How would you feel about moving to a state with a bad stereotype?

[Ginevra]

How do you feel about it if you already live in a state (or maybe a city) with a bad stereotype? I don't really want to point out the particular state I was considering, but maybe we can just go at this generally? Do you want to move to Mars if "everyone" is always saying, "Oh, you know, Mars! Where everybody is a snobby Jethdorkian." (That's an imaginary category.) Does it influence you? Do you think, "Well, Mars is beautiful and the COL is pretty low, but you know how everyone will assume I'm a Jethdorkian and I'm not sure I can live with that." :tongue_smilie:

 

I'm going to make this a poll, just to prove my silliness.

[Scrub Jay]

Don't all states have a bad stereotype depending on the person talking about them?

 

I live in California, my favorite state that I have ever been to (been to around 30) and love it. Plenty of people love to make cracks about CA. I think Governor Christie did recently in a way that made me think WTH, man?! ;)

[Scarlett]

How do you feel about it if you already live in a state (or maybe a city) with a bad stereotype? I don't really want to point out the particular state I was considering, but maybe we can just go at this generally? Do you want to move to Mars if "everyone" is always saying, "Oh, you know, Mars! Where everybody is a snobby Jethdorkian." (That's an imaginary category.) Does it influence you? Do you think, "Well, Mars is beautiful and the COL is pretty low, but you know how everyone will assume I'm a Jethdorkian and I'm not sure I can live with that." :tongue_smilie:

 

I'm going to make this a poll, just to prove my silliness.

 

Ah, come on you gotta tell what state! Seriously, you have to pm me at the very least.

 

FWIW, when I was 10 I moved from WA state to Arkansas. Every single image I had in my mind about Arkansas was negative. Now I consider it my home except I just moved to Oklahoma which has HUGE negative vibes for people from AR!!!!

 

So yeah, it is all relative.

[sbgrace]

I'm not going to vote because I have no idea if I live in a dorky state or not (is Indiana dorky?).

 

I would move to a place that made sense for my family without giving a single thought to the reputation of the state in people's minds.

[Rebel Yell]

I would move anywhere that did not have my current local accent in a heartbeat. That's more important to me than "coolness."

[Mommyof4ks]

I love my state, but I know we have some stereotypes about us. There are a few states I would not want to love to, but I would move anywhere that made sense for our family.

[FaithManor]

I live in Michigan, the stench, of the cesspool, of the economic crisis and a place that always manages to have public officials who come up with the most insane plans (one year, the mayor of Flint announced he was thinking of cutting down all of the trees on every city property - even the parks - and selling the lumber to pare down the city debt...it would have been a piddly amount of money anyway!!!! :glare:). Then there is the age old fight over whether or not the U.P. should leave Michigan and join Wisconsin - oh yes, the old timers still like to keep that alive - or the fishermen who thought that the DNR should poison the zebra mussels (hello, McFly...think man...what else will that kill??????) or whose schools routinely fire teachers and para professionals citing budget deficits but ROUTINELY increase school sports' budgets by large numbers, and where you can indicate where you live by holding up your right hand and pointing (if your veins are prominent, this also works as a map for showing where I-75 cuts through the state or other major thoroughfares :lol:). Wait, I just remembered our state animal is an animal that has never made Michigan it's home except in the rare, northernmost reaches such as Isle Royale - the Wolverine and now we do not have one.single.state.animal. living in the state, yet our state bird, the Robin, is so common it's laughable! Oh, and we are home to the two worst cities in the U.S. for violent crime, Detroit and Flint.

 

You get my drift. WE AREN'T NORMAL HERE!

 

But, hey homeschool laws are lovely, the scenery is beautiful, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.

 

Faith

[DB in NJ]

Jersey has such a bad reputation. I promise you we are not all like Snookie or Teresa Giudice (Jersey Housewives). ;)

 

I love living in Jersey. It's perfect...except the property taxes :blink:

[T'smom]

Ha! I live in Michigan and while I didn't know it at the time (when I moved here) Michigan is the center of the universe. Just ask anyone who grew up here!

 

I have no idea what opinion outsiders have of Michigan. I know I never gave it a second thought when I lived elsewhere.

[FeFe]

I live in a city that has a stereotype of being snotty/wealthy/shallow...we just moved here this summer.

 

I haven't found the stereotype to be accurate. Yes, there are some wealthy people here but there's a great mix of people. It's nothing at all like the stereotype...so far.

[hsbaby]

I must be an oblivious dork. I didn't know there were any states considered dorky! We moved to TN years ago and heard all sorts of crazy things about it....mostly your typical southern stereotypes. Not very many of them turned out to be accurate.

