Timewaster's Guide Archive
General => Rants and Stuff => Topic started by: 42 on July 27, 2006, 11:59:04 PM
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Because it causes such a furor among some members (and the boards needs to be more active), I found this article:
The most representative State (http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/07/27/mg.thu/index.html)
To be honest, I'm a little dissapointed that Utah is not considered to be more freakish. I knew places like New York and West Virginia had their freak on, but honestly, I thought Utah would make a better showing.
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Most of the least-typical states tend to come from the Northeast, including Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.
I find this very interesting, especially because of how I noticed so many people in the Northeast always looked down on the rest of the country in political terms while I lived there. The Northeast is really as much of a cultural bubble as Utah is. This isn't a bad thing--it's still a great place to live. But it certainly isn't Middle America.
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I don't think this study says much of anything. the lower your score the closer you are to the middle. If you had a state that had higher income, higher rate of college degrees, lower real estate values, and a diverse political outlook, you'd rank really low. So... I'm not sure what, if anything, this study is trying to accomplish.
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Go Wisconsin!!! Way to be average.
However, I think with a few more factors, Wisconsin would look less normal. Consider:
1) The funny accent (people in Wisconsin tend to elongate their vowels).
2) People in Wisconsin seem to average 300 lbs from their steady diets of brats, cheese and beer. Last time I checked, Wisconsin was one of the fattest states in the Union.
3) Wisconsin cheese is certainly not average.
4) Wisconsin has cooler summers and bitterly cold winters (well below the US average).
5) There is insane worshipping of the Green Bay Packers (signified by the wearing of cheeseheads).
6) Wisconsin has 9,999 lakes (don't mention Minnesota)
7) There are more dairy cows and red barns in Wisconsin then in most states.
Having lived is Wisconsin, I find it interesting that it is the most average state. But it depends are what is being measured. I'm not supprised that the Northeast, Utah and California are considered less typical than the midwest. Besides, people in the midwest are very nice.
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For those who might need more referrence material on the best places to live:
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/
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In my sociology classes (and my anthropology, social work, and social research classes), every state is considered to be its own cultural bubble.
However, researchers like the idea of there being a state that approximates the average for the entire U.S. Remember that the average is some point between extremes. So for them the states on low end of the study would be useful in trying to study what the whole might be like. Since it is rarely possible to study the whole, you have to look for average segments to study then generalize to the whole. Also, it's good to point out where your behavioral outliers might be so that you can either ignore them or give them individualized attention.
So the study is useful for researchers who want to get a representative idea about the U.S. without traveling to all 50 states.
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Another problem is that the state is a semi-artificial border. While there are real distinguishers (the state government), culturally, economically, and politically they are influenced across state borders.
And no one region of hte state will represent the whole either. Viriginia for example. Fairfax County, VA is one of the highest per-capita incomes in the nation. This is certainly non-representative of the rest of the state. Politically and socially, we are much more influenced by DC or Maryland than we are by Richmond.
I would think that researchers would be more interested in smaller community chunks that, while not entirely socially autonomous, would make for more definitive and cohesive chunks.
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Posted by: 42 Posted on: Today at 7:48am
In my sociology classes (and my anthropology, social work, and social research classes), every state is considered to be its own cultural bubble.
However, researchers like the idea of there being a state that approximates the average for the entire U.S. Remember that the average is some point between extremes. So for them the states on low end of the study would be useful in trying to study what the whole might be like. Since it is rarely possible to study the whole, you have to look for average segments to study then generalize to the whole. Also, it's good to point out where your behavioral outliers might be so that you can either ignore them or give them individualized attention.
So the study is useful for researchers who want to get a representative idea about the U.S. without traveling to all 50 states.
Political scientist make a big deal about which state is average. For a long time, New Jersey was the typical state, then Iowa and so forth. Politicians have paid close attention to this because they erronously assume that if they gear there campaigns towards the political climate of the average state, then the national campaign will be more effective.
So, we'll see how many more political events start occurring in Wisconsin. Until some other state is consider the most average state, I hope to see more pictures of Madison. There is a great convention center in Madison, south of the state capital building on the the shores of lake Menona.
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I have writen off the NE pretty much as the neighborhood Snob. Especialy Boston and NewYork
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Now now, don't be knocking the rest of New York just because the City is an a-hole. Now, I'd say out of the entire state Buffalo has got to be one of the friendliest cities. But that's just in the state of New York, I'm not saying the entire US. I'm sure someone will say that such and such a city is friendlier.
Not many people honk their horns, there is no yellow checkered taxis, and if you do see one it is definately out of place. There are multitudes of bars/restaurants/lounges/clubs to go to in the city if you want to have some fun.
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No, I'm with Oseleon. The NE is the neighborhood snobs. After living in the midwest, where people are much friendlier, it becomes apparent the Northeasterners get a little full of themselves. I get tired of how people in the NE have to tell the rest of the US how deprived it is compared to the NE (particularly those from New York and Boston), even though they've never gone farther west then Pittsburg.
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+h
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Apologies, I did nit diffrentiate between NYC and Upstate...
Upstate = OK
NYC = Snobbery
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I assumed you did. "Why would one list a city(Boston) and a state?" was my reasoning.
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Meanwhile, we of the SE are considered the most hospitable, as well as the stupidest..... I'm sure its just the farmgirl accent thing :P
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I'm not considered stupidest!
Oh, you mean South East
The thing is, those who aren't in the South don't understand that it is the best place on earth.
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People confuse simplicity and curtesoy with stupidity and nievity.
The South is a great place to live once you adjust to the pace
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What's "curtesoy"? Some new kind of soy curds product? Hmm. I would've thought the Californians and not the rednecks would be into that.
Oh, and what is this "nievity" you speak of? Hmm. I don't think that one's in Webster either.
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see. this is exactly what we mean. May I point out that the anal one making fun of Oseleon's spelling is in *Boston*
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pfft. I kind of dislike Boston myself--not to mention the fact that I am a Utah girl. *ahem*
Honestly, I don't really care to live here for much longer. But I'm stuck here until I get my degree. :P
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well, just to let you know, you've let it adversely affect you.
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Sorry SuperE!! :-/ I agree wholeheartedly that the South is one of the best places to live, though sometimes the place is frustrating.
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I'll agree that the south is a good place to be. Especially if you've worked in the North for a while. Since we have much better work ethics up here we get paid remarkably well down south since it seems like we're doing an amazingly spectacular job compared to most people down there.
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:o :( >:( :o :P well, uh, that did not sound very nice!!!
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well, just to let you know, you've let it adversely affect you.
Is Boston the "it" you're referring to? If so, I suppose you could say I "let" it affect me adversely but, come on, different places don't always "fit" everyone. That's why it's somewhat... pointless about arguing where *the* best place to live is. It depends a great deal on the person.
Just because I didn't fall in love with Boston like I did with London or because I have a special regard for my home state doesn't mean I'm picky or unreasonable. That's just how I feel based on many factors. So, SE, I'd appreciate it if you could let up on the lecturing, okay? Thanks.
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uh.... sorry?
I don't recall castigating you for not liking Boston, though.
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Spelling errors are infact transmission errors and I cannot be held responsible.
Spelling errors coupled with grammer are a result of the fact that I do not speak english but D66rish, a language of my own invention while it borrows much from english it is not the same and has it's own vocabulary and grammer
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Hmmm, it would seem that my thoughts of Oselon's opinions were valid and well thought, but now I see the error in my ways.
Oselon is in fact foolish and requires that I pay no attention.
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I am crushed