Common Myths About California Debunked

When people think about the great state of California, most of the time, images of movie stars and indulgent lifestyles come to mind. I recently moved back to the east coast and was shocked how many people actually assume this. The truth is the state of California is the third largest in the country.

For people on the east coast, to get an idea of that size, just imagine a state that stretches from New York down to Florida. Think of how diverse people are in that span of the east coast. The same is true for the state of California.

First, not everywhere in California is anything like Los Angeles. There is nothing else in the whole world like Los Angeles. The closest thing coming to my mind is actually Bollywood, which is located in India. I'm sure Bollywood bears not even a close resemblance. LA is glamorous, gritty, plastic, superficial, and welcoming all at the same time. However, this is not the culture of the entire state. Did you know most of California is actually farmland or National Park?

Second, all Californians are not bleeding heart liberals. Yes, this is true for some people, but there are also some very conservative Californians. People often forget this is the state gave us Ronald Reagan. In cities, the culture does tend to be more accepting and liberal, but it is good to not make generalizations.

Third, Southern California and Northern California are very different. San Francisco bears no resemblance to LA. In San Francisco, the culture is more centered around arts, and in Los Angeles, it is centered on the entertainment industry for obvious reasons. San Francisco feels almost European, and in LA you can feel the lost hopes, as well as the success of fame in the air.

Fourth, not all Californians eat Tofu and not everyone is a health nut. Mostly in Southern California, people drive to the nearest taco shop to devour a decadent fully stuffed burrito. People also really like sushi, (not for me though, tried it, ew) both in Northern California and Southern. There are a lot of people that workout and try to keep in shape, but just like anywhere else, some are unsuccessful.