It’s probably pretty hard for someone born outside of the United States to make sense of our country. It’s large, has a diverse population, and its topography encompasses everything from low deserts to frozen Arctic climates to dense forests.
However, the United States is probably the most culturally dominant society in the world. People across the globe read our books, watch our movies, and listen to our music. So most people probably have a clearer concept of what life’s like in our country then we do about them.
A British man that goes by the Twitter handle human_not_bees (Beës) tested his knowledge of the country across the pond by listing all of America’s states and then saying what he thinks they’re known for best. He claims he did so without Googling.
He was confident that he could get most of them right because U.S. culture is “pretty pervasive,” he told Bored Panda. “We see enough of it that we learn these things from TV shows and movies. Also, you guys have some pretty cheesy TV that seems very willing to lean into the stereotypes of people and places, so really, you guys did this to yourselves,” he added.
Here’s his list. Do you think he got most of the states right?
To the best of my knowledge Alabama is famous for having their fingers crossed when they surrendered.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge Arizona is famous for being where Satan vacations to get some heat.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge California is famous for being where you can get wine and get exploited.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge Connecticut is famous for where Bostonians stop for gas on the way to New York.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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It looks like this guy got Florida perfect. It’s also the state where people in America say, “Oh God, this country.” But let’s not be too cruel to sunny Florida, it’s also home to Disney World and was where “The Birdcage” was filmed. So it’s not all that bad.
To the best of my knowledge Hawaii is a beautiful place that once had royalty and the deposed queen wrote a book.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge Indiana is famous for being named as a ‘fuck you’ to the people who lived there to start with.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge Kansas is famous for The Wizard Of Oz and it’s been downhill ever since.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge Louisiana is famous, I assume, because someone called Louise lived there and was cool.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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I’m a little surprised that Beës didn’t know Louisiana is home to New Orleans one of the most culturally significant cities on planet Earth. It’s the birthplace of jazz, poker, and Lil Wayne.
To the best of my knowledge Maryland is famous for being a theme park brimming with people called Mary.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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He’s right about Maryland, even Americans have no idea what happens in Maryland.
To the best of my knowledge Michigan is famous for having a city that made enough cars that everyone could leave.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge Mississippi is famous for a hillbilly river.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge Nebraska is famous for being flat which, guys, c’mon, that’s not an achievement.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge New Hampshire is famous for being nothing like actual Hampshire.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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Ahh, we get it. America borrowed a few geographical names from places in England. But who helped you beat the Nazis in World War II? Thought so.
To the best of my knowledge New Mexico is famous for being nothing like actual Mexico.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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The the best of my knowledge North Carolina is famous for inventing the phrase “Is Pepsi OK?”
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge Ohio is famous for having at least one talented astrophysicist.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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Is this a Paul M. Sutter reference?
To the best of my knowledge Oklahoma is famous for a musical I haven’t seen.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge Pennsylvania is where the Amish live, and they’re apparently just like our European Dutch people.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge South Carolina is famous for getting merc’d by nature on the regular.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge Tennessee is famous for saying “I do declare” and people fanning themselves on their porches.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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Yep.
To the best of my knowledge Texas is famous for big trucks and small dicks.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge Vermont is famous for being the home of famed socialist and progressive politician Bernie Sanders.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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To the best of my knowledge Washington is famous for not being Washington DC which is elsewhere and not a state, bu… https://t.co/WgfuvNmt33
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees)
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So how did he do? If he were American I’d give him a D+. But as a Brit, he has a pretty strong understanding of America. I wonder how many Americans would be able to do something similar with the U.K.? What’s Wolverhampton best known for? How about Wyre Piddle? Giggleswick? Scranton on Themes?
(Just kidding. There is no such place as Scranton on Themes.)