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I kind of agree but it kind of depends on how we're defining culture to begin with.
I do believe that racial/ethnic groups and the urban/rural divide play the biggest factor in perceived cultural divides.
Here in the Northeast, people in certain areas will feel more of a closeness to their ethnic group more so than their race or being American. There's people of Haitian, Jamaican, Dominican, Nigerian, Ghanaian, etc. descent who identify more with their culture than simply being "Black" and places like Flatbush and East Orange(NJ) often have a different vibe from typical AA neighborhoods. Carnival, which is non-existent in AA communities, is often celebrated in certain Northeast/South Florida areas with a strong Caribbean presence.
Same is true for certain "White ethnic" communities like Astoria with the Greek community, East Bronx with the Albanian community, Brockton with the Portuguese community, Staten Island with the Italian community, Woodlawn with the Irish community, Borough Park with the Jewish community, etc. There's quite a few actual immigrants in these areas that keep the culture alive too and even the generational Americans will borrow certain traditional aspects from the original culture.
Also, one can argue that White Southern culture and Black Southern culture is different as well, although they co-mingle together in a Yin and Yang sort of way. A lot of things that are associated with White Southerners(NASCAR, Country Music, being politically conservative, Confederate flags, being a hillbilly, etc.) don't really apply to Black Southerners.
Overall, though, I agree. I think the U.S. as a whole is trending towards individualism and straying away from regionalism or collectivism across the board. Even, musically, this is happening. Ariana Grande is singing R&B over trap beats but is still labeled a Pop artist(mainly because she's White.) You also have a rapper named Lil Uzi Vert who melodically raps lyrics over 808's while calling himself a "rockstar."
People under the age of 35 generally don't feel a connection to their regions and traditions associated with them anymore, except in rural areas. I talk to people in my age range here in CT all the time and they're far more likely to define themselves with their hobbies, interests, favorite shows on Netflix, etc. than hailing from CT. Then again, Connecticut is a very self-depreciating state compared to say....New York or Texas so maybe that's why.
I kind of agree but it kind of depends on how we're defining culture to begin with.
I do believe that racial/ethnic groups and the urban/rural divide play the biggest factor in perceived cultural divides.
Here in the Northeast, people in certain areas will feel more of a closeness to their ethnic group more so than their race or being American. There's people of Haitian, Jamaican, Dominican, Nigerian, Ghanaian, etc. descent who identify more with their culture than simply being "Black" and places like Flatbush and East Orange(NJ) often have a different vibe from typical AA neighborhoods. Carnival, which is non-existent in AA communities, is often celebrated in certain Northeast/South Florida areas with a strong Caribbean presence.
Same is true for certain "White ethnic" communities like Astoria with the Greek community, East Bronx with the Albanian community, Brockton with the Portuguese community, Staten Island with the Italian community, Woodlawn with the Irish community, Borough Park with the Jewish community, etc. There's quite a few actual immigrants in these areas that keep the culture alive too and even the generational Americans will borrow certain traditional aspects from the original culture.
Also, one can argue that White Southern culture and Black Southern culture is different as well, although they co-mingle together in a Yin and Yang sort of way. A lot of things that are associated with White Southerners(NASCAR, Country Music, being politically conservative, Confederate flags, being a hillbilly, etc.) don't really apply to Black Southerners.
Overall, though, I agree. I think the U.S. as a whole is trending towards individualism and straying away from regionalism or collectivism across the board. Even, musically, this is happening. Ariana Grande is singing R&B over trap beats but is still labeled a Pop artist(mainly because she's White.) You also have a rapper named Lil Uzi Vert who melodically raps lyrics over 808's while calling himself a "rockstar."
People under the age of 35 generally don't feel a connection to their regions and traditions associated with them anymore, except in rural areas. I talk to people in my age range here in CT all the time and they're far more likely to define themselves with their hobbies, interests, favorite shows on Netflix, etc. than hailing from CT. Then again, Connecticut is a very self-depreciating state compared to say....New York or Texas so maybe that's why.
If I’m not mistaken, East Orange is largely AA as a whole.
I kind of agree but it kind of depends on how we're defining culture to begin with.