[Guest]

I live in Michigan, the stench, of the cesspool, of the economic crisis and a place that always manages to have public officials who come up with the most insane plans (one year, the mayor of Flint announced he was thinking of cutting down all of the trees on every city property - even the parks - and selling the lumber to pare down the city debt...it would have been a piddly amount of money anyway!!!! :glare:). Then there is the age old fight over whether or not the U.P. should leave Michigan and join Wisconsin - oh yes, the old timers still like to keep that alive - or the fishermen who thought that the DNR should poison the zebra mussels (hello, McFly...think man...what else will that kill??????) or whose schools routinely fire teachers and para professionals citing budget deficits but ROUTINELY increase school sports' budgets by large numbers, and where you can indicate where you live by holding up your right hand and pointing (if your veins are prominent, this also works as a map for showing where I-75 cuts through the state or other major thoroughfares :lol:). Wait, I just remembered our state animal is an animal that has never made Michigan it's home except in the rare, northernmost reaches such as Isle Royale - the Wolverine and now we do not have one.single.state.animal. living in the state, yet our state bird, the Robin, is so common it's laughable! Oh, and we are home to the two worst cities in the U.S. for violent crime, Detroit and Flint.

 

You get my drift. WE AREN'T NORMAL HERE!

 

But, hey homeschool laws are lovely, the scenery is beautiful, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.

 

Faith

 

:lol::lol::lol: Well, clearly you understood the question!

[Kathryn]

Pretty sure I'm in a dorky state. It used to bother me when I was young, but I don't care anymore.

[T'smom]

I live in Michigan, the stench, of the cesspool, of the economic crisis and a place that always manages to have public officials who come up with the most insane plans (one year, the mayor of Flint announced he was thinking of cutting down all of the trees on every city property - even the parks - and selling the lumber to pare down the city debt...it would have been a piddly amount of money anyway!!!! :glare:). Then there is the age old fight over whether or not the U.P. should leave Michigan and join Wisconsin - oh yes, the old timers still like to keep that alive - or the fishermen who thought that the DNR should poison the zebra mussels (hello, McFly...think man...what else will that kill??????) or whose schools routinely fire teachers and para professionals citing budget deficits but ROUTINELY increase school sports' budgets by large numbers, and where you can indicate where you live by holding up your right hand and pointing (if your veins are prominent, this also works as a map for showing where I-75 cuts through the state or other major thoroughfares :lol:). Wait, I just remembered our state animal is an animal that has never made Michigan it's home except in the rare, northernmost reaches such as Isle Royale - the Wolverine and now we do not have one.single.state.animal. living in the state, yet our state bird, the Robin, is so common it's laughable! Oh, and we are home to the two worst cities in the U.S. for violent crime, Detroit and Flint.

 

You get my drift. WE AREN'T NORMAL HERE!

 

But, hey homeschool laws are lovely, the scenery is beautiful, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.

 

Faith

 

This is so funny. It hasn't been my experience at all. I live in SW MI if that matters. What do you think outsiders think of us? I doubt they give any thought to our state animal/bird. I didn't even know what they were. My dh grew up near where we live and when we went to his reunion, 90 percent of his class still lives in the same town. Though everyone seems to make an annual trip to FL, I swear that's the only time they leave the state. All the rest of their vacations are right here!

[Bang!Zoom!]

Where I am headed they do not worship the Packers, I am going to have a rough adjustment. Sniff.

 

I have had a really good time going from Michigan to Washington state, I didn't have any stereotypes in mind before coming here, way more beautiful than I could of ever imagined. I am a little concerned and curious about the next move though, but it will probably turn out just the same again, just need to be happy where you are.

[ThisIsTheDay]

I wouldn't move to WV. I don't want to be a homeschooler who cuts hair at home living in WV. It has too much joke potential.:D

 

 

:lol::lol:

 

(I'm just kidding. Sort of.)

 

;)

[FaithManor]

This is so funny. It hasn't been my experience at all. I live in SW MI if that matters. What do you think outsiders think of us? I doubt they give any thought to our state animal/bird. I didn't even know what they were. My dh grew up near where we live and when we went to his reunion' date=' 90 percent of his class still lives in the same town. Though everyone seems to make an annual trip to FL, I swear that's the only time they leave the state. All the rest of their vacations are right here![/quote']

 

 

Well, there is a subset of rural, Mid-Michiganders who have gone to rural, agricultural schools that are SERIOUS about those State History classes! :lol:

 

I don't know about what outsiders think, but is it wrong to hope that next year some other state gets the nod of "most violent"????? :001_huh:

 

And yes, recently at a school board meeting, there was very big frackus about the virtues of using sand vs. salt when it's icy out.

