Northwest Arkansan's observation of the Duggars

[MamaJunebug]

A friend of many decades has lived in Northwest Arkansas for most of that time (we met in school elsewhere).

 

Just out of curiosity, I asked her what the general, local attitude toward the Duggars is. Her response:

 

 

Quote

The Duggars' novelty act fell into disdain a long time ago here. Jim Bob tried to market himself as a holy man of sorts in the early days but the more this went on, the more this became viewed as large-scale narcissism. It's probably one reason why they went for national exposure as the local crowd tired of it.

 

I've asked her how the local crowd has reacted to the fame and success [sic] the Duggars have gained. If she has time to answer and it's interesting, I'll be sure to post it for all-y'alls' edification.

[SamuraiKatz]

I would have to agree with that assessment.

[IceQueen]

Yeah I have a friend that lives there and she basically told me the same thing. She does not understand my fascination with them.

[dianapavelovna]

Yeah, I grew up about an hour south of Tonitown/NWA, and we were sick of them ages ago. When Jim Bob was campaigning for office, there were those horrific matching frumper/violin family pictures everywhere. I hated it even then, when I knew next to nothing about the family.

[Rachel333]

I grew up in NWA and still live there (unfortunately). I think most people here have been tired of them since way before their show started. My parents have always disliked them, (which is kind of too bad since I've been invited to their house with my mom several times, which I totally would have done just out of curiosity, but she really can't stand them). I remember the local news once doing a segment on birth control right after the announcement of another Duggar baby, which I thought was really funny.

The first time I remember hearing about them was a news segment when Josh was 12. (I remember it showing him making smoothies in a blender for the family, I think), and the first time I saw them was at a 2000 George Bush rally, so that's, what, 11 years of exposure to them. We're definitely pretty sick of them. :lol:

[longskirtlotsakids]

I remember the pics of J-bob trotting out the kiddos on a parade float in hideous frumpers. I doubt a woman running for office would have tried for the same image.

[Beb]

I grew up living in Bentonville and Rogers, AR, which are both very near Springdale, where the Duggars live. (Recently moved to a different state.) Seems to me the Ds are not a huge blip on the radar; most everything there takes a back seat to Walmart--including the Duggars. In my family and circle of friends, their names are rarely, if ever, a topic of conversation.

[lilwriter85]

I have read on Arkansas topix or citydata boards about people in the Duggars' town disliking them. Also it seemed they pissed off a lot of people when Mullet protested a convenience store's attempt for a liquor license.

[Eclipse]

I don't blame people from Northwest Arkansan one bit. I have a sick fascination with the Duggars, the same sort of interest that causes people to slow down to gawk at car crashes.

I still cannot believe anyone voted for JimBob. I remember watching the first special on TLC one afternoon and I people about the family because I could not believe what I have seen and everyone wanted to know where they lived. The answer of Arkansas unfortunately seemed to fit in a lot of people's stereotypes about the South and its religious nut-bars. I would not that family representing where I lived.

[Deleted07]

I always wondered how people would react to them traipsing their ENTIRE BROOD to the local supermarket for supplies. I never could understand why they couldn't just send 1 parent a couple of older kids. Why the heck they needed to bring everyone was beyond me and more trouble than it was worth. I know if I were a customer in the store I would head for the door as soon as seeing them!

BUT I did notice them saying in the newest Q&A... That the older ones now go every few days, so they don't do that anymore... Wonder if they had been told off for it? seeing as thought I've seen some nasty people tell women and families of one or two off for their kids behaviours in supermarkets, I always wondered about that...

[lilwriter85]

I don't blame people from Northwest Arkansan one bit. I have a sick fascination with the Duggars, the same sort of interest that causes people to slow down to gawk at car crashes.

I still cannot believe anyone voted for JimBob. I remember watching the first special on TLC one afternoon and I people about the family because I could not believe what I have seen and everyone wanted to know where they lived. The answer of Arkansas unfortunately seemed to fit in a lot of people's stereotypes about the South and its religious nut-bars. I would not that family representing where I lived.