I do believe that racial/ethnic groups and the urban/rural divide play the biggest factor in perceived cultural divides.
Here in the Northeast, people in certain areas will feel more of a closeness to their ethnic group more so than their race or being American. There's people of Haitian, Jamaican, Dominican, Nigerian, Ghanaian, etc. descent who identify more with their culture than simply being "Black" and places like Flatbush and East Orange(NJ) often have a different vibe from typical AA neighborhoods. Carnival, which is non-existent in AA communities, is often celebrated in certain Northeast/South Florida areas with a strong Caribbean presence.
Same is true for certain "White ethnic" communities like Astoria with the Greek community, East Bronx with the Albanian community, Brockton with the Portuguese community, Staten Island with the Italian community, Woodlawn with the Irish community, Borough Park with the Jewish community, etc. There's quite a few actual immigrants in these areas that keep the culture alive too and even the generational Americans will borrow certain traditional aspects from the original culture.
Also, one can argue that White Southern culture and Black Southern culture is different as well, although they co-mingle together in a Yin and Yang sort of way. A lot of things that are associated with White Southerners(NASCAR, Country Music, being politically conservative, Confederate flags, being a hillbilly, etc.) don't really apply to Black Southerners.
Overall, though, I agree. I think the U.S. as a whole is trending towards individualism and straying away from regionalism or collectivism across the board. Even, musically, this is happening. Ariana Grande is singing R&B over trap beats but is still labeled a Pop artist(mainly because she's White.) You also have a rapper named Lil Uzi Vert who melodically raps lyrics over 808's while calling himself a "rockstar."
People under the age of 35 generally don't feel a connection to their regions and traditions associated with them anymore, except in rural areas. I talk to people in my age range here in CT all the time and they're far more likely to define themselves with their hobbies, interests, favorite shows on Netflix, etc. than hailing from CT. Then again, Connecticut is a very self-depreciating state compared to say....New York or Texas so maybe that's why.
Regarding ethnic rather than racial differences: I think if you're referring to US born or at least raised people, that's secondary rather than primary. I know a lot of Italian-Americans for instance and they don't deviate too far from the image of a stereotypical white American. Ditto Irish and any other whites other than extremely religious Jews.
Bebe Rexha is Albanian, from NY yet she is not (on the surface at least) any different from some WASP girl from Anywhereville, US.
I don't find a big difference between say, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans either.
Even the guys fresh from Jamaica and Guyana at my job dress exactly the same as AA guys, or at least they try too.
If I had to rank order of importance in terms of culture it would be : racee>urban/rural, subculture>ethnicity>region.
And yes, literally the only reason Ariana Grande is considered pop rather than R&B is because she's white. It's actually weird turning on a pop station and hearing a song like "7 rings" which would belong more on a hip hop station if she were black.
I agree to a point. I've lived in the South, Midwest, and New England. The South and New England have very different and distinct cultures. I love BOTH. Though I prefer the South, neither is "better" than the other, just different. But I have felt that the West and Midwest are closer to the overall Americana feel of America. But even they have a certain culture and way of life that gives them a distinction. I really love that about the different regions. But this is just my opinion and from my own experience. Everytime I visit a different region, I learn something new.
I grew up in a mostly White, blue collar suburb of Boston in the Merrimack Valley and I also spent two years in Cambridge. Maybe it was the friends we made in Cambridge, but the people we knew there were quite different from when we'd visit family 25 miles away in my hometown. Also, the people we knew in Cambridge were very well traveled, while many of the people I knew in my hometown had never traveled outside of the US.
But I can remember visiting New Orleans when I was living in Cambridge and met this group from Dallas who were SHOCKED that I walked one mile to work and didn't own a car. SHOCKED. On that same trip, I took a bus from NO to Mississippi and I experienced the subtle racism that we often hear about. The bus I was on was about 25% White and 75% Black, and when we stopped for a 1 hour layover, people seemed to gravitate towards their own people. I remember asking a Black guy a question and he seemed genuinely shocked that I spoke to him.
