What makes California culturally different? Is it why we live here?

For Labor Day, let's do a light-hearted topic, suggested by Gitta. How culturally distinct is California, really. And why? Are those differences (not just the weather and the ocean) why we and 40+ million other Americans live here - despite the housing prices and other "sunshine taxes" that make for such a high cost of living?

(And before someone points out that CA must be the smoking hellhole MAGA says it is because it has experienced net out migration recently, please recall the old line attributed to Casey Stengel: "No one goes to that restaurant anymore. It's too crowded." California's immense popularity helped contribute to the problems that have temporarily capped it at holding a mere 11% of the USA population.)

As is obvious already, this really cannot be a completely non-political topic. Our state has been conservatives' favorite bogeyman for insults and slander for 30 years, and the insults and the raw hatred get more vicious every day. Our cities are taken over by roving gangs of undocumented immigrants, raping and murdering at will. Our taxes are crushing and over-regulation ridiculous. Left wing DEI indoctrination runs rampant. Some of these criticisms are made up; others have some bases in fact, despite their uglier undertones. And now the Trump Administration is singling out CA for punishment and blackmail - and for testing out his nascent police state.

Still, what's to love and not love about Golden State culture (or "culture," YMMV) will make a fun discussion. I hope group members and guests will share their reasons for living here and, if they love it, why.

Optional Backgrounders -

• Some facts on the main driver of CA’s unique culture – our demographic diversity.
• Also, CA is just so huge maybe we should think of it as 6-7 distinct regions, with differing cultures. In particular, Northern vs. Southern CA differences stand out.
• Videos: The future of CA and its culture: Part 1, Part 3. Good, but lots of ads.
• Sigh - More typically, this is the kind of stuff that passes for observations on CA culture: 12 Phrases Only a True Californian Says and Understands. I mean, dude.
• This “pros and cons of moving to CA” list could spark our conversation. Or, “Best places to live in San Diego.”
• Pro and anti-CA comments mix in this Quora “How is CA different” thread.