I think Boob sweet talked people and got votes. He probably appealed to a lot of the conservative voters. I know a few Republicans who watch the show and they have said they would never vote for someone like Boob because of his extremist beliefs.

Last year John-David lost the election for a postion as an alderman on the town council. My theory is that people are likely sick of the Duggars.

[PBrooke]

By the way, what is up with the phrase "Northwest Arkansas"? I even hear the youngest boys use it. They don't say, "back home in Tontitown" or "back in Arkansas"; it's most often always "back in Northwest Arkansas." I assume it's just a colloquialism of sorts, but it always sounds so weird to me - I want to say "people can probably barely point to Arkansas on a map, they really don't care what part of it you hail from."

[doggie]

I am starting to think that fundies think that if god does not kill them in their sleep he approves of everything they do.

[Beb]

By the way, what is up with the phrase "Northwest Arkansas"? I even hear the youngest boys use it. They don't say, "back home in Tontitown" or "back in Arkansas"; it's most often always "back in Northwest Arkansas." I assume it's just a colloquialism of sorts, but it always sounds so weird to me - I want to say "people can probably barely point to Arkansas on a map, they really don't care what part of it you hail from."

.....becasuse of the rapid and massive growth of that area over the past 20-30 years, it is now known as the Northwest Arkansas Metropolitan Area, which is comprised of four counties and encompasses Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, and Fayetteville (with other smaller towns interspersed).

Before the advent of Walmart as the largest retailer in the world and who has its home offices in Bentonville, the area was very sparsely populated. There are now around 500,000 people (and of course, more than that are in and out on a daily basis).

Many large businesses, nearly all Walmart's vendors (with offices in the area) and the University of Arkansas are just a few of the reasons for growth. The "towns" which used to be spaced miles apart now virtually show no break between them, thus the Northwest AR Metro Area.

It's similar to the way cities distinguish themselves....like The Bay Area....or South Chicago, etc.

But if you really want to know why, you can check out this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fayetteville,_Arkansas

[Lily]

.....becasuse of the rapid and massive growth of that area over the past 20-30 years, it is now known as the Northwest Arkansas Metropolitan Area, which is comprised of four counties and encompasses Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, and Fayetteville (with other smaller towns interspersed).

Before the advent of Walmart as the largest retailer in the world and who has its home offices in Bentonville, the area was very sparsely populated. There are now around 500,000 people (and of course, more than that are in and out on a daily basis).

Many large businesses, nearly all Walmart's vendors (with offices in the area) and the University of Arkansas are just a few of the reasons for growth. The "towns" which used to be spaced miles apart now virtually show no break between them, thus the Northwest AR Metro Area.

It's similar to the way cities distinguish themselves....like The Bay Area....or South Chicago, etc.

But if you really want to know why, you can check out this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fayetteville,_Arkansas

I've also heard that there's somewhat of a culture divide between certain parts of Arkansas.

Kinda like a NorCal/SoCal distinction, or a W.Wa v. E.Wa type of thing. Same state, worlds apart culturally and usually citizens of each want nothing to do with the other.

[Rachel333]

Yeah, I would never live anywhere in Arkansas outside of NWA. I feel like there's a huge difference between Northwest Arkansas and Arkansas in general.

[Beb]

I've also heard that there's somewhat of a culture divide between certain parts of Arkansas.

Kinda like a NorCal/SoCal distinction, or a W.Wa v. E.Wa type of thing. Same state, worlds apart culturally and usually citizens of each want nothing to do with the other.

That is quite true. NWA is a pretty desirable area of the U.S. in which to live, and it is especially more so than most of the rest of AR.

[dianapavelovna]

That is quite true. NWA is a pretty desirable area of the U.S. in which to live, and it is especially more so than most of the rest of AR.

