Is Vitamin D Responsible for difference in attitude between Western and Eastern Washington? (Walla Walla: living in, food)

[509]

Most people attribute the difference in attitude to eastern Washington being more rural historically than western Washington.

Even though, eastern Washington is as urban as western Washington now those rural attitudes of character over money and helping your neighbor are still present in those of us that remember the "good old days".

However, I have been reading the Lewis and Clark Journals from 1804 to 1806.

From Patrick Glass (Sargent)..."All the Indians from the Rocky mountains to the falls of Columbia, are an honest, ingenuous and well disposed people, but from the falls to the sea-coast, and along it, they are a rascally, thieving set."

From Lewis "during our stay with them they several times found the knives of the men which had been carelessly lossed by them and returned them. I think we can justly affirm to the honor of these people that they are the most hospitable, honest and sincere people that we have met in our voyage" (near Waitsburg, Walla Walla County, Washington).

Now I can see why Lewis and Clark were not impressed with coastal residents since they were not friendly or honest and very business oriented with their dealings with Lewis and Clark. Sort of like urban residents today.

So is it the Vitamin D?? Must be the sunshine east of the Cascades having the affect on peoples attitudes.

In the early 1800's the population of eastern was much larger than western Washington so it could not have been the crowding.

[JustCallMeTC]

Lolololol

[pw72]

While sunshine is more prevelant in Eastern WA than Western WA, please keep in mind that Eastern WA is not exactly a sunny climate compared with CA, AZ, NV, UT, NM, TX, and many other states. Eastern WA, with the possible exception of the Tri-Cities, is clouded over and fogged in for most of the winter, just like the western side. Vitamin D? Please...not an issue. Especially since most in the west get plenty of it, since they tend to rush out whenever the sun is out and worship the giant orb, even if for only minutes at a time!

[JustCallMeTC]

There is considerable evidence that the people in Eastern Washington suffer from the severe lack of Vitamin I.

[pw72]

Originally Posted by JustCallMeTC

There is considerable evidence that the people in Eastern Washington suffer from the severe lack of Vitamin I.

[j_k_k]

If it were Vitamin D, I'd expect LA and Phoenix (which are pretty sunny) to be warm, neighborly places, instead of the sinkholes of hell that they are.

[eskercurve]

Vitamin D, while an essential part of the healthy diet of a human, is not the sole contributor to the difference in attitude. And it depends on perspective. Many "west of the cascades" folks would see people "east of the cascades" as Republican money grubbers and gun-toting idiots, who are well beneath the "more cultured and civilized and intelligent" people west of the cascades. Can't say I agree, though do know a fair number who do.

[azoria]

Originally Posted by eskercurve

Many "west of the cascades" folks would see people "east of the cascades" as Republican money grubbers and gun-toting idiots, who are well beneath the "more cultured and civilized and intelligent" people west of the cascades. Can't say I agree, though do know a fair number who do.

I'll take "a gun toting idiot" any day over a Westside whole-wheat-gluten-free-anti-smoking-vegetarian-transvestite. (dressed in a waterproof REI pup tent)

Any.day.

[CoastieTX]

I think a given area's population numbers in relation to the natural resources available influence the people living there.

I'd imagine the indians living in the coastal areas of our state enjoyed much easier lives than their inland counterparts. They had a rich supply of timber, food (both of the seafood/salmon variety and deer) and even tradable commodities such as gold. In comparison, the inland indians had to scrounge to survive.

That being said, it's easy to see the coastal indians found it more advantageous to compete with each other to survive, while the inland indians had to cooperate and rely on each other.

So, I don't think it's the vitamin D that accounts for the differences in attitudes you see between the east and west sides. It's history, and the traits associated with their competition or cooperation roots.

[kanhawk]

The Comanche and the Apache also got plenty of Vitamin D where they lived in the American Southwest. You could describe them a bit "rascally" as the member of the Lewis and Clark expedition did of the western Washington tribes so I think that blows that theory. Nice try through.