# Top states whose denizens are way too proud of themselves. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 20, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508 "2013-06-20T21:18:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/21 "2013-06-21T02:48:45Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > California is a hub of art, innovation and commerce. Granted, only a small number of people in the larger cities (LA, SF, to a lesser degree SD) actually contribute, but a hub it is. So I don’t find it silly myself, because you’d be part of a state which contributed a lot to the world. I’d be vaguely proud to live in California. Awesome weather too. It is being nationalistic. It may be jingoistic, but it is part of our nature. We also gave you gangs, Nancy Pelosi, Richard Nixon, Donald Sterling, the City of Bell, new age nonsence, amazingly arrogant types who think because they live in Los A ngeles they are somehow intelligent..at least smarter than other Americans…what is the drop out rate in the LAUSD again? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/22 "2013-06-21T02:53:06Z")
Coloradans seem to be pretty damn smug. Californians for sure. Especially if they move to a different state, then it’s all, “We didn’t do that in\* California\*” and “It’s not like this in _California_”. Blech. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/23 "2013-06-21T02:55:39Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Texas takes credit for the Alamo, and the rest of the country blames Texas for the Alamo. The John Wayne one or the 2004 one with Billy Bob Thornton and Dennis Quaid? The John Wayne one was pretty overrated and didn’t age well, the 2004 one was underrated and really pretty good. Also, Texas gave us the Alamo Drafthouse, which makes up for all previous Alamos. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/24 "2013-06-21T02:55:47Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > But are we annoyingly proud about _California_? I’ve met some people who are annoyingly smug about the Bay Area, but California in general? This. As a data point, I proudly cite: Myself. My primary affinity for the Bay Area, and all of Northern California, lies primarily in the astounding jaw-dropping beauty of the region. (Well, what’s left of that, what with all the growth and development.) I’m like, _meh_ about the people (probably myself included), the politics, the economy, more-or-less. But the region is definitely still fab, even though it was much more so in an earlier day. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/25 "2013-06-21T02:57:55Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > We also gave you gangs, But with the gangs came gangsta rap, so I’m torn. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/26 "2013-06-21T02:58:26Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > The John Wayne one or the 2004 one with Billy Bob Thornton and Dennis Quaid? The dead one. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/27 "2013-06-21T03:00:21Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > But with the gangs came gangsta rap, so I’m torn. But Gangsta Rap came from middle class dudes..not real gangbangers. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/28 "2013-06-21T03:03:54Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > The dead one. The 2004 one, then? Like I say, it was a good movie and didn’t _deserve_ to bomb. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/29 "2013-06-21T03:06:18Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Really, I can’t think of any Michiganders who are inordinately proud of their state. What about the ‘Yoopers’? Eh? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/30 "2013-06-21T03:10:25Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > But Gangsta Rap came from middle class dudes..not real gangbangers. 😉 Yeah, but they were middle class dudes \* from California\*. Embrace it. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/31 "2013-06-21T03:17:08Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > What about the ‘Yoopers’? Eh? and that dirty little rat Ronnete. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/32 "2013-06-21T03:25:26Z")
> [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > Hawaiians know they live in Paradise and are rightfully proud and happy Hawaiians only tell each other how awesome living in or being from Hawaii is. The rest of you already know and we’re ok with that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/33 "2013-06-21T04:07:52Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > What about the ‘Yoopers’? Eh? “And dat’s when I seen him, da thurdy point buck!” ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/34 "2013-06-21T04:36:28Z")
Texas was the only state that popped into my head on seeing the thread title. I hadn’t even known it was a thing before I joined the Army and noticed firsthand the unwarranted amount of pride Texans took in the location of their mothers’ vaginas when they were pushed out. I’m from California - Bay Area, actually - and I’ve never known people to go around like they’re King Shit because they’re from here (then again, at least half the people here _aren’t_ from here). Most I hear is relief that we live in one of the most liberal areas of the country, especially from people who came from conservative communities. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/35 "2013-06-21T05:54:34Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > New Jersey: It’s a Jersey thing To the extent this actually is a ‘thing’ and not just something from South Park, you denizens of the other 49 states and probably planet only have yourselves to blame. People have dumped on NJ for so long (yeah, double entendre - bet you got that too - you should be ashamed :mad: ), that it was the only way we could fight back. Just like the nerds at school formed their own clique and felt superior in their own way, NEW JERSEY ROCKS!!! WOO-HOO!!! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mathematics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@Mathematics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathematics)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/36 "2013-06-21T06:17:20Z")
**Definitely** people from Portland, Oregon rival Texans in unnecessary smugness about where they are from. People from elsewhere in Oregon are somewhat bad about it anyway, but people from Portland cannot wait to inform you of that fact. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/37 "2013-06-21T06:45:20Z")
Minnesotans, especially those from the Twin Cities, are unbelievably pretentious: a bunch of unsophisticated Midwestern hicks trying to act like New Yorkers. Wisconsin is at least as bad, but in another way: people there are just as full of themselves but don’t have the brains to act pretentious. Move the entire population of Minnesota to Wisconsin, and you’d raise the IQs of both states. I grew up in Minneapolis and spent an awful 18 months living in Milwaukee. I was never so glad to leave a place as I was with both of them. You couldn’t make me live in the Midwest again if you put a gun to my head. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/38 "2013-06-21T06:54:10Z")
Speaking as a person who grew up in Oregon and moved to Texas, this perception is absolutely 100% accurate. Texans are excessively proud of their state. I can’t imagine anyone walking around with a tattoo of Oregon on their arms, but I would bet there are probably 1000’s upon 1000’s of Texas tattoos out there. Hell, you can get little texas tanning stickers to wear a the tanning booth. Every major beer maker in the US makes Texas-specific neon signs to put up in bars that show the outline of the state of Texas. Many products advertise SPECIFICALLY to Texas and Texans, even national chains that don’t run those ads anywhere else in the country. I never once saw in my life any tv or radio ad that appealed to me as a proud Oregonian. Yet this is exactly what it’s like to live in Texas. You see the Texan flag flown pretty much everywhere an American flag is flown. You know how many times in my life I ever saw the state of Oregon’s flag flown? I honestly can’t remember ever seeing it other than when I visited the state capitol. In the United States, everyone thinks of themselves as an American first, and then a citizen of their individual state second. Unless you are from Texas, in which case you are a Texan and an American second. Schools pledge allegiance to the Texan flag every day (at least we did in my very large school district). What other states have their students pledge allegiance to their state flags? We didn’t in Oregon and I don’t even know if Oregon has a state pledge. Now, all that being said, I actually kind of like it! I think it would be kind of cool if all the different states had this sort of state pride and unique individuality. It would set the states apart more culturally and visiting different states would be kind of a fun, unique experience, kind of like how visiting Texas is now. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/39 "2013-06-21T06:55:27Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > California people are proud but I believe they earned that. what does Texas really offer? > [@Lukeinva](#): > > Gorgeous beautiful and plentiful blondes? > > 😃 I wish they all could be California, I wish they all could be California, I wish they all could be California _giiiiiirls!_ ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/40 "2013-06-21T07:18:44Z")
Yeah, those Michaganders. Mostly because that’s where Ann Arbor is and that college that’s there. Look, I lived in Central Ohio for a large part of my life. It’s difficult to just throw off that kind of indoctrination. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508.md?page=3)