This is an article I put together during an investigation of yin and yang. It follows observations after having lived in a few different regions of the United States. It represents my own understandings and is here for those who want to read it.
Geography And National Traits
In the U.S., we can examine history and geography through yin and yang. The last two states in the union (49 and 50) can be discussed in terms of extremes, disconnected from the contiguous states geographically, distant from each other, yet sharing longitudinal space (found on the same vertical lines on a globe). Their longitudinal proximity as well as their positions as extremes validates that there is a higher arrangement. There are other facets to their extreme status and relationship to each other: Hawaii is one of the smallest states (yin) and also tropical (yang). Alaska, the largest state (yang), features majority snow and polar climates (yin). Temperatures can be said to be maximum yin in Alaska, represented by the Water element in the Five Elements, compared to Hawaii’s warm yang temperatures, represented by the Fire element, but the relative intensity of Alaska’s climate compared to Hawaii would be yang to yin.
Neighboring States With Pairings That Are Part of The Cosmic Arrangement
Throughout the political map of the country are many unofficial but real pairings, such as Oklahoma and Texas, Oregon and Washington, New York and New Jersey, Vermont and New Hampshire. These are informally known by residents in the regions, but never codified or asserted as a reflection of a higher reality. More pairs include Montana and Wyoming, Tennessee and Kentucky, Georgia and Florida, Utah and Idaho. Typically the two states share something in common, such as how Montana and Wyoming are spread out. Wisconsin and Minnesota carry a similar accent. Michigan and Ohio are typically discussed together. Nebraska and Kansas fit together. Alabama and Mississippi are matched as well. Arkansas pairs with Louisiana. Indiana pairs with Illinois. New Mexico fits with Colorado. Arizona’s openness resembles Nevada’s, both drawing economic activity from California. In these regions, there is an understood logic behind the pairings just discussed; it is known to Oklahomans that Texas is its neighbor of closest relation and vice-versa. Pointing out the pattern for the entire country requires a practitioner of Falun Dafa.
For the relationship between the states in a given pair, one usually plays a yang role while the other plays a yin one. Culturally, Oklahoma would be primarily yin (lower profile) and Texas yang (big presence) while the turbulent weather of Oklahoma would place it as yang next to Texas’ more calmer yin. Texas’ relative dryness would be yang next to Oklahoma’s more humid climate as yin.
Some states are named as pairs already, of course, such as North Dakota and South Dakota. Notably, California appears not to have a partner state in this pattern (there have been discussions in the past about the differences between Northern California and Southern California being great enough that they could be divided.) Neither does Maine or Delaware have a partner state. But every other state does:
Pennsylvania – Maryland
Why They’re Like Twins (From a Local’s Perspective)
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: People in southern Pennsylvania (like York, Lancaster, and Gettysburg) and northern Maryland (like Frederick and Hagerstown) treat the Mason-Dixon Line like just another local boundary. They commute across it, shop at the same Costco, and see the same weather forecasts—it’s all one big area.
- Common History: The Mason-Dixon Line defines both states—Pennsylvania as the “Keystone State” above it, Maryland as the “Free State” below. Nearby battlefields like Gettysburg and Antietam are easy weekend trips for locals.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Steelers vs. Ravens games are full of intense but familiar trash-talk. Fans in Philly and Baltimore both claim “East Coast toughness” while rooting against each other.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: TV markets from Philly and Baltimore blend in the middle—you might see Sixers ads in Cumberland, MD, or Ravens ads in Hanover, PA. Both areas benefit from strong port economies.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Philly’s direct style fades into Pennsylvania Dutch “yah,” then shifts to Baltimore’s “hon”—it’s a smooth transition, not the same but clearly related.
Massachusetts – Connecticut
Why They’re Like Twins (From a Local’s Perspective)
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Hartford residents commute to Boston via I-84; people from Worcester head to New Haven for pizza. The “Quiet Corner” region feels like one shared rural space.
