Did you hear the one about the loud-mouthed Texan?

February 20, 2008 5:24 PM

Is there a version of this representing attitudes from people within the US about their neighboring states?

If not, someone smart needs to start collecting all the stereotypes. Just don't ask someone from Arkansas. ;)

posted by bjork24 to human relations (28 answers total)

People from Washington think that people from California can't drive and push up real estate prices beyond levels affordable by locals.
posted by Jacqueline at 5:29 PM on February 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

Californians think the same thing about other Californians, Jacqueline.
posted by letitrain at 5:35 PM on February 20, 2008

That doesn't mean that Washingonians don't feel that way also.
posted by amtho at 5:46 PM on February 20, 2008

Californians don't care what other people think about them.

New Yorkers think everyone cares about New York City, when in actuallity, no one outside New York does.
posted by Argyle at 5:51 PM on February 20, 2008

These generalizations are all well and good, but I was really wondering was if there's a collection of them outside this thread's comments.
posted by bjork24 at 5:57 PM on February 20, 2008

-was
posted by bjork24 at 5:58 PM on February 20, 2008

New Yorkers think everyone cares about New York City, when in actuallity, no one outside New York does.

People outside New York? I guess you mean commuters, but they certainly care about NYC. I'm not sure I quite understand your point.
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 6:16 PM on February 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

We Mississippians are just glad there is an Arkansas.

(Living happily in MS, born in AR)

Start your own list :P
posted by thebrokedown at 6:20 PM on February 20, 2008

"I was really wondering was if there's a collection of them outside this thread's comments."

Making a list is more fun!
posted by Jacqueline at 6:26 PM on February 20, 2008

I agree, but then the powers that be call it chatfilter and I cry all night long. :(
posted by bjork24 at 6:33 PM on February 20, 2008

I thought the saying here in Arkansas was, "Thank God for Mississippi." ;P

Incidentally, I'd surmise that a lot of the "complaints" that states have towards each other will boil down to certain commonalities when those states share borders. For example, Drivers from X state are horrible drivers! After that, it probably boils down to regionalisms with exceptions for the larger populated states like California.

Not quite related, but while searching for the above, I found this "Guide to International Students" which actually has some regional stereotypes and what have you. Incidentally, here's a lecture given by a State Department officer to Europeans about the differences in the United States by region.
posted by Atreides at 6:38 PM on February 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

Pennsylvania here.

I've heard (and please don't anyone take offense):

California is the land of fruits and nuts.

Florida is all newlyweds and nearly-deads.

New Yorkers are aggressive drivers.


Oh and FWIW, Fark has a tag just for Florida and the (uhm) interesting stories that happen there.
posted by NoraCharles at 6:50 PM on February 20, 2008

If you ceded the lower counties of Iowa to Missouri, the average IQ of both states would rise 10 points.

Or so those farking pigfarmers to the north say... Iowegians, who needs'em?
posted by IAmBroom at 6:53 PM on February 20, 2008

Wisconsin people think Illinois people are horrible drivers who clog up our vacation spots and trash our state while skipping out on taxes.
posted by Madamina at 6:58 PM on February 20, 2008

I love this site: executiveplanet.com -- It's about doing business overseas (which I don't do and still find it fascinating reading). Just click a country/flag and it goes on and on about how if you're in country X don't address your host's wife directly, and be expected to share your glass of booze with everyone else at the table, passing it around, etc etc... Quite interesting.
posted by albatross5000 at 7:08 PM on February 20, 2008 [3 favorites]

Maryland people think Virginians are lousy drivers (and vice versa).
posted by Rash at 7:19 PM on February 20, 2008

Maryland people think Virginians are lousy drivers (and vice versa).

They're correct. Both ways. No where else have I seen such consistency in driving the same speed in all lanes as in the Maryland and Virginia portions of I-95. It inevitably happens in some places at some time, but almost constantly it seemed whenever I drove there.
posted by explosion at 7:44 PM on February 20, 2008

There's not a guide that I can find like that, but I'd sure like to read one. Write it!
posted by Kloryne at 8:04 PM on February 20, 2008

Having spent significant periods of time in several different regions of the country, I'm wondering about the degree to which these things can be generalized.

People in the wealthier state think that people in the poorer state are stupid, trashy, criminal, etc. People in the more urban state think that people in the more rural state are rubes, hicks, Opie Taylor types, inbred. There's a flipside to both of those, of course. And, also: people in one group think that people in the other group are bad drivers.
posted by box at 8:12 PM on February 20, 2008

This probably isn't quite what you had in mind, but Ohioans hate Michigan simply because of football. They really do.
posted by gueneverey at 8:37 PM on February 20, 2008

madamima: proud to be a fib. people from illinois tend to not think highly about people from indiana. and michigan and ohio actually fought a war.
posted by lester's sock puppet at 9:01 PM on February 20, 2008

New Yorkers think everyone cares about New York City, when in actuality, no one outside New York does.

I suspect that your average Californian would agree with this statement 100%.

A decent amount of gooling didn't net me any lists that you're looking for, and I'm even having a hard time finding per-state opinions.

Everyone seems to hate California though, but I'm too stoned to care... ;)
posted by starscream at 9:12 PM on February 20, 2008

My high school history teacher was from North Carolina, and one of his favorite sayings was:
"North Carolina- A valley of humility between two mountains of conceit" in reference to South Carolina and Virginia.
I think that in the South, the stereotypes aren't so much about other states as they are about other states' universities' football fans. The most vivid of these is that every Florida fan wears jean shorts, without exception.
posted by Dr. Grue at 9:26 PM on February 20, 2008

THIS is the best I can do. Not only does it have tons of different opinions of all the states...it also has a voting system so you can see what people (probably from other states) find it accurate or humorous.

Not the best, but pretty dang useful.
posted by hal_c_on at 9:48 PM on February 20, 2008

We New Yorkers don't think you care about us. We don't even know you exist, except for California, and we really don't get California. I mean, what the fuck is going on out there? I mean, really.

Yikes! This is going to be a rough thread. [exits stage left]
posted by Admiral Haddock at 10:22 PM on February 20, 2008

New Yorkers think everyone cares about New York City, when in actuality, no one outside New York does.

Umm Chicago here. We do think about New York.
posted by melissam at 10:32 PM on February 20, 2008

I know I saw a mass-market humor book on more or less this topic about 30 years ago, but I have no idea what it was titled.

There are definitely some broadly held opinions about one's neighbor states, mainly in the areas of contact like driving or buying up property or applying for too much welfare. There are derisive nicknames (Wisconsinites call Illinoisans "flatlanders", they call us "cheeseheads"). There are sports rivalries (WI-vs.-IL is only enhanced by Green Bay vs. Chicago). In general, though, I think that most states are not perceived as having a distinct culture, at least not nearly to the extent that (say) ethnic groups do. Unfortunately (for all of us), I think that ethnic humor largely replaces this type of international humor within the US.

There are a few states, though, such as California or Texas, that have a few traits considered notable, and with these the same view probably extends nationally -- that is, all Americans except Texans have a roughly similar view of Texas. You also have broad regional stereotypes such as the Mason-Dixon dividing line.

A lot of states have barely any profile simply because Americans have pisspoor geography skills. Sample: the Tennessee waitress who asked us (ca. 1977), "Wisconsin? Is that up north somewhere?"
posted by dhartung at 10:49 PM on February 20, 2008

Without interjecting my own personal opinion on all of this, it is well-known that New Hampshirites call those to the south of them "Massholes" at every available opportunity.
posted by Greg Nog at 10:19 AM on February 21, 2008