Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never understood this, but I also don't get being really into where you went to college. I love where I'm from and have fond memories of college, but I don't find either of these things defining aspects of my personality.

And I guess that's my read -- people who get really into their state/city of origin or their alma mater are using it as a proxy for developing actual interests or personality traits. It's just easier to decide early on "I'm a Texan! I love hot sauce and big hats! This is my identity!" than to spend some time figuring out who you really are underneath. And I say that as a Texan (and UT grad who loves both hot sauce and solid cowboy hat. It's just those things don't define who I am.

I find it interesting that no one acknowledges the social privilege aspect of big
college football team pride in this era.

I don't know if that's necessarily true. I grew up in Wisconsin, and went to UW. Madison is considered Hippie and Liberal to the rest of the state and there's a weird anti-UW sentiment. NONE of that, however stops the majority of the state from cheering for the Badgers on a Saturday football afternoon.

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Anonymous wrote:Delighted to be out of California for good

Yes too bad the liberals destroyed a good part of CA. Use to go to Seattle a lot but same thing...a lot of homeless and crime. Residents started getting trucks and taking their tents and crap out of the parks and downtown. My friend lives in Portland and it's changed a lot there as well. Former cool cities with bad politics.

Californian here:
This is exactly what I'm talking about. I just need to roll my eyes at this foolishness. Pretty much every major city in the US has homelessness, unaffordable housing, etc. That's the way its been since....forever.

I'm very happy that Governor Newsom is pushing forward with legislation that would create court-ordered mental health services and institutionalization:

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-03-04/what-is-newsom-care-court-plan-homeless-mentally-ill-californians

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Using three States where people I’ve personally met seem incredibly proud to be from - Texas, New Jersey and New York. I’ll also throw in the city of Cleveland because I know someone who boasts proudly of having lived there for their entire childhood.

Are you raised to be proud of your State? How did it work for you?

Why is it certain States or cities and not others that have a good portion of the population that carry that pride everywhere they go? Is it encouraged?

The same reason we are proud of our country, whatever its faults. Are you really this stupid?

Op here. Actually, when I sit here and I think about it, I don’t think I have that feeling for the country either. Perhaps that’s also related to how patriotic those around you are or how you were raised?

For instance, my grandfathers and great grandfathers served in the Service (Army and Navy) but my family didn’t make that a point of discussion in our home. No celebratory mention of being military family, etc.. no wearing of tshirts or bumper stickers, etc… no special celebrations or mentions for Memorial or Veterans Day. The list goes on but I don’t ever recall being made to feel proud of the country at home or really at school in a way that moved me to want to make that known to the world or a point of bragging or conversation. If anything, I remember before my first international travel being advised by friends to lie and tell people I was from Canada.

We just didn't have a ton of time or extra money for travel, so vacations were almost always Rehoboth, Myrtle or Disney.

Sadly, it is about the same for my kids. Since my husband's family isn't local, our limited vacation time is spent going to visit them in a state we fly to. I wish it were to somewhere interesting - it isn't

I travel a ton for work and have been in every U.S. state for this but Alaska, usually for more than a week at a time.

I have to ingratiate myself to new people at every stop and ask a lot about local traditions and customs. Just about every place I have ever been says that locals make a big deal about pride of being from there (and act like they do so more than in other places).

The other think people do just about everywhere is act like they live in the only state in the country with extreme weather changes.

Anonymous wrote:All the people I know like this are this way, IMO, because of a lack of travel.

My parents are both from WV. They moved to VA in the 80s and had my siblings and I here. 99% of my relatives are still in WV. They're very much like this with the WV pride because they know of no other places, for the most part. Many have been to visit us in VA and they absolutely hate it here and in DC. Other than that, they go to Myrtle Beach in SC for vacation. A motorcycle event in OH. None of them have passports or any desire to ever travel internationally.

Hi, grew up in WV, went to WVU. I love the state because it helped shape my perspective once I did start traveling and living more broadly. I love WVU because of the sense of camaraderie and connectedness most Mountaineers tend to share. West Virginia is complicated: It's beautiful; it has pervasive poverty; it's been pillaged for profit by outsiders; the people are kind and genuine but resolute in their beliefs, many times to their own detriment. Most of all, it's authentic, a pocket of the world that hasn't been invaded by transplants, a place where family and traditions remain central to the culture, and a wellspring of unexpected treasures.

