Poll: Do U.S. states have their own culture/identity?

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  1. #1

    Do you believe each U.S. state has it's own culture and/or identity?

    An interesting discussion I was having with a Briton on another forum. The British man argued that the nations of the United States are little more than "administrative zones" and lack their own culture and identity. Needless to say, I believe that the United States isn't a homogenous entity, but rather a federation of 50 states. I believe these states, while sharing many common themes and a federal political framework, are unique.

    Those arguing that each United States state has it's own culture and identity can point to a number of examples. One of these examples is the fact that each state has it's own unique constitution, government, laws and political environment. While the United States is generally perceived as "two party system" by outsiders, many states have independent and third party representatives in their state legislatures; whereas some states (Nebraska) have banned political parties altogether. Another example is that each state has it's own unique history, which molds a collective identity for the people living in the state. Each state also has it's own state symbols, such as flags, coats of arms, state birds, state flowers, state fish, etc. Many states even have their own national holidays to celebrate their national identity. States also differ drastically from each other in other respects, for instance, my home state of Missouri is a rural agrarian state and the people here have vastly different views than those from "urban" states, such as the District of Columbia and most of New England.

    Conversely, those arguing that states do not have their own cultures and identities can point to other examples. Members of this group claim that the United States is a "federation in name only," because the federal government regularly violates the Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which results in states effectively losing their sovereignty. They also claim that there are little or no differences between the cultures of different states. They also claim that the borders of states were defined solely on administrative conveniences, rather than cultural, historical or ethnic grounds.

    The question I pose to you is whether or not you believe the 51 nations comprising the United States have their own culture and/or identity? Or whether the United States is an entirely homogenous state and there are no cultural differences between the states? What has led you to the conclusions that you have drawn?
    Last edited by Nakura Chambers; 2013-05-03 at 05:08 AM.

  2. #2
    Not really. The regions in the US are pretty respective of the states that make them up, but to say each state has its own culture/identity, beyond a name, is really stretching a point.

    For instance North and South Dakota, or Kansas and Nebraska, or Minnesota and Wisconsin have pretty similar cultures and identities, despite being different states. I didn't see a huge difference between Oregon and Washington either.

    This is ignoring your false accusation that the Federal Government violates the tenth amendment.

  3. #3
    the problems with the culture of the us is that it dose not split on the state lines say norcal vs socal can be a bigger change then say Kentucky, Tennessee. or even some cites have a culture all there own.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Sanguinare View Post
    the problems with the culture of the us is that it dose not split on the state lines say norcal vs socal can be a bigger change then say Kentucky, Tennessee. or even some cites have a culture all there own.
    While that is certainly true, couldn't the same be said for other countries? Take for instance how many cities, towns and regions in Germany are comprised by a majority of ethnic Poles. Or how most of Africa was drawn up on colonialist lines, rather than ethnic ones?

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by obdigore View Post
    Not really. The regions in the US are pretty respective of the states that make them up, but to say each state has its own culture/identity, beyond a name, is really stretching a point.

    For instance North and South Dakota, or Kansas and Nebraska, or Minnesota and Wisconsin have pretty similar cultures and identities, despite being different states. I didn't see a huge difference between Oregon and Washington either.

    This is ignoring your false accusation that the Federal Government violates the tenth amendment.
    You picked a bunch of states that are next to each other.

    Try one of these and say there is no cultural differences: Louisiana vs Alaska. NY vs Hawaii. California vs Everyone who isn't California
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  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Sasquatch View Post
    You picked a bunch of states that are next to each other.

    Try one of these and say there is no cultural differences: Louisiana vs Alaska. NY vs Hawaii. California vs Everyone who isn't California
    As I said. States in the same general region are alike, and states in different regions aren't. It isn't '51 little nations', nor is it 'one giant like thinking mob'.

  7. #7
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    Regional areas are more promenant, however I believe each state has their ins and outs for their own culture. Maybe not as diverse as Europes, but each state does have its own thing. Obviously Texas, New York, Florida, and California would be the largest examples, but even Rhode Island and Wyoming have theirs too.
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  8. #8
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    There are variances and they are significant when looking within American culture, but when comparing American culture to foreign culture, the differences are minimal. Nowhere even close to the differences between say, Germany and France, Russia and India, China or Mexico.

    Americans, regardless of state, celebrate the vast majority of the same religious, national and cultural holidays.
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by obdigore View Post
    As I said. States in the same general region are alike, and states in different regions aren't. It isn't '51 little nations', nor is it 'one giant like thinking mob'.
    It can basically be summed up as "rude, arrogant jerks" towards the northeast, "friendly, attractive, and all around great people" in the south, and "people live there?" everywhere else.

    Some states have a more distinct identity than others. You'd never mistake Texas for any other state in the union.
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  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by PizzaSHARK View Post
    It can basically be summed up as "rude, arrogant jerks" towards the northeast, "friendly, attractive, and all around great people" in the south, and "people live there?" everywhere else.