 

Faith (Ducks head inside closet before revealing anymore zany Michigan antics)

[Jennifer3141]

Well, there is a subset of rural, Mid-Michiganders who have gone to rural, agricultural schools that are SERIOUS about those State History classes! :lol:

 

I don't know about what outsiders think, but is it wrong to hope that next year some other state gets the nod of "most violent"????? :001_huh:

 

And yes, recently at a school board meeting, there was very big frackus about the virtues of using sand vs. salt when it's icy out.

 

Faith (Ducks head inside closet before revealing anymore zany Michigan antics)

 

 

Hey for us up here, we forget that Detroit and Flint are two different cities!!

 

We were just in Saginaw last Friday and what a dump that place has become!! :(

[Farrar]

They won't even let my state be a state. But it's super cool anyway. Even if we don't have the right to vote.

 

It's true... there are some dorky states I wouldn't move to. I'm not naming names though.

[nukeswife]

Where I am headed they do not worship the Packers, I am going to have a rough adjustment. Sniff.

 

 

 

I'm probably the worst Wisconsinite in the bunch. I never worshipped the Packers and will never worship them. I have lived in 5 different states and don't know what would be considered a dorky state. Each one I've lived in has its good and bad points. I don't want to stay where I currently am, but that's only because it is really crowded and the motto of this area should be "Hampton Roads you CAN'T get there from here" After all I64 East actually goes south, until it goes West and meets up with I664.

[BamaTanya]

Pretty sure I'm in a dorky state. It used to bother me when I was young, but I don't care anymore.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

(Although we've met many retired military folks who had worked an assignment in our area and came back when they got the chance!)

 

Now I've been around enough to know there is good and bad anywhere you go. It's up to you to find the good and make the most of it.

[Guest]

So, which are the coolest states? I think these:

 

Texas

Oregon

Colorado

Washington

Virginia

Wyoming

Florida

California

Massachusettes

Pennsylvania

Arizona

Montana

New Mexico

Rhode Island

Connecticut

 

Maybe, perhaps North Carolina. Texas is so much cooler than any other state it's the front-runner by three-fold. :D

 

ETA: Of course! AK and HI! But they are so cool, we forget we get to call them our own!

Edited October 9, 2012 by Quill

[Guest]

They won't even let my state be a state. But it's super cool anyway. Even if we don't have the right to vote.

 

It's true... there are some dorky states I wouldn't move to. I'm not naming names though.

 

Yeah. DC is in its own personal hell of non-statemanship. That is so weird.:001_huh:

[Stayseeliz]

I grew up in Florida but I live in SC now which is DH's home state. We live in his hometown which most people consider pretty "southern". My brothers make fun of the town because they live in big towns. I want to hurt people when I go to big cities and have to deal with the traffic. I had to do my time in Orlando and Raleigh. I like my smaller town just fine. As for the state I love SC!

[KungFuPanda]

I'm not going to vote because I have no idea if I live in a dorky state or not (is Indiana dorky?).

 

I would move to a place that made sense for my family without giving a single thought to the reputation of the state in people's minds.

 

Indiana is not dorky; it's corny. :D

[Farrar]

Now I want there to be a coolest state poll. Can there be a poll with 50 choices?

[Stayseeliz]

As for Florida being "cool"-meh. I lived there for 20 years. I left as soon as I could. I love the mountains. I don't like the bugs, heat, high cost of living, etc. I miss my family but I don't miss Florida.

[freeindeed]

I voted for the second choice.:)

I live in Alabama, and I think it's a cool state. I know there are stereotypes about the south, but they don't fit me...well, the good ones do.;) Seriously, I would live anywhere I felt like living and wouldn't worry about the state's presumed coolness factor. I'd find a way to make it cool.:D

[Guest]

Now I want there to be a coolest state poll. Can there be a poll with 50 choices?

 

No; the max number of choices is ten. That would be fun to see, though.

[Meriwether]

Now I want there to be a coolest state poll. Can there be a poll with 50 choices?

 

 

You'll have to make 5 polls by region and then have a sixth with the top ten.:D

[Farrar]

No; the max number of choices is ten. That would be fun to see, though.

 

Elimination rounds?

[Guest]

As for Florida being "cool"-meh. I lived there for 20 years. I left as soon as I could. I love the mountains. I don't like the bugs, heat, high cost of living, etc. I miss my family but I don't miss Florida.

