#we’re like the cultural embodiment of a golden retriever puppy

[quantifiableme]

I do feel like, as an American, it’s really important we acknowledge how fucking big America is.

Because the only other countries that can really understand physically how fucking BIG we are are Russia, China, and like Canada. (Feel free to throw in another one, I still think my point works.) Like those are the only other countries with THIS MUCH LAND MASS.

And yes China and Russia are both bigger, but what makes the US different is we’re sort of the only country with our population as SPREAD OUT as it is. We’re like butter on toast, we really spread ourselves thin.

Like if we look at population density maps, which when they do it with lights is probably one of the *prettiest maps*, you see that China (above) is fucking LARGE. But 94% of it’s people are on the east coast.

Similarly, Russian civilians usually trend toward the southern boarder. And for obvious reasons, I’m sure living in Northern Russia requires a level of survival skills that makes you basically your own sovereign.

And I’m not saying no one lives in Inland China, or that no one lives in Northern Russia. However, the people that do are so completely removed from the rest of the population, they’re probably like survivalists or practice very traditional farming that they are their own society. I’d bet policy makers don’t really take them into account because they 1.) Don’t vote and B.) wouldn’t follow those laws anyway.

America is a little different.

Like, out two biggest populations (New York and LA) are on OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE COUNTRY. They have two different time zones, opposite weather conditions, opposite immigration populations (past and present). We sort of die out in the Great Plains there, but that’s where we keep VEGAS.

I say this as someone from the Midwest (look at the pretty lakes on top there) who went to college in Florida (the penis looking shape at the bottom right corner) at a school with a HUGE international population. And may I say, sometimes I related more to my international friends from Germany or Columbia than I did with an American from Tampa.

Which is sometimes what annoys me about international people who have a thought or two to say about American laws or policy. Like yes, we’re bad at it. We got a lot of things we gotta tinker and fix, just like all other countries. However, YOUR country probably has a bit more of a cohesive culture or political background on certain topics. Maybe there are more conservative Chinese people, but you probably all agree that you’re concerned about shipping and nautical trade because *94% of you are on the ocean*. And I don’t believe for a SECOND that no one in Northern Russia doesn’t have a fucking gun. THERE ARE VERY LARGE BEARS THAT RUN VERY FAST.

Making federal laws in any country is hard, but American politics are a totally different monster.

Even an Asian American from New Jersey will have a completely different experience than an Asian American from Arizona. Queer people in Montana couldn’t *fathom* the culture and subcultures of people in New York. They don’t even know they exist. Even look at the hip hop community: East Coast and West Coast and Midwest and Atlanta are basically different planets, and they’re the same genre of music. And don’t even get me STARTED on religion. Hey Britian, so you know what a Mormon is? Because we have one state that gets 6 electoral votes in our elections that is just one VERY SPECIFIC protestant religion of Christianity that thinks drinking liquor is a sin. Energy Drinks are very very very popular there. (Shoutout Utah, I see you.)

So yeah, a New Yorker is going to prioritize public transportation reform, while a governor from Montana wants to protect National Parks. California people do not understand Midwest Hunting as a recreational activity, and I thought the Everglades were mountains until I went to Florida and realized they were swamps. My Floridian friends made fun of me, but they don’t know there are 5 Great Lakes so *raspberry noise*.

So yes we have a culture. We have 100,000,000 MAJOR cultures that make no sense and will never interact, because our cities are father away than some of you are to other continents.

True American culture was the friends we made along the way. 💛