Utah Culture

[FMCoug]

I was in Tampa Bay this weekend speaking at a professional event. Anyway at the pre-event dinner Friday night I got to talking to a guy from South Carolina who is married to a Chinese woman and has spent a lot of time in China. He made a comment regarding the difference between US and Chinese culture. He said that in the US, your job / career / educational background, etc. are the things that define you. But in China, it is all about your family. And not just immediate family but your extended family.

It struck me that he could have been just as easily describing the difference betwen Utah and the rest of the country as China and the US.

Not saying there is anything wrong with it, but it is yet another way Utah is a "peculiar" place.

[Jacob]

I was in Tampa Bay this weekend speaking at a professional event. Anyway at the pre-event dinner Friday night I got to talking to a guy from South Carolina who is married to a Chinese woman and has spent a lot of time in China. He made a comment regarding the difference between US and Chinese culture. He said that in the US, your job / career / educational background, etc. are the things that define you. But in China, it is all about your family. And not just immediate family but your extended family.

It struck me that he could have been just as easily describing the difference betwen Utah and the rest of the country as China and the US.

Not saying there is anything wrong with it, but it is yet another way Utah is a "peculiar" place.

I think you are crazy. I know absolutely nothing about the family background of anyone in my ward or anybody at work, for example.

[falafel]

Explain further.

I'm from Utah and I don't see anyone asking about my family or defining me by my family.

[FMCoug]

I've lived and worked all over the country. My experience is that outside of Utah, people are much more likely to ask about your job, etc. rather than your family. Even in casual / smalltalk situations. Family may come up later.

In Utah, it has been the opposite (at least in my experience).

[Jacob]

I've lived and worked all over the country. My experience is that outside of Utah, people are much more likely to ask about your job, etc. rather than your family. Even in casual / smalltalk situations. Family may come up later.

In Utah, it has been the opposite (at least in my experience).

Do you mean family, as in kids, or more extended family. I find it hard to believe that outside of Utah it is uncommon to ask about somebody's wife and kids. And in Utah, I'm much more likely to discuss a person's job and other interests than I am to talk much about their family, unless we are close friends.

[FMCoug]

Do you mean family, as in kids, or more extended family.

Both.

I find it hard to believe that outside of Utah it is uncommon to ask about somebody's wife and kids.

How much time have you spent elsewhere? And I didn't say it was uncommon. I said it was generally not a primary topic. Might come up later.

[Jacob]

How much time have you spent elsewhere? And I didn't say it was uncommon. I said it was generally not a primary topic. Might come up later.

We all live outside of Utah's culture. We live our lives on TV.

[Non Sequitur]

In Utah you don't have to ask about a person's family, because they're so eager to volunteer the information themselves. I always want to run when people start telling me about their son's Eagle Scout project or their daughter's cello recital.

[NorthwestUteFan]

I think you are crazy. I know absolutely nothing about the family background of anyone in my ward or anybody at work, for example.

Unintentional humor?

How many people in Utah judge/get judged based on their church membership status (active/less active/inactive/non-member/anti)? By extension this is the 'family' corollary. A whole caste system is in place...

[Jacob]

Unintentional humor?

How many people in Utah judge/get judged based on their church membership status (active/less active/inactive/non-member/anti)? By extension this is the 'family' corollary. A whole caste system is in place...

I'm not getting the humor. Are you suggesting that people outside of Utah don't go to church? Don't associate with fellow church-goers? Don't socialize with co-workers?

Saying that people are defined by their religion more often in Utah is a lot different that claiming that Utah is more like China than the rest of the US in that people are defined by their family.

[MarkGrace]

We all live outside of Utah's culture. We live our lives on the internet.

I'd say that's more accurate.

[Jacob]

I'd say that's more accurate.

Internet by day, television by night.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Funny stuff, FM.

[Donuthole]

3 months away from the board and this is the best troll attempt you can come up with?

[FMCoug]

Unintentional humor?

How many people in Utah judge/get judged based on their church membership status (active/less active/inactive/non-member/anti)? By extension this is the 'family' corollary. A whole caste system is in place...

And the caste system has some very subtle variations that outsiders wouldn't even notice. It's not just Mormon or not. Pioneer heritage Mormon vs. convert Mormon vs. Mormon from Utah vs. Mormon not from Utah. Then there is the whole level of orthodoxy. White shirt wearing, etc. One big distinction I have noticed is Mormons from Utah who have lived here their whole lives vs. those who moved away and lived (as a family for several years). The former have no concept of how "peculiar" it is here. The latter do.