Canadian Politics Today
Beyond Politics => General Discussion => Topic started by: SirJohn on January 19, 2018, 04:51:38 pm
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Interesting map and explanation. It divides North American into 11 areas and says they all have their own distinct culture, often at odds with other of the 11, and that no agreements can be reached without understanding the 11 separate cultures.
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/this-map-shows-north-america-really-has-11-separate-nations-with-entirely-different-cultures/ss-AAuTqg0?ocid=spartanntp
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I’m impressed that they captured the regional differences in New Brunswick. I’d like to know he difference between the Midlands and Yankeedom.
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New York gets its own country. Hmph.
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I remember as a young woman when I moved from the Cariboo to the Peace region and then to the North Coast, it was noticeably different in each place. One doesn't have to go far to experience a different culture.
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I’m impressed that they captured the regional differences in New Brunswick. I’d like to know he difference between the Midlands and Yankeedom.
Well, if you clicked through the capsule descriptions the difference seems to be about the role of government.
Yankeedom
Residents in these states, founded by Puritans, are more comfortable with government regulation than people in other regions. They also value education, citizen participation in government, and the assimilation of outsiders, Woodard said.
The Midlands are "America's great swing region," Woodard wrote, citing the region's ethnic diversity and politically moderate views.
Midlands society is "pluralistic and organized around the middle class," Woodard wrote. People here reject government intrusion.
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The map is interesting. Its clearly an attempt to discuss cultural patterns and like all generalizations has of course some truth to it. I think though Florida is a very wierd place. Miami area, West Palm-Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, the Keys, and Northern Florida are very distinct.
I think an argument could also be made to make a gay culture in parts of California, Rhode Island, New York, Florida (the keys). You could make a hell of an argument for a distinct Cuban culture in Miami-a pronounced Jewish culture concentration in Miami and New York City, a pronounced Haitiens presence in Florida, then the Latino spread of population in California and only certain Southern states.
I guess it depends on what dominant cultural patterns you look for. I think you could do one with a fundamentalist Christian region and an urban-rural split as dominant cultures.
I do think its accurate in the way it defines the dominant cultural traits it singles out. Its an interesting discussion starter. Its certainly fluid and could be added to or split into some more overlapping cultural patterns but it does a good job.