I’ve long held the opinion that people, upon moving, should immerse themselves in the culture of their locale, rather than alter it to suit themselves with regard to their own familiarities.

When my family moved to Pollock Pines, California back in the early 1980’s, I noticed that people displayed “Stomp Out Flatlanders” bumper stickers on their trucks. This, of course, begged the question: Exactly what is a Flatlander? Is a Flatlander a sub-species of homo sapiens with distinct, categorizable quirks and patterns? Or is a Flatlander somebody unfamiliar that you can’t get a beat on, who therefore poses an unspoken threat?

I believe the definition is closer to the former. Flatlanderhood isn’t comprised of any set number of qualities, but if one should possess certain qualities, one is most definitely a Flatlander.

Read full story on Flatlanders, Hawks and Chickens