    Some states have a more distinct identity than others. You'd never mistake Texas for any other state in the union.
    So the people who hate anyone that isn't just like them (the south) and the people who just want to get on with their lives and drag the rest of the country into the first world (northeast and west coast) are the rude, arrogant jerks?

    Yes that makes sense.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by obdigore View Post
    Not really. The regions in the US are pretty respective of the states that make them up, but to say each state has its own culture/identity, beyond a name, is really stretching a point.

    For instance North and South Dakota, or Kansas and Nebraska, or Minnesota and Wisconsin have pretty similar cultures and identities, despite being different states. I didn't see a huge difference between Oregon and Washington either.

    This is ignoring your false accusation that the Federal Government violates the tenth amendment.
    As a resident of Oregon, I am deeply offended by your comment. Ok, not really :-P I think Washingtonians drink more coffee than we do, though.

    I too would say that it isn't so much that states have different cultures, but different regions of the country definitely do.
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  12. #12
    i'd say the only really big cultural differences are texas and the deep south. texans kinda make it a point to stand apart from everyone else and the deep south cause of history.

    i've lived on the west coast, rockies and midwest. for me, there was no major difference. there's slight underlying tones: spanish for socal, nordic for minn and cowboy/health nut for co...but they're really understated. everyday life was exactly the same.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by obdigore View Post
    So the people who hate anyone that isn't just like them (the south) and the people who just want to get on with their lives and drag the rest of the country into the first world (northeast and west coast) are the rude, arrogant jerks?

    Yes that makes sense.
    I don't know what you're talking about "hates everyone who isn't just like them," because the Southern states are the friendliest states in the country. Yea, you got the occasional bass-ackwards hermit, but that is true of every state.
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  14. #14
    wait dang i'm a foreigner and i pressed an american poll option

    I'm sure they do, however subtle it might be.
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  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Sasquatch View Post
    I don't know what you're talking about "hates everyone who isn't just like them," because the Southern states are the friendliest states in the country. Yea, you got the occasional bass-ackwards hermit, but that is true of every state.
    ... nah. f you go to the southern cities the people are friendly, and generally more liberal than if you are out in the country. Plus I was just busting PS's balls because he hates anywhere that has more than a thousand people in a 10 mile radius.

  16. #16
    Void Lord Elegiac's Avatar
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    Cultures do not tend to conform to state boundaries, so no. The cultural differences are more regional.

    ---------- Post added 2013-05-02 at 10:43 PM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by endersblade View Post
    As a resident of Oregon, I am deeply offended by your comment. Ok, not really :-P I think Washingtonians drink more coffee than we do, though.

    I too would say that it isn't so much that states have different cultures, but different regions of the country definitely do.
    Ever seen Portlandia? It's also pretty much a verbatim description of Western Washingtonians as well.

    The difference is that Western Washington tends to be more gentrified than Oregon.
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  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by obdigore View Post
    So the people who hate anyone that isn't just like them (the south) and the people who just want to get on with their lives and drag the rest of the country into the first world (northeast and west coast) are the rude, arrogant jerks?

    Yes that makes sense.
    If joining the rest of the first world means having to talk like you inbred freaks, I'll stay in whatever world I'm in!

    Quote Originally Posted by obdigore View Post
    ... nah. f you go to the southern cities the people are friendly, and generally more liberal than if you are out in the country. Plus I was just busting PS's balls because he hates anywhere that has more than a thousand people in a 10 mile radius.
    Why do you think there's so much more crime in big cities!? Man was not meant to live surrounded by concrete and steel!

    Infracted: No nation/region bashing please
    Last edited by Pendulous; 2013-05-03 at 04:59 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan Cailan Ebonheart View Post
    I also do landscaping on weekends with some mexican kid that I "hired". He's real good because he's 100% obedient to me and does everything I say while never complaining. He knows that I am the man in the relationship and is completely submissive towards me as he should be.
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  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by LilSaihah View Post
    wait dang i'm a foreigner and i pressed an american poll option

    I'm sure they do, however subtle it might be.
    I sent Sunshine a private message, asking her to change the last poll option from "American" to "foreigner." I apologize for the confusion.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by PizzaSHARK View Post
    If joining the rest of the first world means having to talk like you inbred freaks, I'll stay in whatever world I'm in!
    You imply that the ones with greater genetic variation and much larger pools to draw from are the inbreds?
    Why do you think there's so much more crime in big cities!? Man was not meant to live surrounded by concrete and steel!
    Socioeconomic conditions. I would also note that there is plenty of crime in the countryside.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Arctic Daishi View Post
    I sent Sunshine a private message, asking her to change the last poll option from "American" to "foreigner." I apologize for the confusion.
    No I clicked the top one because I'm a derper ;(
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