can take solace in that

I would take surveys like this, with absolutes like "smartest" or "fattest" with a grain of salt. Heck, I was just in Seattle and saw plenty of bums and strung out tweakers on the street. Doubt those folks are buying books and going to libraries.

With that being said, facts don't lie. It does frustrate me that OKC, with all of the amazing colleges in the metro, has the low educational attainment that it does. Its even more frustrating the way education is seen in this state. Apologies for the bluntness, but there is a certain element to the culture here that seems to pride itself on its ignorance, and its evident regardless of race or income level. Education here is treated like some elitist, unneccesary thing that only east coast snoots use to one-up each other.

Its a bad deal, but I don't think this state will ever reach its true potential until attitudes like this are dropped.

[Caboose]

I like how OKC's blurb was as much about Seattle as it was OKC.

[mheaton76]

"It does frustrate me that OKC, with all of the amazing colleges in the metro, has the low educational attainment that it does. Its even more frustrating the way education is seen in this state. Apologies for the bluntness, but there is a certain element to the culture here that seems to pride itself on its ignorance, and its evident regardless of race or income level. Education here is treated like some elitist, unneccesary thing that only east coast snoots use to one-up each other."

That hits the nail on the head in a lot of ways. I think it gets back to southern populism...which seems to be the dominant cultural vibe. If I'm correct, populism isn't really liberal or conservative, but anti-intellectualism is definitely a heavy ingredient of it. Therefore, education is undervalued in a myriad of little ways based on our cultural context.

I could be overthinking it of course...I sometimes do that, lol.

[Midtowner]

I dunno.. I'm a pretty well educated fellow and I don't get that anti-intellectual vibe at all. I must just run in different circles.

[soonerguru]

I dunno.. I'm a pretty well educated fellow and I don't get that anti-intellectual vibe at all. I must just run in different circles.

Midtowner,

I'm sure your social milieu is very similar to mine. Just remember, we are the minority in this town. The stats don't lie.

[Midtowner]

Educated folk are the minority everywhere. If everyone went out and wallpapered their offices with diplomas, what would be the incentive of higher education?

[PennyQuilts]

I'm surrounded by educated folks and they tend to be clueless. Not meaning to sound anti education because I'm not. I'm just surrounded by a lot of people who are all educated up but have no clue about technical things or common sense things like changing air filters and the oil in their lawnmowers. Example, my husband (an educated man from Oklahoma) just came back from talking to the neighbor about his lawnmower. It went something like:

Husband - "Can't you HEAR that???"
Neighbor:"Hear what?"
Husband: "Your engine!"
Neighbor: "No, I had on ear plugs. Is there something wrong with it?" (running the engine without the ear plugs on)
Husband (exasperated): "Can't you HEAR that???"
Neighbor: "Hear what?"

[Caboose]

Educated doesn't = smart.

[Puppet]

I have to say... I have undergrad and masters from OU... The VAST majority of my friends are either in Tulsa or Dallas...Very few of my friends, even if they are from OKC, want to stay here. I don't really blame them... The only reason I am still here is becaue I have a very good job, otherwise I would be elsewhere too... Tulsa and especially Dallas have much more to offer young professionals... OKC is getting better but in all honesty if I didnt have a good job here I would be outta this ****hole in a heartbeat

[thoth]

Puppet, why are you on this website? I mean, you seem to have a pretty negative view of OKC. I would think that this website would be a waste of your time.

[progressiveboy]

I have to say... I have undergrad and masters from OU... The VAST majority of my friends are either in Tulsa or Dallas...Very few of my friends, even if they are from OKC, want to stay here. I don't really blame them... The only reason I am still here is becaue I have a very good job, otherwise I would be elsewhere too... Tulsa and especially Dallas have much more to offer young professionals... OKC is getting better but in all honesty if I didnt have a good job here I would be outta this ****hole in a heartbeat

How does Tulsa offer more than OKC for young professionals? I can understand Dallas, however, Tulsa?? Please respond.

[jc4455]

Puppet, why are you on this website? I mean, you seem to have a pretty negative view of OKC. I would think that this website would be a waste of your time.

