# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/81 "2013-06-22T02:23:51Z")
As a native Texan, educated (largely) in Texas, and having left and returned - yes. We’re in a class of our own. Potentially New Jerseyites are in the same universe as us, but we are well in the lead. I remember moving here from England in ninth grade and learning that I was required to take World History, but after I took Texas History. I was like, “I know damn well people aren’t taking Idaho History in Coeur d’Alene.” For all you non-Texans, Lyle Lovett (my favorite Aggie) [has a message for you](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMhaehb5AnE). ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/82 "2013-06-22T02:28:00Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > In the school I was a teacher at for 2 years (a very large High school in the 6th largest school district in Texas, not some podunk town) we pledged allegience to the US flag and the Texas flag, every single day. The state pledge is something like, “I pledge allegiance, to thee Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible.” “Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee Texas, one and indivisible.” I still remember that from every day of elementary school in the late 80’s and early 90’s in a suburb of Dallas. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/83 "2013-06-22T02:30:02Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#): > > Yeah, that’s gotta be it - no European immigrants elsewhere in the States, let alone Germans/Prussians :smack: Good thing I didn’t even come close to saying that. :smack: yourself ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/84 "2013-06-22T02:30:45Z")
I was born and have lived 95% of my life in the Golden State. I wouldn’t say I’m _“proud”_ of California in any way, but I feel lucky to live here. As much as I love visiting other states, and as many problems that we have, California still has it all for me. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/85 "2013-06-22T03:11:05Z")
[quote=“tim-n-va, post:49, topic:661508”] [quote=“Alice\_The\_Goon, post:22, topic:661508”] Coloradans seem to be pretty damn smug. > [@](#): > > Yes but it is more of a born-here-vs-moved-here thing. “Native” bumper stickers are common. Not these days. When I first moved here in the 80’s they were common. It was a backlash for the huge growth the state was experiencing from migration, mostly by Californians. You also used to see running and cycling shorts that were the state flag. Honestly, I haven’t seen either one in a decade or more. I recently ran the Bolder Boulder 10K race with 50,000 other runners and I didn’t see one pair of those shorts. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/86 "2013-06-22T03:45:14Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > But, how did they get inside a light bulb? 😕 I see what you did there (after mulling it over for a couple of minutes :o). ---
**Author:** ![toofs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@toofs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toofs)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/87 "2013-06-22T03:59:51Z")
There sure are a lot of songs about California. ---
**Author:** ![Craneop2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Craneop2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Craneop2)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/88 "2013-06-22T04:04:11Z")
Dang It’s a small world! We sure have a lot of P.I.S.D. alumni here. I went to Sam Rayburn the second year it opened, graduated Class of '69. I am sure that was long before the both of Y’all though NCB and Bridget. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/89 "2013-06-22T04:35:28Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > “Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee Texas, one and indivisible.” > > I still remember that from every day of elementary school in the late 80’s and early 90’s in a suburb of Dallas. Indivisible? I thought one of Texas’ bragging points was that it was so big that it had reserved a right to split into multiple states any time it wanted. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/90 "2013-06-22T04:47:26Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > Indivisible? I thought one of Texas’ bragging points was that it was so big that it had reserved a right to split into multiple states any time it wanted. Shhh! They don’t know what it means. ---
**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 22, 2013, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/91 "2013-06-22T05:15:07Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > New York City may be the world’s epicenter for absurd levels of self-regard, and as someone above said it’s enough to taint the whole state. The difference is, New York City pretty much _is_ the cultural and financial center of the world. I imagine they’ve got more going on there in the literary, artistic, fashion, music, culinary and film worlds than the entire state of Texas. So while they may be snobbish, they seem to have at least some reason for being so. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/92 "2013-06-22T05:28:41Z")
I think it’s more that they just don’t “recognize” (in the diplomatic sense) the rest of the world. They know that technically other places exist in some sense, but they say the same thing about the Dutch. (kidding 🙂 ) ---
