I’m off to the mountains for a few days, so won’t be writing anything new here until next week, but in the meantime, in honor of this tweet, here’s an open thread.
First question: Where are you from?
Follow-up: Where do you live now, and is it better or worse?
This is an open thread.
I guess I should answer this myself, though if you read this substack you probably know already:
I'm from Berkeley, California, and live now in Oakland, California (right next door). I've also lived in New York and L.A.
Since where I live is more or less where I'm from, the follow-up questions are moot for me, but generally speaking, I kind of despise California at the moment.
Originally from India, living in US for four decades. Much better during 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. More recently: moved from NC to Oakland. Much worse. Wish I could go back.
I have never understood why the question "Where are you from?" is frowned upon. It is an opening to form a connection. Better to be asked and have the opportunity to answer and represent oneself than to not be asked and be either stereotyped or ignored.