Why is California considered part of the Southwest? (state, life, people)
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I was just thinking today.. After browsing through many forums that classify California as part of the Southwest, I'm sorta curious as to why they do that.
I've always thought of the Southwest as (traditionally) Arizona, Texas (or parts thereof), southern Colorado, southern Utah, and New Mexico. The reason why I DON'T include California in the Southwest is because it has a completely different culture, almost one entirely of its own. The food is different, a lot of slang can be different, the lifestyle is different, and even the ways they became territories and states are VERY different.
For example, California has a VERY materialistic culture- Everyone wants to be as flashy or sophisticated as their wallet will allow. New or leased cars every other few years, flashy jewelry, clothing, and cars, HUGE houses, and a general attitude that one is constantly being judged.
On the other hand, people in the Southwestern states who have a lot of money (exceptions can be made for Texans with caddies and all that, People who live in Phoenix, Santa Fe, and Scottsdale) don't seem very keen on showing it. Instead, they invest their money into land or livestock (or both) and make their living that way, so they often have the semblance of not having as much money when they actually have quite a lot (Case in point: my boss, who owns a small restaurant in the middle of nowhere, has several million dollars in trusts and land holdings but instead chooses to farm.. and run the restaurant.. and drive a Chevy pickup.. and run a restaurant.. and lives in a log house)
What say you? Do you really think that California is part of the Southwest? Do you think that it is something entirely of its own? Or is it part of some "Pacific Coast" group including Oregon and Washington? Is California really just doing the "old money from the East Coast" thing but with a different spin?
Last edited by 2goldens; 06-10-2010 at 04:45 PM..
Reason: Moved from Other Topics
Not meant to be a CA bashing thread. Also, thanks for the obvious answer there, bud.
California is "literally" in the southern half of the US, and in the western portion of it. I suppose what I meant to ask was why people include it in with the other states when it is clearly something in another category entirely?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JordanJP
Not meant to be a CA bashing thread. Also, thanks for the obvious answer there, bud.
California is "literally" in the southern half of the US, and in the western portion of it. I suppose what I meant to ask was why people include it in with the other states when it is clearly something in another category entirely?
Because geographically speaking, California IS within the Southwest portion of the US and should be categorized along with the others.
They also include Nevada in the southwest. Part of it is, just like part of Calif is. But I always considered Calif as west. Because it's as far west as you can go before hitting the ocean.
For example, California has a VERY materialistic culture- Everyone wants to be as flashy or sophisticated as their wallet will allow. New or leased cars every other few years, flashy jewelry, clothing, and cars, HUGE houses, and a general attitude that one is constantly being judged.
As long as we're making sweeping generalizations in this thread... going by the example the OP set, everyone in New Mexico must be myopic, video game playing, narrow-minded college kids with problems communicating what they mean to say.
Alrighty then. Now I'll get back to counting my money and flashy jewelry inside my flashy and sophisticated 1500 square foot HUGE house built in 1943, with the 1997 third-hand former Hertz rental car with the paint falling off of it parked in the garage here in the barrio of South Fontana.
I LOVE being materialistic!
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