Does New Mexico have more than it's fair share of...um...*unique* individuals? (Red River: movies, school district)

[catman]

Poncho_NM: That's an informative and interesting post, but I must say that I object strenuously to those "extended senses"...since the original meaning is so distorted, one may as well use a different word.

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by catman

Poncho_NM: That's an informative and interesting post, but I must say that I object strenuously to those "extended senses"...since the original meaning is so distorted, one may as well use a different word.

I quoted the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. You can object to them. I don't really have a comment on the subject.


Rich

[brubaker]

Originally Posted by PaddyMac

.

In any case, everyone is unique.

[cegraham]

Greetings: my first post.

Brubaker, I suspect you had something specific in mind when you asked this question. Why don't you clarify your use of "unique" and so get more directed answers?

I have been in S. NM since '79 and have traveled around quite a bit. There is even more cultural and individual variety than has been explained so far in this thread. [Yes, you said "unique", which means one of a kind, but which I take to mean "highly individualistic" - some individualistic types form cultural networks]. The North, Middle and South of the State are quite different, geographically, climatically and culturally.

For example, there are the people of relatively pure Spanish descent who occupy many of the small villages in N. NM, people of Mexican mestizo, mostly peasant ancestry who are found in some of the southern villages (both groups annexed by the U.S.), and recent Mexican (and other) immigrants, both legal and illegal.

There are gay communities - I have no idea how many. The North is relatively liberal, particularly in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, while the S. is predominantly staunchly conservative, except perhaps for Las Cruces. Amusingly, the only liberal community I have found in my part of S. NM is a gay one. I mention this because liberals by definition are more individualistic than conservatives.

The American Indian influence is very strong here, with large and small reservations comprising 24 tribes and pueblos. THEY are very unique.

There are certainly all kinds of highly "unique" individuals in NM, some gregarious, some not. More per capita than in most states, I'd guess. Some are that way because of their cultural history or living conditions, others have retreated here from elsewhere because there is space to accommodate them and their idiosyncrasies.

[Be warned: "idiosyncrasies" includes idiots combined with crazies, a combustible mix ]

NM is a uniquely beautiful and fascinating state in many ways, in large measure due to the cultural diversity and history here. (Pssssst, don't tell anyone ; we don't want to be overrun by non-individualistic people!

C

[malamute]

Originally Posted by waldenfam2

Hi, I recently moved to NM in November of 2008 and what a culture shock. Honestly I would say that NM has a fair share of "special" people and a fair share of regular middle class people.

I had a hard time adjusting to the slower pace of life out here since I moved from a large city in MI. However, the people are very friendly, always waving at you and offering a helping hand.

Wasn't "The Hills Have Eyes" filmed in New Mexico?

[brubaker]

and Tarantula???

[brubaker]

Originally Posted by cegraham

Greetings: my first post.

Brubaker, I suspect you had something specific in mind when you asked this question. Why don't you clarify your use of "unique" and so get more directed answers?

I have been in S. NM since '79 and have traveled around quite a bit. There is even more cultural and individual variety than has been explained so far in this thread. [Yes, you said "unique", which means one of a kind, but which I take to mean "highly individualistic" - some individualistic types form cultural networks]. The North, Middle and South of the State are quite different, geographically, climatically and culturally.

For example, there are the people of relatively pure Spanish descent who occupy many of the small villages in N. NM, people of Mexican mestizo, mostly peasant ancestry who are found in some of the southern villages (both groups annexed by the U.S.), and recent Mexican (and other) immigrants, both legal and illegal.

There are gay communities - I have no idea how many. The North is relatively liberal, particularly in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, while the S. is predominantly staunchly conservative, except perhaps for Las Cruces. Amusingly, the only liberal community I have found in my part of S. NM is a gay one. I mention this because liberals by definition are more individualistic than conservatives.

The American Indian influence is very strong here, with large and small reservations comprising 24 tribes and pueblos. THEY are very unique.

There are certainly all kinds of highly "unique" individuals in NM, some gregarious, some not. More per capita than in most states, I'd guess. Some are that way because of their cultural history or living conditions, others have retreated here from elsewhere because there is space to accommodate them and their idiosyncrasies.

[Be warned: "idiosyncrasies" includes idiots combined with crazies, a combustible mix ]

NM is a uniquely beautiful and fascinating state in many ways, in large measure due to the cultural diversity and history here. (Pssssst, don't tell anyone ; we don't want to be overrun by non-individualistic people!

C

Thanks for this great post...that I somehow missed earlier.

[SunInHair]

Brubaker: do you, yourself, believe that NM has more than it's share of "unique" individuals? Not sure how you define unique. We moved from the PNW to NM nearly 2 years ago. I'd say that yes, NM's population is quite diverse overall, culturally and otherwise. There are extremely poor individuals to those with millions of dollars. Based on my limited experience here, there seem to be many transplants from out of state, many from CA, AZ, and TX. There is also a (natural) predominance of individuals of hispanic, native indian, and then some anglos of primarily English ancestry. Asians and those of European ancestry seem to be a minority (again, my experience here is limited).

[brubaker]

Originally Posted by SunInHair

Brubaker: do you, yourself, believe that NM has more than it's share of "unique" individuals?

I think so.

I think the more cross-cultural exchange (even between states) the more people slowly become like one another.

New Mexico, in my mind, is fairly isolated and empty.

BUT! Maybe being empty doesn't mean the people aren't all grouped together in cities and, maybe, they're all originally from 'hub-cities' and share the same American 'monoculture' we all know and love.

So I could be completely wrong.


Who knows, it's just a question to shake out some additional information from the City Data tree about a place I am considering moving to.

Though after the lambasting some of the other posters on this forum have received I'm really starting to think twice.

[cegraham]

Originally Posted by Brubaker

Though after the lambasting some of the other posters on this forum have received...

HeHe, that's the individualism showing; some of us are "ornery unique".

Originally Posted by desert sun

I guess it could kinda be considered deserted considering the population to a state as large as NM, most of the state is actually very rural with a good distance between towns.

New Mexico is the 5th largest state, but the population is only 2 million; we have the 6th from lowest population density at 16.35/sq mile. Only Alaska and Montana are larger but with a smaller population.

The population density is misleading, however. As another posted, most of the habitable land is along the rivers and creeks; the reason for this is that the north of the state is mountainous or densely forested upland, while the remainder is mostly desert. (Another of the delights of NM is the variable geomorphology and resulting spectacular scenery and biological variety). Many of us LIKE desert.

Homesteaders naturally occupied the fertile valleys, and when the frontier was closed, much of the State remained in the hands of the Government. Almost half of NM is State or Federal land.

Thus, the wonderful, great open spaces and concentration of population in scattered cities and towns is easily understood. To my mind, this situation is most desirable. Concentration of population in several cities results in a critical mass that supports a variety of amenities, leaving numerous charming villages here and there, and vast swaths of varingly accessible, uninhabited public lands and wilderness areas.

New Mexico is unique! No wonder some of it's people are. I wouldn't have it any other way.

C

Date sources:
land area sizes of all u.s. states smallest to largest
State By State Government Land Ownership