A letter from the Southeast United States

Idaho native here, and moving back this year now that we've retired. But the cars have NJ plates on them.

I'm thinking we'll be better off discarding the plates at the state line. Better to risk the tickets than be incorrectly identified by the new neighbors as north-easterners.
C'mon home!

Good call getting rid of those junker plates though. :D
 
A large portion of the last couple pages are showing a few interesting sentiments.
1. Get off my lawn mentality of the old stereotype.
2. Dynastic philosophy where my kids have an absolute right to have the same kind of life I did. And have it be in the exact same location. This model is the antithesis of American philosophy in many respects.

Very interesting, how anti-capitalistic some people have become.

Tim
 
…Very interesting, how anti-capitalistic some people have become.

Tim
I would describe it as being change resistant. The ease and pace of mobility in a place as large as the US can seem to amplify the effect that change has. For some that results in fear, while others see opportunity.

I had 9 moves in a 20-ish year career in the military; none of them were ‘hometown’ and one was international. The same sentiments existed, just for different reasons in each new location.
 
I would describe it as being change resistant. The ease and pace of mobility in a place as large as the US can seem to amplify the effect that change has. For some that results in fear, while others see opportunity.

I had 9 moves in a 20-ish year career in the military; none of them were ‘hometown’ and one was international. The same sentiments existed, just for different reasons in each new location.
Agreed. I make my choices to provide an environment that is agreeable to me. I oppose changes to that environment that make it less agreeable. Why should I welcome such a change?
If the volume on my TV is unpleasantly loud, I turn it down to a more pleasant level. I would object to someone turning the volume back up.
 
One of the best things someone can do for themselves is to get out of their hometown. I am grateful beyond words that life worked the way it did and we had to move from Pennsylvania when I was 12. If we had stayed there, I would have missed out on many valuable, life-changing and improving experiences and would not be where I am today.
 
1. Get off my lawn mentality of the old stereotype.

No, not really. It's more like, "If you choose to be on my lawn, please don't create ruts and please have the courtesy to clean up your dog's poop."

2. Dynastic philosophy where my kids have an absolute right to have the same kind of life I did. And have it be in the exact same location. This model is the antithesis of American philosophy in many respects.

No, I believe that my kids have a right to create a better life than I did, and the location is their choice. Unfortunately, it looks like they might have to walk a steeper hill than I did. In the snow. (But it's still quite doable.)
 
I had no desire or expectation to remain in my hometown or live my parents life. Early in my career I lived and worked in six different states before finally sprouted roots. My philosophy back then was “Ride the winds of opportunity.”

While some places were better than others, I always had a good time as I chose to enjoy the good of an area while ignoring the bad.
 
No, not really. It's more like, "If you choose to be on my lawn, please don't create ruts and please have the courtesy to clean up your dog's poop."
Except your lawn ends at the street and just about every municipality allows a homeowner to trespass someone off their property, but you can’t keep someone from using the public street that abuts your lawn.

The average length of home ownership has been just under 7 years, though it’s stretching a little bit lately. Prior to 1980, it was about 10 years or so. People choosing not to be mobile are the exception.
 
Except your lawn ends at the street and just about every municipality allows a homeowner to trespass someone off their property, but you can’t keep someone from using the public street that abuts your lawn.

In this analogy that means I could trespass them back across the state line. Not bad, but probably not practical nor legal.
 
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