A link that works: https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2022/12/22/missouri-to-massachusetts-gina-kaufmann

Dead link

It IS a different country in a lot of ways. We have different laws, different beliefs, different values, different culture.

The US is NOT one nation united. It never has been. The founders of New England had different values and goals than those of the mid Atlantic, or the south, or the west. It was only the collective trauma of the tumultuous nature of the early 20th century followed by the prosperity of the rest of the century that lead to an illusion of unity.

This is not going to get better.

I’m going to say I moved to mass from Oklahoma this year and had the complete opposite take that it was drastically less different than expected.

I’m from Missouri and have lived in Mass for 7 years. What’s notable to me is the difference between statewide and close local politics. There are very liberal pockets in MO and I grew up surrounded by both very liberal and very conservative people. The way the statewide politics have gone in MO in the last several years makes me sad. It’s a state with much more depth and nuance than it’s reps show. Meanwhile in Boston, while it’s far more liberal on average my next door neighbor has made racist and multiple science denialist statements to me unprompted haha. But it’s hard thinking about moving back to a state with the politics of MO especially when you bring a kid into the mix. Hope the US finds a way forward without further splintering.

Missouri is part of the "buckle of the Bible belt" I can see the difference for sure.I personally could never live outside the Berkshire's never mind outside of MA.