So I guess that's where my pride comes from, since it's certainly not from lack of exposure to other places. FWIW I never went to Myrtle Beach until college, but I've always had a passport and of course have traveled internationally. I'm proud to flout ugly assumptions and lazy generalizations. I'm proud to be from a place that is beautiful and intriguing and much more than anyone expects or gives credit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Using three States where people I’ve personally met seem incredibly proud to be from - Texas, New Jersey and New York. I’ll also throw in the city of Cleveland because I know someone who boasts proudly of having lived there for their entire childhood.

Are you raised to be proud of your State? How did it work for you?

Why is it certain States or cities and not others that have a good portion of the population that carry that pride everywhere they go? Is it encouraged?

Where are you from OP? Some flyover place you're embarrassed of, like Ohio or Michigan?

Op here. Native Washingtonian. Born and raised here. In my opinion, there is not really a sense of personal ownership for D.C. unless you are counting maybe in that we had the Chocolate City title for a time or for the love of go-go. You just don’t naturally get geared towards deeply loving this place or going elsewhere and expressing this fondness for your hometown. Thus, it makes me curious to know how people develop a deep love for their State/City.

Love the responses everyone!

Fellow native Washingtonian here and I do feel a sense of personal ownership for the city. My family goes back generations, and I am perpetually amazed by the stereotype that everyone in DC is a white former student council president who moved here from Indiana.

Anonymous wrote:I live on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. I have traveled the world. While there are places that are more beautiful and more cultured, this is home. I feel a need to protect the bay. I feel the direct impact when people don’t. I equate the bay to Maryland and love Maryland.
I also appreciate most things about Maryland - politics, education, etc. There are definitely idiots that live here but all in all, I love it.

I remember talking about Bay conservation in elementary school in MD in the 80s. My parents now have a condo in Norfolk right on the Bay. So the Chesapeake has been a big part of my life, as well. I think of the area as home.

My wedding reception was actually in Chesapeake City, overlooking the canal

Anonymous wrote:Using three States where people I’ve personally met seem incredibly proud to be from - Texas, New Jersey and New York. I’ll also throw in the city of Cleveland because I know someone who boasts proudly of having lived there for their entire childhood.

Are you raised to be proud of your State? How did it work for you?

Why is it certain States or cities and not others that have a good portion of the population that carry that pride everywhere they go? Is it encouraged?

The same reason we are proud of our country, whatever its faults. Are you really this stupid?

Anonymous wrote:I live on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. I have traveled the world. While there are places that are more beautiful and more cultured, this is home. I feel a need to protect the bay. I feel the direct impact when people don’t. I equate the bay to Maryland and love Maryland.
I also appreciate most things about Maryland - politics, education, etc. There are definitely idiots that live here but all in all, I love it.

❤️💛🖤🤍

Anonymous wrote:Delighted to be out of California for good

Yes too bad the liberals destroyed a good part of CA. Use to go to Seattle a lot but same thing...a lot of homeless and crime. Residents started getting trucks and taking their tents and crap out of the parks and downtown. My friend lives in Portland and it's changed a lot there as well. Former cool cities with bad politics.

I am from Pittsburgh and people have a lot of pride because it is an area that is generally overlooked. I get it in that context.

Anonymous wrote:Michigan: great summers in the UP, easy access to Canada through the Windsor Tunnel, University of Michigan, great restaurants and Bell’s brewery, strong public schools to be found, major league sports, Metro airport has tons of connections domestic and international, generally friendly people

Yes MI is one of my top states. TX has many different pockets and Austin has been upcoming for sometime now.

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Anonymous wrote:People from San Francisco are crazy proud of their city. They get into fights with Los Angelinos all the time.

Just FYI, "Los Angelinos" is not a term.

Los Angelenos. Typo. My deepest apologies.

No, the term is “Angeleno,” if you must use a shortened version. But really very few people from LA call themselves that. We just sat we’re from LA, or often, specify the neighborhood.

It’s pronounced “douche bag”.

Please keep showing your ignorance about CA. Next thing you know you’ll be calling it “San Fran”.

You keep making my point for me. Thanks.

Delighted to be out of California for good