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"Middle America" is an imprecise wiggle word term used by lazy people and commentators who make a broad observation but don't exactly have a place in mind and want to include anyone who might identify with it. There really is no opposite broad exclusionary concept in use.
Not many will exclude themselves in the following...
Middle America loves mom, baseball, and apple pie.
Middle America is God fearing, generous, and stands up for the little guy.
Middle America works hard, plays hard, and loves its heroes.
You can't show anyone on the map where that is or isn't.
In popular thought, I think middle America means anything between the Rockies and the Appalachians, excluding the Deep South and Southwest.
Culturally it means people who are mostly center-right in terms of social values and politics, followers more than setters of artistic trends, middle-class but not college-educated, homeowners more than renters, more white and less ethnic, and wedded to cars more that mass transit.
Obviously you can find the cultural middle America all over the country while there are cities and towns in the geographic middle America that don’t fit the stereotypes.
IMO, the truer divide though is urban/suburban vs rural/suburban, not Middle America vs Coastal America.
If this was the case then the term wouldn't exist. It would just be "midwest”
If we’re talking about the ‘Lower’ Midwest then yes, I believe the two terms historically were interchangeable. But perhaps not in the 21st century where the majority of Americans live within major metropolitan areas.
Thought this would be an interesting documentary to share in regard to the subject matter of this thread. Would be interested to hear other opinions on it.
Perhaps it did mean midwestern farmland towns historically, but it's such a broad term to describe such a distinct part of a region that I'm not sure I believe that.
I guess places like Denham Springs, Central, Covington, and Mandeville in Louisiana are kind of like Middle America with a Southern twist. Or perhaps a quaint town like St. Francisville LA or Natchez, MS.
I think it's easier to describe what is *not* Middle America, which is NYC, Boston, DC, LA, and SF Bay Area for sure.. Hawaii if you count that. Chicago, Seattle, Philly, San Diego, and Miami are kind of borderline and I could go either way on those. Of course most major cities have pockets that wouldn't feel like Middle America, but I'm going to discount that and focus more on the overall regions. So I think places like Denver, Austin, and even Portland are still Middle America, even if you might be able to bury yourself in the city proper and not feel it.
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