Sunday, August 16, 2009
Post No. 131a: Article of Interest: More than Just Talk about Cultural Divide
While sitting in a doctor’s office last week, we picked up a copy of the April 25-May 1, 2009 issue of “The Economist.” We’re always interested in how those outside of our borders view what takes place here in the U.S.
Much has been said about the cultural divide which exists in our nation today. Within this context, we found this article, about a movement to divide California into two separate states, interesting. Since one of the goals of the Institute for Applied Common Sense is to stimulate thought resulting in innovative solutions to societal problems, this piece about the state of affairs in our largest state (by population) immediately captured our attention.
As we move forward through these rocky waters, we need to devise innovative ways to “manage” or address our cultural differences, lest they draw us further apart.
Of Ossis and Wessis – California Splitting
Berkeley
California is now divided more east-west than north-south
“The problem with those lefties on California’s coast is that they [‘] love fish, hate farmers,[‘] says Virgil Rogers in his Okie twang, so common in California’s Central Valley. Actually that’s just where the problems start, and he begins to list them. So different are the folks by the sea and in the interior, he says, that the only way forward is to split the state in two.
“Thirteen coastal counties, from Los Angeles to Marin, just north of San Francisco, should become the 51st state... [Click here for the remainder].”
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Who gets custody of the water? There's been talk of splitting California many times, as the article states. It'll never happen. Any state of any size has similar issues; rural areas in conflict with urban. Nothing new. And nothing is likely to come of it.
ReplyDeleteDouglas: Thanks for your comment. While you view this effort as "nothing new," we see it differently. In our view, its "always new." There are new issues, new concerns, new emotions, new intensity, and new conditions.
ReplyDeleteMeasuring or quantifying the extent of cultural differences is obviously difficult. However, looking at a 100 year old map of the world, and the changes which have taken place up to this point, would suggest that splits, movement, and shifting of geographic boundaries is something that occurs periodically.
We sense that when people get passionate enough and are sufficiently motivated to change their status, they have the potential to effect that change. That is, unless you feel that there is something unique about California, or the United States, which would suggest otherwise.
We'd welcome your thoughts about why you feel that "it will never happen."
Never is a long time.