Wow.

So you're only allowed to participate here if you're in the "YAY OKC!!!" glee club?


I can see this place hasn't changed much

[Luke]

Just as people here give reasons as to why they like OKC, people should list the reasons they are displeased with it.

[thoth]

I'm not saying you can't be displeased with OKC. I'm saying calling it a ****hole is a bit much. I've heard enough of that kind of crap from people in Seattle and anyone else who thinks they know this city. I'm sorry, but I'm tired of it.

[Midtowner]

FWIW, 1.5% of Oklahomans have a post-graduate degree. That makes us #27 in the country. It's in the middle, but it ain't at the bottom!

[Puppet]

Lets see... OKC shools are terrible. You have an area (generally speaking) from Downtown almost to 240 and 44 to 35 that is almost unliveable. Go on the North side and from Eastern to almost May its also unliveable. That is an absolutely huge chunk of the actual City. Bricktown has grown stagnant, not really attracting anything worth a crap... Western area is blah. Memorial area is decent but thats about it... The Lake Hefner area is nice with the restaurants and the outdoor activities, but thats about all this city has going for it... oh and the Thunder is also a nice addition.

[Puppet]

I'm not saying you can't be displeased with OKC. I'm saying calling it a ****hole is a bit much. I've heard enough of that kind of crap from people in Seattle and anyone else who thinks they know this city. I'm sorry, but I'm tired of it.

Good for you that you are tired of it... It's the truth. They are making improvements, but the City was neglected for soo long that its will be a very long process...

[ronronnie1]

I have to say... I have undergrad and masters from OU... The VAST majority of my friends are either in Tulsa or Dallas...Very few of my friends, even if they are from OKC, want to stay here. I don't really blame them... The only reason I am still here is becaue I have a very good job, otherwise I would be elsewhere too... Tulsa and especially Dallas have much more to offer young professionals... OKC is getting better but in all honesty if I didnt have a good job here I would be outta this ****hole in a heartbeat

No one is holding a gun to your head to stay. If OKC is such a ****hole as you put it, then you must love the smell of **** because you're still here.

You know, I could move anywhere in the world, and I'd still be just as educated and just as beautiful. You however...

One thing I can NOT stand is people bitching about living wherever they live. If you're miserable in city A, you'll most likely be miserable in city B,C,&D.

[lonestarstatesux]

Educated doesn't = smart.

Here is your grand example of the southern populist culture that a few other posters mentioned.

[bluedogok]

Educated doesn't = smart.

Here is your grand example of the southern populist culture that a few other posters mentioned.

Well, it's the truth. Many of the people that I have known with advanced degrees (PhD level) are as dumb as a box of rocks when it comes to "real world" knowledge. They are VERY intelligent when it comes to their chosen fields and most are very good people but they tend to have such a narrow focus in their knowledge that everything else has fallen off the map.

Intelligence has nothing to do with "education", I have known too many people who got good grades without learning anything. Too many "learn" something long enough to pass a test and then "purge" whatever they "learned" for the test. I have also known plenty of engineers that couldn't engineer their way out of a wet paper bag but yet they got the degree and the license because they could do enough to pass tests but had a hard time translating that to a real world problem, most of those types became managers.

[onthestrip]

Lets see... OKC shools are terrible. You have an area (generally speaking) from Downtown almost to 240 and 44 to 35 that is almost unliveable. Go on the North side and from Eastern to almost May its also unliveable. That is an absolutely huge chunk of the actual City. Bricktown has grown stagnant, not really attracting anything worth a crap... Western area is blah. Memorial area is decent but thats about it... The Lake Hefner area is nice with the restaurants and the outdoor activities, but thats about all this city has going for it... oh and the Thunder is also a nice addition.

Yea, and all of Tulsa's north side is splendid!

[ThePlainsman]

"Wherever you go. There you are." I think that's the problem with people who generally "hate" where they are. Know what I mean?

[ronronnie1]

"Wherever you go. There you are." I think that's the problem with people who generally "hate" where they are. Know what I mean?

This is EXACTLY what I meant. Thank you.