Californians and the Insecurity of Place

I meet a few Californians a month complaining that they are being blamed for the destruction of Idaho and other states. I have rarely ever encountered any animosity toward myself directly from people in Idaho for being an outsider and whenever it has happened, it was understandable and very mild in character. This observation is considering that I am visibly darker in complexion, especially in the summer. Essentially, they were people who have lived here their entire lives who were complaining, rightly in some respects though ignoring other larger structural issues, that their housing prices have exploded because of high demand and out-of-state buyers who pay over asking price. It happened again yesterday, that I took a Lyft, and someone was complaining about Idahoans making them feel like they have done something wrong, without any specifics.

Unless one experiences something directly, it is prudent to not allow the perception of a behavior gleaned from rumor to color one's vision. Also, if one is a newcomer, one should expect to encounter mindsets and situations that one may find uncomfortable and that even may not be entirely welcoming in all respects of everything you are accustomed to wherever you came from. Most importantly, if one does not learn to direct conversation in such a way as not to dwell on their otherness, they can expect interactions to hit such a cul-de-sac and meander to the detriment of their ability to relate to others.

Granted, I don't try to make it obvious that I grew up partly in California or reiterate that to everyone, just as I did not broadcast constantly that I was from Brazil when I was in California or try to make it a point of contention that I was not Japanese in Japan, or similarly in the UK. I just tried to get along knowing I was out of place and that I will always be out of place, as that is the nature of being a stranger in a strange land, especially one of mixed ethnicity and race. If one makes it very obvious that they are from somewhere else, and they do so in every single conversation in a confrontational manner, they can expect that it will color all their interactions with people. It is more obvious for some than others that they are not the same as most others around them, but that only means they need to work harder on techniques to redirect conversations and on finding ways to relate to locals that bypass those inherent differences. Most are not as lucky as to be able to say that half of their family have been in this area since around the time founding of these Rocky Mountain states, but there are other means to find common ground. Try talking about Jesus Christ, for example.

Universalism should be a means by which we connect others, not a cudgel used to force other people in line with what we believe is right. That will generally only engender a more acerbic reaction and cause one to become more isolated. Avoiding alcohol or bars where people are more likely to be violent or generally ornery is likely a good precaution to take as well.