- Common History: Both started in the 1630s as Puritan settlements. Yale (founded 1718) and Harvard (1636) are like sibling elite universities.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Red Sox-Yankees baseball hate extends to UConn-Harvard basketball. Both states share a proud “we started America” attitude.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Boston TV signals reach Hartford; insurance companies in Hartford connect to biotech in Cambridge through shared investments.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Boston’s strong “r”-dropping (“wicked”) flows south into Connecticut’s milder version, but keeps the sharp Yankee wit.
West Virginia – Virginia
Why They’re Like Twins (From a Local’s Perspective)
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Towns in the Shenandoah Valley (Winchester, VA, to Martinsburg, WV) share schools, hospitals, and gas stations like Sheetz—often just a 30-minute drive apart.
- Common History: West Virginia split from Virginia in 1863 during the Civil War over slavery, but they share the same Appalachian roots.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Virginia Cavaliers feels like cousins arguing at holiday dinners.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Washington, D.C., media covers eastern West Virginia; Richmond signals reach southwestern Virginia. Economies shift from coal to tech together.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Virginia’s coastal drawl climbs the mountains into West Virginia’s stronger twang—words like “warsh” (wash) and “crick” (creek) are common, just more pronounced in the valleys.
Wisconsin – Minnesota
Why They’re Like Twins (From a Local’s Perspective)
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Eau Claire, WI, and Mankato, MN, residents shop at the same stores like Menards; Twin Cities radio plays in La Crosse.
- Common History: Both were formed from the Northwest Territory; Scandinavian Lutheran immigrants arrived around the same time.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Packers vs. Vikings is a hatred passed down through generations.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Minneapolis TV covers western Wisconsin; Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and UW-Madison exchange patients and staff.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: The “ope” excuse-me sound and stretched “o” vowels cross the St. Croix River without notice.
Oklahoma – Texas
Why They’re Like Twins (From a Local’s Perspective)
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Lawton, OK, shoppers go to Wichita Falls, TX, for Walmart; Lake Texoma is a shared recreation spot.
- Common History: Both emerged from Indian Territory and the Texas Republic; the Dust Bowl era tied their people together.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: The OU-Texas Red River game is like a state holiday, with fans in cowboy hats yelling at relatives.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: OKC and Dallas TV markets meet in Ardmore; oil infrastructure connects them.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Oklahoma Panhandle twang is basically North Texas drawl with more “y’all”—same dusty feel.
Georgia – Florida
Why They’re Like Twins (From a Local’s Perspective)
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Valdosta, GA, and Jacksonville, FL, share outlet malls; I-75 connects them like one long highway of peaches and palms.
- Common History: Both were central to the Confederacy; Spanish moss and cotton fields mix at the border.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: The Georgia-Florida football game in Jacksonville is a festive but fierce “Cocktail Party.”
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Atlanta TV reaches Tallahassee; ports in Savannah and Jacksonville handle similar cargo.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Southern Georgia drawl transitions into North Florida’s “cracker” style—same polite “yes ma’am” rhythm.
North Carolina – South Carolina
Why They’re Like Twins (From a Local’s Perspective)
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Charlotte workers live in Rock Hill, SC; Myrtle Beach serves as a beach getaway for North Carolinians.
- Common History: They were one “Carolina” until 1712; both have old textile mills and debated barbecue traditions.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Duke-UNC basketball rivals Clemson-South Carolina in the same ACC conference—like siblings in one room.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Charlotte TV covers upstate South Carolina; Research Triangle jobs attract South Carolina workers.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: North Carolina Piedmont twang eases into South Carolina Lowcountry’s “Geechee” influence—same sweet-tea flow.
North Dakota – South Dakota
Why They’re Like Twins (From a Local’s Perspective)
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Fargo, ND, and Sioux Falls, SD, share big stores like Scheels; I-29 feels like one long road.
