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When you self-identify, when you see yourself, which is the strongest: your city, state, region, or the US? The default, one would think, would be the nation, the United States. But we are all aware that in a state like Texas, many people see themselves more as Texans than Americans. The South, our most distinctive and set apart region, traditionally had many people who see themselves more as Southerners than Americans. Due to its global nature, one would think that in NYC, many see themselves more as New Yorkers.
It would be hard to argue that the glue that holds the US together is fraying in a deeply divided nation. If I had asked this question, let's say 50 years ago, I would think that the self-identity of the vast vast majority of Americans was the good ol' USA. Today, I think it would be far less. And, I suspect that national identity will continue to shrink.
So within the scope of geographical units/areas in our country, which is your greatest self-identity: city, state, region, nation? And why?
And the beauty of this thread, if it actually has some, would be that....obviously.....there are no wrong answers, a rarity on C/D.
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I would first say I'm from Central PA. Also, but more importantly I would identify as an American. America is so large you have to narrow it down to be more specific.
Also, as far as a large region, the Northeast is a pretty generic descriptor, and therefore I wouldn't use it. First of all it is confusing as far as what is NE (some arguing MD, DE, WV not included, some arguing Mid Atlantic is a descriptor, is Pittsburgh really midwestern? -strange argument IMO). It's not as big a deal/as commonly used as "the South" or "the West Coast" or "New England" (part of the NE). Honestly I think "the Bos-Wash corridor" is even a more commonly used descriptor than "the Northeast" .
City. The city is the actual, specific place that a person lives in.
State and Country borders mostly exist for political reasons. For example in my State I don’t identify at all with Niagara Falls or Buffalo since they are 300 miles away. I’d be quicker to identify with Jersey City, NJ since it is right next door to me despite the fact that it’s across State lines.
And then The USA as a whole is just way too big. There are places in the USA thousands of miles away from me that really couldn’t be much more different than NYC, where I live, so I don’t really identify with them at all.
I think because I'm a Philadelphia transplant in New Mexico (and don't feel entirely at home with the culture here), I identify more with the U.S. This is compounded by my sense that parts of the west could really end up breaking away from the United States at a future time. It didn't feel that different to me when I first moved here, but the longer I stay, the more different it feels.
I would say region I guess. Although it sort of depends on familiarity and culture.
I consider myself an Idahoan, but I'm comfortable in all the neighboring states as well. Mountain West/ PNW then "flyover country" secondarily. My folks are from the midwest so I'm comfortable there. I only briefly lived in Alaska over a summer but defiantly identify more with Alaska and their values than Florida or New England or something.
Abroad I absolutely feel "American" although since I've spent a good amount of time in Italy I feel more at home in Rome than NYC or DC even though I'm not Italian and my Italian skills are so so.
I've lived in Texas 7 years but I don't feel totally Texan, but I've been making an effort to read Texas history to understand my current home better.
I think it is inevitable that the country will break up, which while kinda sad is just how things work. There is no longer any common American values holding us together besides generic terms like "Freedom" which no one actually agrees on the definition anymore. I guess we are all consumers, so yay for sharing in that global culture, we both have iphones, congrats. lol
I think, American. I was born in MA, but I lived and raised my children in Ohio. Now I live in GA, but have no emotional ties here.
If you are asking which state I’m from, I’d say Ohio, although I love still feel my core roots are in New England.
Given the current political climate, I actually see myself as American more than I see myself as a human.
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