 

Yeah, well. I can't say I'd want to live in FL because it's too hot for me, BUT I don't think anyone is ever embarrassed to say they live in FL. People come to Florida on purpose; they spend their vacation money there. That is a strong hint that a state is perceived as cool, probably. :D

[FaithManor]

Hey for us up here, we forget that Detroit and Flint are two different cities!!

 

We were just in Saginaw last Friday and what a dump that place has become!! :(

 

Oh yes, I hear ya....scary, scary, scary! They still haven't settled the Milton Hall issue and I'm pretty certain that this is kettle boiling under the surface. It will not be pretty when it erupts and I can't say as I'd blame the residents.one.little.bit.

 

Faith

[MindyD]

I grew up in Florida but I live in SC now which is DH's home state. We live in his hometown which most people consider pretty "southern". My brothers make fun of the town because they live in big towns. I want to hurt people when I go to big cities and have to deal with the traffic. I had to do my time in Orlando and Raleigh. I like my smaller town just fine. As for the state I love SC!

 

 

I love SC too! Yes, we're very Southern, but I can go to the beach and the mountains in the same day in SC, and I think that makes us cool. :tongue_smilie:

[Just Kate]

I wouldn't move to WV. I don't want to be a homeschooler who cuts hair at home living in WV. It has too much joke potential.:D

 

 

:lol::lol:

 

(I'm just kidding. Sort of.)

 

;)

 

:confused: :confused: :confused:

 

I was born in WV and live here now. I know it is considered a dorky state. Honestly, I agree most of the time. But it is home! :)

[catz]

I think of areas more than entire states being cool. I live in MN and there are many places outstate I wouldn't want to live. But I LOVE living urban in the heart of the Twin Cities metro. Duluth is a cool area too.

 

Wisconsin has some great areas - Door County, Madison, Milwaukee. Chicago is a great city but I wouldn't want to live out state Illinois either. I wouldn't want to live anywhere in Texas except for perhaps Austin or San Antonio.

 

I think a bunch of this is perspective. We're liberal leaning, so I feel more comfortable in liberal cities. I'm sure plenty of people would say Minneapolis/St. Paul isn't cool (although, I'd wonder if they'd actually been here and done anything). I've traveled to all parts of Texas and Florida and wouldn't particularly want to live in either of those states for anything, but we have friends and relatives who love it. Some people LOVE CA and some people hate it. I'd love to live in the Bay area or San Diego. I would not chose to live in the LA area.

 

I just wanted to send a shout out to Tennessee. We drove through it last year and it was beautiful and people were great throughout! Kentucky was great too.

[In the Rain]

So, which are the coolest states? I think these:

 

Texas

Oregon

Colorado

Washington

Virginia

Wyoming

Florida

California

Massachusettes

Pennsylvania

Arizona

Montana

New Mexico

Rhode Island

Connecticut

 

Maybe, perhaps North Carolina. Texas is so much cooler than any other state it's the front-runner by three-fold. :D

 

ETA: Of course! AK and HI! But they are so cool, we forget we get to call them our own!

 

Interesting list. Some of them I couldn't agree with at all. I guess it depends on where you grew up and what stereotypes and prejudices you were exposed to.

[Guest]

:confused: :confused: :confused:

 

I was born in WV and live here now. I know it is considered a dorky state. Honestly, I agree most of the time. But it is home! :)

 

WV is a beautiful state. People do say things about it, though. :tongue_smilie: If you serve meatballs, it is assumed they are venison. Would I care? Hmmm. That is why I put up the poll - would I care? I'm still not certain.

[regentrude]

I live in Missouri. I did not choose this state - we moved here for the job.

I'd rather live in other states, but here is where our jobs are. (Picking one's state? What an utter luxury people must have. Many do not even get to pick the country.)

[Stayseeliz]

Yeah, well. I can't say I'd want to live in FL because it's too hot for me, BUT I don't think anyone is ever embarrassed to say they live in FL. People come to Florida on purpose; they spend their vacation money there. That is a strong hint that a state is perceived as cool, probably. :D

 

I think just like there are "dorky" states there would be "dorky" towns. I think I lived in a "dorky" town in Florida. It's actually near the beach but we were looked down on by the "richer" high schools even though I don't think they had any more money than us.

 

I like to visit my family and the kids have a great time at the theme parks, beach, etc. But it's not my thing. SC is home now. I love being near the mountains.

[stripe]

I did it.

 

And when I moved here, everyone made fun of my previous state. I was the only one in my college class from my state. My classmates (and even one professor, who actually called me an "airhead" -- early on in the conversation, although I made sure she ate her words) made fun of me. And then quite a few moved to my previous state after graduation.

 

And I've grown to like my adopted state.