- Common History: Split from Dakota Territory in 1889; same pioneer homes and Native American treaties.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: NDSU vs. SDSU football is the big event on the plains.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Fargo TV covers eastern South Dakota; oil money benefits both.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Flat “a” sounds and “oh ya” are the same—only the temperature differs.
Alabama – Mississippi
Why They’re Like Twins (From a Local’s Perspective)
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Mobile, AL, and Biloxi, MS, share Gulf Coast beaches; Tuscaloosa students visit Oxford for fun.
- Common History: Core of the old Cotton Kingdom; civil rights paths like Selma to Jackson connect them.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Alabama’s Iron Bowl vibes match Mississippi’s Egg Bowl—SEC relatives arguing over fried food.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Birmingham TV reaches western Mississippi; Gulf ports handle similar seafood.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Alabama drawl gets thicker into Mississippi Delta style—same “y’all” and relaxed pace.
Tennessee – Kentucky
Why They’re Like Twins (From a Local’s Perspective)
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Clarksville, TN, commutes to Fort Campbell, KY; Bristol is one city across the line.
- Common History: Both from North Carolina land grants; shared moonshine history in the mountains.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Tennessee Vols vs. Kentucky Wildcats basketball is intense; country music and horse racing overlap.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Nashville TV covers southern Kentucky; bourbon trails connect Lynchburg, TN, to Bardstown, KY.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: East Tennessee twang rises into Kentucky Bluegrass—same “holler” and musical lilt.
Arkansas – Louisiana
Why They’re Like Twins (From a Local’s Perspective)
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Texarkana is one city split by the line; Shreveport casinos attract Little Rock visitors.
- Common History: Both from the Louisiana Purchase; Delta farming and Cajun influences mix.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Arkansas Razorbacks vs. LSU Tigers—SEC West relatives debating gumbo.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Shreveport TV covers southern Arkansas; Mississippi River transports the same crops.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Arkansas Ozark drawl shifts to Louisiana Cajun “cher”—same humid, swampy tone.
Indiana – Illinois
Why They’re Like Twins (From a Local’s Perspective)
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Chicago suburbs extend into northwest Indiana (Gary to South Bend); Indy residents visit Chicago for weekends.
- Common History: Both from Northwest Territory; shared Abraham Lincoln sites and Underground Railroad history.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Bears vs. Colts; Indiana high school basketball passion meets Illinois college hoops.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Chicago TV dominates northern Indiana; steel and farming connect via railroads.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Indiana’s flat vowels blend into Chicago’s “da Bears”—same Midwestern directness.
Michigan – Ohio
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Toledo, OH, and Monroe, MI, share Lake Erie spots; Detroit areas merge into northwest Ohio.
- Common History: Both from Northwest Territory; auto industry history from Ford to Jeep.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Michigan vs. Ohio State football divides families for a week.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Detroit TV reaches Toledo; auto parts supply chain is interconnected.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Michigan says “pop,” Ohio says “soda”—but same Great Lakes industrial edge.
Iowa – Missouri
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Des Moines and Kansas City media overlap in southern Iowa; Quad Cities span the Mississippi.
- Common History: Border states under Missouri Compromise; shared pioneer and river stories.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Iowa-Iowa State plus Chiefs/Royals fans in Iowa.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Kansas City media covers southwest Iowa; river barges carry the same corn.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Iowa’s even vowels ease into Missouri’s gentler river style.
Nebraska – Kansas
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Omaha and Kansas City suburbs touch; Lincoln shoppers go to Wichita.
- Common History: Born from the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act; same Oregon Trail paths.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Nebraska vs. Kansas football carries old grudges.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Omaha TV covers northwest Kansas; grain transport is shared.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Both say “crick” with the same flat Plains twang.
Montana – Wyoming
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Billings, MT, and Sheridan, WY, share ranch stores; Yellowstone towns blend.
