Is Minnesota a greatly underrated state? (Minneapolis, Dakota: home, schools, university)

[Arkansas Mac]

After having lived in Minnesota for over 60 years, I don't think Minnesota is underrated at all.

( for darn sure not greatly underrated )

[xandrex]

Originally Posted by Beenhere4ever

As a 40 year resident, I'd say "overrated". Ever since Time put Wendy Anderson on the cover with a fish. And Garrison Keillor created his mythical village. People don't look beyond the image management to the realities. And I'm not at all talking about cold weather. Somalis came from one of the earth's hottest places to one of America's coldest places. I don't think winter is their greatest challenge. I'm always intrigued and amused how quickly a very traditional population adapted to the cold. But politically, the state is a mess! I'm not sure the commentators fully disclose the mess we're in. So without that, the state is not what the perception is.

Considering the fact that our national image is that of a "flyover state", you really argue we're even worse than that.

[Beenhere4ever]

My question is if its "underrated" why so many people planning to move here with or without jobs? I'm taking for granted that all know about the weather. So what do all these people think they are going to find here? Certainly not the "progressive" state it was when I made it my home. Look at some of the people who won election. Maybe slightly better than Wisconsin which the Koch family seems to own.

[xandrex]

Plenty of people are moving in (we have a great economy, for one thing), but being underrated is compared to your relative benefits. So the question is: for the benefits Minnesota has, does it get the approval it should? NYC has plenty of people moving in, but if people just thought it was "okay" for [insert benefit x here], then it too might be underrated (for the record, it's not).

We're pretty consistently rated as healthy, happy, intelligent, environmentally-conscious, and yes, even progressive. The United States might not have the particular flavor of progressivism you would like, but it's a national-scale thing, not just that Minnesota has gone "downhill" in that regard.

[Beenhere4ever]

This makes me think of high school. "Do the other kids think I'm cool enough?" "Will the popular kids have anything to do with me?" Some people live their whole lives that way (R T Rybak is their leader). To me maturity is leaving that behind.

[xandrex]

Ah. Well now that we know RT is behind it all... *sigh*

[MickeyDickey]

The things that make a state great are natural beauty, recreational activities, career opportunities and nightlife. I would say Minnesota ranks in the top ten in all of these things, and the states which surpass Minnesota are incredibly expensive places that everyone has heard of and no one can afford. So, by these standards, Minnesota is indeed underrated.

[Beenhere4ever]

Originally Posted by xandrex

Ah. Well now that we know RT is behind it all... *sigh*

And that, folks, is how to avoid dealing with reality.

[xandrex]

Originally Posted by Beenhere4ever

And that, folks, is how to avoid dealing with reality.

Ah, yes. Please enlighten me, dear sir, how I am avoiding "dealing with reality"...

[Beenhere4ever]

Originally Posted by xandrex

Ah, yes. Please enlighten me, dear sir, how I am avoiding "dealing with reality"...

So you can go on pretending you're clever? Life is too short.