While American culture may seem homogenous on the surface, there are distinct differences that set apart those from the West Coast and the East Coast. In this article, we delve into the subtle and not-so-subtle ways Americans determine whether someone hails from the West or East Coast. Whether it’s the accent they carry, their culinary preferences, or even their laid-back versus fast-paced lifestyle, these regional markers help us pinpoint where in the country someone might call home.
1. Make Them Mad
One of the quickest ways to see which coast someone hails from is to upset them. One American explained, “The East Coaster will be blunt about what you did wrong, and where you can shove it. The West Coaster will give you a passive-aggressive “friendly reminder” that will somehow leave you feeling worse.” Another American added, “And the Midwesterner will apologize they got on your wrong side, and ask you what is going on and how they can make it better.”
2. How “Nice” They Are
One American explained, “East Coasters are kind but not nice, West Coasters are nice but not kind.” The example they gave is, “Someone from Boston will help you with a flat tire then call you a dumb***, someone from LA will just stand there talking about how terrible it is you’re in that situation.” Another American added, “Lies. Nobody from Boston would help you THEN call you a dumb***. You’d be hearing it, in different forms, the entire time. Especially if you were missing essential items for the job, like a spare tire. But he might lend you his if it fit.”
3. You Don’t Have to Guess, They’ll Tell You
One Florida resident stated, “My experience is that people from the Northeast who move to Florida are like vegans. You don’t have to guess because they’ll tell you – over and over.”
4. Business Casual Attire
One American replied, “Tell them there’s a business casual meeting that afternoon and see what they wear.” This refers to the West Coast’s more relaxed and informal take on business attire. Whereas the East Coast is much more traditional when it comes to business dress code.
5. How Fast They Talk
An East Coaster explained, “We talk faster, and it seems we are interrupting, because we expect a way shorter pause while someone is speaking, so if you are a slow talker you will get walked all over in a conversation because our timing is way off.” A Rhode Islander added, “It’s like we have the mind of a squirrel.”
6. Marmot Mystery
One American said to ask them, “What’s the best way to cook a marmot?” If the response is “What’s a marmot?” then you know.” A marmot is a type of large, burrowing rodent that belongs to the squirrel family. They are typically found in the Northwestern part of the United States.
7. Walking Style
East Coasters are known for being fast, aggressive walkers. One American described it as, “No eye contact, fast walker, don’t care if they bump into you, blunt, come off as rude? East Coast. Are they passive aggressive, will say “good morning” to random people walking by, kiss your ***? West Coast.”
8. Which Food They Like More
Which food do they like more? If they say Pizza or Italian, probably from the East. If they say, Mexican, probably the West (more specifically the Southwest).
9. Hella vs Wicked
In terms of slang words used, “hella” is a word that is commonly used on the West Coast, specifically in California. It means “very” or “really”. Whereas the use of “wicked” is more common on the East Coast. It literally means “evil”, but when used as slang on the East Coast it means “perfect” or “excellent.”
10. Aggression Levels
Towards the Western Coast, residents are seen as passively aggressive; they don’t do direct communication. Meanwhile, the Eastern side is full of blunt and expressive people who don’t care much about what others think and tend to spit honest opinions.
11. Patience Levels
Moving towards the shores of the Eastern Coast, there are impatient people, particularly drivers. They are insanely fearless with zero patience level. In the West, people are a bit more careful and cautious.
Moreover, a Western resident shares his experience of moving to the East and claims that it was a nightmare for him to drive there.
Source: Reddit
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