- Common History: Frontier ranching areas; same Native American agreements.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Montana vs. Wyoming college games are the main event in the region.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Billings TV reaches northern Wyoming; energy resources cross borders.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Montana’s drawl shortens to Wyoming’s quick cowboy style—same simple “yep.”
Oregon – Washington
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Portland and Vancouver, WA, form one metro area; the Columbia River connects them.
- Common History: End points of the Oregon Trail; shared logging and fishing roots.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Seahawks vs. Oregon Ducks; Mariners vs. Beavers—rivalries across the river.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Portland TV covers southwest Washington; tech and timber industries link.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Portland’s quirky style meets Seattle’s reserved one—same rainy, indirect politeness.
Idaho – Utah
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Logan, UT, and Pocatello, ID, share Costco; Cache Valley is one farming area.
- Common History: Mormon settlement centers; same pioneer trails and water systems.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: BYU vs. Boise State is a milder religious matchup.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Salt Lake TV reaches southern Idaho; potatoes and tech share workers.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Utah’s clear speech meets Idaho’s country drawl—same pioneer “crick.”
New York – New Jersey
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: PATH trains connect like a local subway; northern New Jersey commutes to NYC.
- Common History: Dutch then British colonies; shared immigration through Ellis Island.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Giants and Jets share a stadium but intense dislike.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: NYC media includes North Jersey; Wall Street supports New Jersey pharma.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Brooklyn’s “fuhgeddaboudit” shifts to Jersey “yo”—same bold energy.
Vermont – New Hampshire
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: White River Junction is one community; Dartmouth students ski both states easily.
- Common History: Independent-minded Granite State origins around 1777.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: UNH vs. UVM hockey is the big winter passion.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Burlington TV covers western New Hampshire; maple syrup operations span the river.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Both use “ayuh” with the same straightforward Yankee tone.
Colorado – New Mexico
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Durango, CO, and Farmington, NM, share river activities; Four Corners mixes tourists.
- Common History: Spanish then Mexican lands; endpoints of the Santa Fe Trail.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Colorado universities spill into New Mexico rivalries—Rocky Mountain kin.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Denver TV reaches northern New Mexico; ski and chile economies connect.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Colorado’s high-elevation clarity softens to New Mexico’s Spanish-influenced flow.
Arizona – Nevada
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Laughlin, NV, and Bullhead City, AZ, form one gambling area; Lake Mead is shared.
- Common History: Mining boom towns; Hoover Dam as a joint landmark.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: UNLV vs. ASU basketball in the desert.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Vegas TV covers northwest Arizona; water and power systems are linked.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Phoenix’s suburban style meets Vegas’s mixed accents—same hot, squinting attitude.
Hawaii – Alaska
- Blended Borders & Everyday Life: Military families move between the states; same big-box shopping habits.
- Common History: 49th and 50th states—distant Pacific additions to the U.S.
- Sports Rivalries Like Family Arguments: Hawaii vs. Alaska college games are unique extremes.
- Overlapping Economy & Media: Shared Pacific military; tourism promotes both “aloha” and northern lights.
- Gradual Changes in Accent & Vibe: Hawaiian Pidgin “howzit” meets Alaskan remote drawl—same isolated, frontier feel.
Regional Divisions Inside The States
Looking at each state individually, there is at least one division to note. Northern California is distinct culturally from Southern California as is Upper New York (Buffalo) from Lower New York (Manhattan). Western Oregon (Portland) is distinct culturally from Eastern Oregon. For Michigan, there is a known difference between Eastern Michigan (Detroit) and Western Michigan (Lansing) while there is also a division between the northern part of the state and the southern part. Then there is also a separation of the Upper Peninsula from the rest of the state. In this way, a state might have multiple divisions and relationships between them.
Even in Southern California, there are different regions, from Los Angeles being different than the cities just to the south like Anaheim and Huntington Beach, all of which are distinct from atmosphere of the San Diego area that is further south from Los Angeles.

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