# Californication - A New Definition

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/californication-a-new-definition/206221>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 8, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/californication-a-new-definition/206221 "2003-10-08T04:07:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/californication-a-new-definition/206221/1 "2003-10-08T04:07:53Z")

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Californication:

1. The inability to separate fact from fantasy, especially in the arena of government and politics.

2. A widely held opinion that glitz and glamor are deciding attributes for holding high political office and running the fifth largest economy in the world, above and beyond political and/or business competency, reality and (uncommon) common sense.

3. A philosophy originating in the American state of California that when one is fucked up, it is better to do it collectively rather than individually so that when the house of cards falls no one individual can be held accountable.

4. An after-the-fact realization that when the plot goes horribly sour because the writers hoodwinked the audience, one cannot storm the box office and demand a refund of the ticket price.

😃

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**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/californication-a-new-definition/206221/2 "2003-10-08T04:29:59Z")

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I like it, and propose a similar new word…

Washignorance:

1. The inability to separate fact from fantasy, especially in the arena of making superficial assumptions about another state’s governor.

2. A widely held opinion that if someone has glitz and glamour surrounding their public persona, they have no other redeeming traits.

3. A philosophy originating everywhere outside of California - but most prominently in the area around Mount St. Helens - that the opening monologue of the likes of Jay Leno or David Letterman constitute an accurate portrayal about what’s going on in California.

4. An after-the-fact realization that one jumped to conclusions about a person’s character based on the weakest, flimsiest evidence, and no knowledge about that person’s actual background.

😃

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**Author:** ![Palewriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@Palewriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palewriter)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/californication-a-new-definition/206221/3 "2003-10-08T04:49:14Z")

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Spoofe, I think I’m falling in love with you. Are you busy tonight? 🙂

- PW  
who takes all yankees with a pinch 🙂

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**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/californication-a-new-definition/206221/4 "2003-10-08T05:34:49Z")

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1. Sex in California

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**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/californication-a-new-definition/206221/5 "2003-10-08T08:20:00Z")

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You’re a UCSC student too?