West Coast v. East Coast

[deleted3782]

I recently spent time with a great friend from school who grew up on the east coast and now lives in Sante Fe, New Mexico. Within an hour of meeting her, she exclaimed "You are sooo east coast!"

I asked what she meant, though I kinda knew already. I'm fairly focused, very conscious of time, I value efficiency, and I'm a little reserved.

In contrast, she is interested in holistic medicine, she isn't very careful with time, she's very casual, and she tries to be friendly to everyone.

I know that stereotypes don't fit all...but have you noticed characteristics of east coast versus west coast? Do you fall into one or the other? Do you fall more into characteristics of Midwesterners...or Southerners, and what are those?

What about other countries? Are there differences between the south of England versus the north? South of France v. north? New South Wales v. Victoria?

Do these regional differences really define us...or are they just fodder for pop songs?

 

[nudeyorker]

No things are pretty much the same on the east side of Oahu as on the west side in my opinion. LOL
Seriously when I moved to NYC from LA people told me I was sooooo LA for years, about 10 years ago I think the people in LA started saying you are sooooo NY.
I do notice a serious difference in lifestyle and cultural and social mores between Honolulu and NYC.
But Neil Diamond said it best with "LA's fine but it aint home, NY's home but it aint mine no more!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfbOHebiBgw

 

[D_Harvey Schmeckel]

As one who moved from the coast to the edge of Appalachia, I'd say I now feel more loyalty to the Appalachian region than to the East Coast or South. Dislike of large cities, enjoyment of hiking and whitewater paddling, nostalgia about the rural past, all this characterizes western North Carolina and Virginia but also parts of many other states. The more urban parts of the South and East seem almost equally unappealing by contrast.

 

[bendigoboi]

In Australia there is generally an accepted dinstinction between the residents of Melbourne and Sydney.

Melbourne people are educated and cultured, are interested in intellectual ideas, are politically aware and fashion is an important part of their lives, as in an interest in Australian Rules Football - probably the ultimate sporting contest, requiring extreme physical fitness and extraordinary mental dexterity.

Sydney people are much more superficial - dressing garishly and obsessed with money and how they look. What passes for intellectual discourse in Sydney usually involves property prices, and they would rather go to the beach than the theatre or an art gallery.

 

[798686]

I like both US coasts, although they seem very different. The people from the NE USA seem most similar to the UK or European mindset than the rest of the US (they seem slightly more serious and pragmatic?).

There is a huge difference between Northern England and the South. North tends to be poorer, rainier and more industrialised; whereas the South is more affluent and densely populated (in certain areas). Also, Northerners tend to be slightly grittier, maybe due to the legacy of a harsher lifestyle (economically and socially), whereas people from the South are perhaps more reserved and mannered?

 

[D_Harvey Schmeckel]

Too late to add this on edit, but here's a description of Appalachian traits:
"In its traditional aspects, this culture places a value upon rural lifestyle, relative isolation, and a harmony with nature not found in urban areas. There is a strong importance attached to personal relationships and personal interaction, and to the social organizations of kin, neighbors, and church." from this site.

 

[pleasureboy]

Being from the Gulf Coast, I find that the east coast generally thinks they hold some sort of riteous we're the originals mentality, and perhaps rightly so (although technically we were here first), but they aren't snooty about it really.

However, while I have some great friends from California, I find that the vast majority of West Coast people seem to think they are superior to the rest of the country and especially the LA area people have this screwed up misconception that they have the best of everything and that the whole country sits around in their rural squalor hoping to emulate them. Really??

Certainly it varies from person to person, but that mentality seems far too common from LA/OC people and I have to say, having been to LA several times, not only is it annoying but yeesh totally unfounded.

 

[TomCat84]

I recently spent time with a great friend from school who grew up on the east coast and now lives in Sante Fe, New Mexico. Within an hour of meeting her, she exclaimed "You are sooo east coast!"

I asked what she meant, though I kinda knew already. I'm fairly focused, very conscious of time, I value efficiency, and I'm a little reserved.

In contrast, she is interested in holistic medicine, she isn't very careful with time, she's very casual, and she tries to be friendly to everyone.