Than the rest of Arkansas? Sure. I don't think I would ever describe it as pretty desirable out of the whole country, though. Just my preference, I guess. And yeah, NWA is more desirable than other parts of Arkansas because there's more diversity and more...amenities, for lack of a better term (restaurants, nightlife, concerts, etc.), but I've never experienced marked cultural differences between it and the rest of the state. It's still...Arkansas. YMMV

[darareaksmey]

I always wondered how people would react to them traipsing their ENTIRE BROOD to the local supermarket for supplies. I never could understand why they couldn't just send 1 parent a couple of older kids. Why the heck they needed to bring everyone was beyond me and more trouble than it was worth. I know if I were a customer in the store I would head for the door as soon as seeing them!

BUT I did notice them saying in the newest Q&A... That the older ones now go every few days, so they don't do that anymore... Wonder if they had been told off for it? seeing as thought I've seen some nasty people tell women and families of one or two off for their kids behaviours in supermarkets, I always wondered about that...

Oh, I doubt it's in J'chele to think anyone would think her howler monkeys are less than perfectly adorable. I believe it's more likely that, now that they can drive, she is content to sit home on her ass and force a J'slave and maybe a buddy or two to think about things such as buying her groceries.

[Beb]

Than the rest of Arkansas? Sure. I don't think I would ever describe it as pretty desirable out of the whole country, though. Just my preference, I guess. And yeah, NWA is more desirable than other parts of Arkansas because there's more diversity and more...amenities, for lack of a better term (restaurants, nightlife, concerts, etc.), but I've never experienced marked cultural differences between it and the rest of the state. It's still...Arkansas. YMMV

Well, by "desirable," I was referring to national standards that define a location to be such. I'm not talking about opinion, but about things such as cost of living (relative low), unemployment/employment (jobs are fairly easy to come by), highly rated schools (some of the best in the country), cultural ameneties (art, nightlife, entertainment, restaurants--lots of choices), economic growth (businesses and industry popping up on a consistent basis; construction, etc).

These are just a few of the criteria for desirability of an area. Personal opinion may well define it as something else. For instance, I prefer living where I do now, despite the higher unemployment rate, higher COL, inferior schools, etc. It's preference or opinion, in that case, based upon things other than those which are used to determine desirability--things used in ratings and polls, etc.

[gustava]

I live not in just Virginia, or SW Virginia, but in FAR SW Virginia. For many people, Virginia is only northern VA around DC, and when they hear SW Virginia, they think Roanoke, but there''re many more miles below Roanoke, of which most people are unaware: ergo, FAR SW Virginia.

[snarkykitty]

By the way, what is up with the phrase "Northwest Arkansas"? I even hear the youngest boys use it. They don't say, "back home in Tontitown" or "back in Arkansas"; it's most often always "back in Northwest Arkansas." I assume it's just a colloquialism of sorts, but it always sounds so weird to me - I want to say "people can probably barely point to Arkansas on a map, they really don't care what part of it you hail from."

NWA has changed a lot in the past 20 years. The first time I went there (95), I was shocked at what they didn't have there. When Krispy Kreme moved in, it was all people could talk about. Then the airport came. That was a huge improvement to the area. The golf course, the building boom, Walmart moving vendors in brought people in from various parts of the country. A good job along with cheap housing all make it very appealing to some.

It's just too hot in the summers for me. And too far from the water. I couldn't live there. I love being 20 minutes from the ocean, having four seasons, and don't really mind the snow.

[SamuraiKatz]

Yeah, I grew up about an hour south of Tonitown/NWA, and we were sick of them ages ago. When Jim Bob was campaigning for office, there were those horrific matching frumper/violin family pictures everywhere. I hated it even then, when I knew next to nothing about the family.

Oh and don't forget the radio ads with Joshie playing the guitar and the kids warbling "Please vote for my daddy!" during Boob's campaign for the state legislature. I was so glad when the campaign was over.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

On the supermarket thing. Two things I'd dread if I lived in their area--coin toss which would be worst:

1. Another filming of the Duggars loading up the pantry with 27 carts and all the content of the shelves

2. An extreme couponer doing the same

Just ugh! I'd hope by now they've learned to order everything wholesale.