 

I am not sure how open minded I am, in spite of myself. I am not sure I want to live in some places.

[Guest]

Interesting list. Some of them I couldn't agree with at all. I guess it depends on where you grew up and what stereotypes and prejudices you were exposed to. Texas has always been #1 on my list of states I'd never live in. I'm intrigued that you find it three times cooler than anywhere else. :lol: Now I've been here for 2 years. The people are okay, but the place in general is not for me. :001_huh:

 

As someone who went to college in Northern CO, I absorbed some not very nice opinions of Wyoming. ;) I'm sure it is as nice as CO though.

 

Yes, I'm sure it matters where you've spent time. I've always lived on the east coast; always lived in MD, in fact, so of course I could be totally wrong about how someone in OK feels about TX, say.

 

TX seems super-cool to me. When I was vacationing in CO, I got pulled over for speeding in my red rental car with TX plates. I'm convinced it was the TX plates that got the cop's attention. He said, "See that plucky chic in the red Texas car? I need to put her down a notch!" :lol:

[Guest]

I think just like there are "dorky" states there would be "dorky" towns. I think I lived in a "dorky" town in Florida. It's actually near the beach but we were looked down on by the "richer" high schools even though I don't think they had any more money than us.

 

I like to visit my family and the kids have a great time at the theme parks, beach, etc. But it's not my thing. SC is home now. I love being near the mountains.

 

True. I was born in a dorky town. I don't think Maryland really hits anyone's radar screen as either cool or dorky, but I lived in a made-fun-of town in Maryland. Dats right, hon. :tongue_smilie:

[In the Rain]

True. I was born in a dorky town. I don't think Maryland really hits anyone's radar screen as either cool or dorky, but I lived in a made-fun-of town in Maryland. Dats right, hon. :tongue_smilie:

 

nm

[sewingmama]

I live in a city that has a stereotype of being snotty/wealthy/shallow...we just moved here this summer.

 

I wish I could afford to live in a place like that :D

 

My town is the other end of the spectrum. It has a reputation for being full of low income welfare bludgers. It's rural and we moved here because DH got a job teaching here and there was nowhere closer to live - that and COL is cheap :D

 

I haven't found any problem living here -in fact DH got another job 2 hours away and I make him commute because I don't want to leave.

 

I had a lady ask me where I lived and when I told her she screwed up her face and said "Oh isn't that where all the poor people live?" :001_huh:

So apparently wealth doesn't always buy you tact and good manners :lol:

 

I don't mind living here - I'm can't afford to live in a wealthy suburb and honestly I don't think I would want to because from what I've seen you need expensive baby strollers and designer diaper bags and brand name clothes for your kids - and I'm not buying that for my kids who ruin everything ;)

[catz]

TX seems super-cool to me. When I was vacationing in CO, I got pulled over for speeding in my red rental car with TX plates. I'm convinced it was the TX plates that got the cop's attention. He said, "See that plucky chic in the red Texas car? I need to put her down a notch!" :lol:

 

:001_huh: :D Really? I would have thought the cop did an eye roll and said "oh boy, another Texas whack-a-doodle thinks she owns the road". :lol: Texas is just not at all on my radar as "cool"? I've spent many many hours driving across it. I do really like Hill Country, San Antonio, and Austin. I had fun walking across the border far south. I'm not sure I'd chose to live there though. My parents used to winter there and they almost seemed embarrassed about it. :lol: Now they brag about wintering in Mesa, AZ. :tongue_smilie:

[Wheres Toto]

Jersey has such a bad reputation. I promise you we are not all like Snookie or Teresa Giudice (Jersey Housewives). ;)

 

I love living in Jersey. It's perfect...except the property taxes :blink:

 

:iagree:

 

New Jersey seems to have the worst reputation among people who have never been here, or never went past the airport.

[1bassoon]

See my siggie :glare:

 

(I do like it here, but feel SERIOUSLY out of place during football season. As in, right now.)

[mrsrevmeg]

I live in Alabama. We rank in the bottom of almost of everything, except obesity. So what? There are lovely things about my state. Not everyone is an idiot that thinks football is the ultimate reason for living.

 

hahaha! I didn't see what was right above.

[Stayseeliz]

True. I was born in a dorky town. I don't think Maryland really hits anyone's radar screen as either cool or dorky, but I lived in a made-fun-of town in Maryland. Dats right, hon. :tongue_smilie:

 

I get that! The thing is that I see so many similarities between the town I live in now and the town I grew up in. Here we call the hillbillies "southern" but in Florida they are called "crackers". :) It's all the same. But it's a whole lot more expensive to live in and harder to homeschool in Florida! ;)