I've also lived in NYC and I find that even New Yorkers and Bostonians have quite a few differences, especially in volume of voice and arrogance of place.
But I also feel a bit of culture shock when I go to rural areas outside of New England because the level of religiosity is quite a bit higher. I can remember visiting Springfield, MO a while back and a guy was preaching about God in a coffee shop.
Also, outside of New England, I see more people who seem loyal to restaurant chains. I can remember traveling to rural PA and looking for any restaurant that wasn't a chain. The one we found had a 45 minute wait, so we were stuck with TGI Fridays.
I realize I'm only giving anecdotal evidence, but we might not be as different or similar as we think.
There are places that are quite different due to their relative isolation. You don't actually experience regional differences unless you are well off the interstate. Try wandering into the deep Ozarks, parts of Louisiana, New Mexico, Appalachia, and small towns in the deep south. Also, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Boston, and LA would never be mistaken for each other. The two coasts are morphing into a single culture with plenty of similar enclaves across the country but there are still a lot of differences in many places. A lot of it is the deepening urban-rural divide.
There are places that are quite different due to their relative isolation. You don't actually experience regional differences unless you are well off the interstate. Try wandering into the deep Ozarks, parts of Louisiana, New Mexico, Appalachia, and small towns in the deep south. Also, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Boston, and LA would never be mistaken for each other. The two coasts are morphing into a single culture with plenty of similar enclaves across the country but there are still a lot of differences in many places. A lot of it is the deepening urban-rural divide.
The hipsterization of pretty much every city, as well as the internet's strong influence on the youth is homogenizing the country regardless of location.
The main differences between the cities you listed are weather and racial demographics
The very word culture itself is tricky too, especially pertaining to the U.S.
One could argue that riding buses/trains in urban/city areas or hunting for food in rural/country areas is more of an adaptation to one's environment rather than a cultural manifestation.
Also, things like politics are very flexible and tricky. Many Democrats in 2016 voted for Trump and many Republicans in 2020 voted for Biden as an example. You also have plenty of socially conservative Democrats and socially liberal Republicans.
Nonetheless, I can see the argument going both ways. There were parts of Texas where I saw more Blacks and Hispanics dressed like cowboys than Whites....lol.
I grew up in a mostly White, blue collar suburb of Boston in the Merrimack Valley and I also spent two years in Cambridge. Maybe it was the friends we made in Cambridge, but the people we knew there were quite different from when we'd visit family 25 miles away in my hometown. Also, the people we knew in Cambridge were very well traveled, while many of the people I knew in my hometown had never traveled outside of the US.
But I can remember visiting New Orleans when I was living in Cambridge and met this group from Dallas who were SHOCKED that I walked one mile to work and didn't own a car. SHOCKED. On that same trip, I took a bus from NO to Mississippi and I experienced the subtle racism that we often hear about. The bus I was on was about 25% White and 75% Black, and when we stopped for a 1 hour layover, people seemed to gravitate towards their own people. I remember asking a Black guy a question and he seemed genuinely shocked that I spoke to him.
I've also lived in NYC and I find that even New Yorkers and Bostonians have quite a few differences, especially in volume of voice and arrogance of place.
But I also feel a bit of culture shock when I go to rural areas outside of New England because the level of religiosity is quite a bit higher. I can remember visiting Springfield, MO a while back and a guy was preaching about God in a coffee shop.
Also, outside of New England, I see more people who seem loyal to restaurant chains. I can remember traveling to rural PA and looking for any restaurant that wasn't a chain. The one we found had a 45 minute wait, so we were stuck with TGI Fridays.
I realize I'm only giving anecdotal evidence, but we might not be as different or similar as we think.
Yeah the restaurant thing I noticed too. People in New England are far less likely to be loyal to chain restaurants (outside of dunks and 99).
Far more local places than not. Chili's and Applebee's are a vibe in most of America which is crazy to think as a New Englander who ate at the Lynnwood, Town Spa, La Scala el Locale, the Inner and hilltop.
Even as close as NJ people have weird obsessions with chains. I don't get it myself. NYC is less like that (obviously) which I love. But once you hit the NJ border and go west, the local restaurants become less desired it seems
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