I know that stereotypes don't fit all...but have you noticed characteristics of east coast versus west coast? Do you fall into one or the other? Do you fall more into characteristics of Midwesterners...or Southerners, and what are those?

What about other countries? Are there differences between the south of England versus the north? South of France v. north? New South Wales v. Victoria?

Do these regional differences really define us...or are they just fodder for pop songs?

Santa Fe, NM is hardly west coast

 

[TomCat84]

Believe me folks, L.A./OC should be considered seperate from the "West Coast" region. They're a region all their own. San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura County, are probably all approximations of what the rest of the country thinks of when they imagine "The West Coast." Laid back, working a job or two in order to pay bills, and being beach bums. L.A. is more of a big city mentality, while San Diego is usually referred to as being a small town that happens to be a big city- which can be good and bad. The heart of San Diego may now be in Downtown, but the soul is definitely still at the beach and military bases.

 

[hud01]

I like both US coasts, although they seem very different. The people from the NE USA seem most similar to the UK or European mindset than the rest of the US (they seem slightly more serious and pragmatic?).

There is a huge difference between Northern England and the South. North tends to be poorer, rainier and more industrialised; whereas the South is more affluent and densely populated (in certain areas). Also, Northerners tend to be slightly grittier, maybe due to the legacy of a harsher lifestyle (economically and socially), whereas people from the South are perhaps more reserved and mannered?

The US is opposite. The north more affluent. But in this case the south is warmer:biggrin1:

 

[deleted3782]

Santa Fe, NM is hardly west coast

Thanks for pointing that out. :wink: I suppose from your perspective, she is as east coast as Palm Springs.

 

[deleted3782]

In Australia there is generally an accepted dinstinction between the residents of Melbourne and Sydney.

Melbourne people are educated and cultured, are interested in intellectual ideas, are politically aware and fashion is an important part of their lives, as in an interest in Australian Rules Football - probably the ultimate sporting contest, requiring extreme physical fitness and extraordinary mental dexterity.

Sydney people are much more superficial - dressing garishly and obsessed with money and how they look. What passes for intellectual discourse in Sydney usually involves property prices, and they would rather go to the beach than the theatre or an art gallery.

When I visited Australia...Melbourne was described to me as a wealthy old dowager who was cultured and sophisticated. Sydney was described as a young beautiful tart.

 

[nudeyorker]

Thanks for pointing that out. :wink: I suppose from your perspective, she is as east coast as Palm Springs.

Someone once told me anything from from Denver west; is considered "West."

 

[ColoradoGuy]

Someone once told me anything from from Denver west; is considered "West."

That's what we think in Denver, anyway.

 

[deleted3782]

I like both US coasts, although they seem very different. The people from the NE USA seem most similar to the UK or European mindset than the rest of the US (they seem slightly more serious and pragmatic?).

There is a huge difference between Northern England and the South. North tends to be poorer, rainier and more industrialised; whereas the South is more affluent and densely populated (in certain areas). Also, Northerners tend to be slightly grittier, maybe due to the legacy of a harsher lifestyle (economically and socially), whereas people from the South are perhaps more reserved and mannered?

Yes, we have a whole set of "North versus South" distinctions in the USA too, but in some ways they are less playful than our east-west generalities.

 

[deleted3782]

Someone once told me anything from from Denver west; is considered "West."

Heh, from where I sit anything west of Knoxville is "west". :tongue:

 

[798686]

The US is opposite. The north more affluent. But in this case the south is warmer:biggrin1:

LOL! Southern UK is warmer...but that's not really sayin much. :wink:
I'm a Northerner incase u hadn't guessed, haha.

 

[TomCat84]

Thanks for pointing that out. :wink: I suppose from your perspective, she is as east coast as Palm Springs.

Nope, never said that either. I would classify Santa Fe as American southwest....which is a whole nuther can of worms. Sarcasm is very unbecoming of you...you're not very good at it

 

[wallyj84]

Being from the midwest, I've never thought much about the differences between the two coasts. I think they're both about the same, a bunch of people driven crazy by drinking too much seawater.

 

[dannyrankin]

West coast has better waves and beaches for sports, the best weed in the world (Emerald Triangle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), overall better music scenes, bigger trees and forests... I don't know. I grew up on the west.