**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 22, 2013, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/93 "2013-06-22T07:05:12Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > That’s because no one can say “Oregonian” without laughing. Listen… aren’t Oregonians the name of the race of aliens that kidnapped Billy Pilgrim? ---
**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 22, 2013, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/94 "2013-06-22T07:11:02Z")
Do Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers do any song that doesn’t have some sort of reference to California in it? I’ve long thought New Jersey pride was more of a compensation thing about not being New Yorkers. At least in Northern NJ. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/95 "2013-06-22T07:23:33Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > I see that none of the participants in this thread have ever been within 100 miles of South Carolina. They are easily as bad as Texans. > [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Yes, really. They put their state flag (palmetto logo) on every. damn. thing. Cups, cars, hats, belts, pants, tee shirts, dress shirts, polo shirts, dog collars, key chains and a whole shit load of cars. They have them in blue, like the flag. They have them in orange for Clemson. They have them in garnet for the University of South Carolina. They have them in pink. Pick a color and an item. It’s available. > [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > +1. It’s really a passive aggressive pride. They don’t say anything about it, but post it everywhere. As a former South Carolinian, I must say…that you’re both 100% accurate. I have the palmetto and crescent logo on my Jeep. In my defense, it’s small, and I didn’t go to either Clemson or USC, nor is mine pink. It’s silver hologram They are also smugly proud of their ignorance. They see it as a virtue. There’s a reason why I didn’t go back after college. > [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Not these days. When I first moved here in the 80’s they were common. It was a backlash for the huge growth the state was experiencing from migration, mostly by Californians. You also used to see running and cycling shorts that were the state flag. I got here in late 80s, and I agree the backlash has waned. I do think there is some smug to Colorado - we have a tendency to out-party, out-outdoor, and out-health other states, so I’m used to hearing “this ain’t no DOWNSTREAM [whatever - beer, entree, weekend plan]!” as bragging about how awesome it is at a Mile High. I’ve gotten fond of the “Not Native, But I Got Here As Soon As I Could” bumper sticker. ---
**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 22, 2013, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/96 "2013-06-22T07:29:38Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > I remember moving here from England in ninth grade and learning that I was required to take World History, but after I took Texas History. I was like, “I know damn well people aren’t taking Idaho History in Coeur d’Alene.” I don’t know about that. I grew up in Washington and there was a required class on state history in high school. Lewis and Clark, lumberjacks, railroad, lots of folks passing through on their way to the Yukon gold rush, that sort of thing. I wonder if we could spin off a thread on the state with the biggest inferiority complex. I’m thinking Delaware. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/97 "2013-06-22T07:59:36Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I don’t know about that. I grew up in Washington and there was a required class on state history in high school. Lewis and Clark, lumberjacks, railroad, lots of folks passing through on their way to the Yukon gold rush, that sort of thing. I recall a South Carolina History required course, but I think it was in junior high school (7-9 grade). > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I wonder if we could spin off a thread on the state with the biggest inferiority complex. I’m thinking Delaware. Canada. 😉 😛😃 ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/98 "2013-06-22T09:00:03Z")
So for lowest self esteem, there’s serious consideration for any other state besides NJ? Fuck. See what I mean? It’s not enough that we hold the record for most total superfund sites - EVER! More mobsters per capita (ok that probably goes in the plus column). Most corrupt politicians - weighted average of quantity and quality. We probably have fewer in terms of absolute numbers, but oh, the quality is simply unrivaled. When did your elected officials last try to sell you a kidney? Huh? Yeah. Fucking never, that’s when. That happened in Hoboken about 5 years ago I think. It was a whole ring that even involved religious leaders. That’s right. Our religious leaders are more corrupt than YOUR politicians. So you think you have an inferiority complex because your state is too small or some inbred hillbilly back water. Boo-fucking-hoo. I got your inferiority complex right here buddy. Yeah, you know what I’m grabbing right now. :mad: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/99 "2013-06-22T09:12:10Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > The difference is, New York City pretty much _is_ the cultural and financial center of the world. I imagine they’ve got more going on there in the literary, artistic, fashion, music, culinary and film worlds than the entire state of Texas. So while they may be snobbish, they seem to have at least some reason for being so. They may have more than Texas, but they have nowhere near as much as they believe they do. In the years I lived there it never ceased to amaze me the over-the-top - and unwarranted - claims that New Yorkers would make about their city. ---
**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 22, 2013, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508/100 "2013-06-22T09:46:41Z")
NYC isnt even the cultural capitol of the USA. What really is produced there that is important to anyone but New Yorkers and a few scattered hipsters? NYC is a legend in its own mind. Its really style over substance to the nth degree. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-states-whose-denizens-are-way-too-proud-of-themselves/661508.md?page=6)