Star-Tribune Editorial Board
Thanks to a new national study, we now know that Wyoming has its own personality.
It just isn't a very pleasant personality.
The academic journal Perspectives on Psychological Science rated our state and others in several personality traits. Wyoming ranked next to last in the nation in terms of its residents' openness to new ideas and experiences, 48th in agreeableness, and 47th in conscientiousness.
Some of those new to the state may be going, "Spot on." But longtime residents are likely to be a bit peeved at this uncharitable assessment of our personality.
There's probably some truth to the first ranking listed above. Everybody knows Wyoming people are famous for their rugged individualism. That's one of the reasons why you see so many "We don't care how you did it back home" bumper stickers: we really don't care. Remember, there's no reason to change something if it ain't broke.
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But the low ranking for agreeableness just doesn't fit. Perhaps we get marked down because there are fewer people here to agree with. If you're looking at friendliness per capita, Wyoming should rank right near the top. People here are likely to say hello to strangers and help people who need it. So what if we don't invite you in for tea?
And conscientiousness? Come on. What's galling is that all six states that border Wyoming are viewed as more conscientious than us. We'd match Wyoming's spirit of volunteerism and philanthropic donations against any of our neighbors, as well as the whole country.
Wyoming is also on the lower end of the scale when it comes to extroversion, which is how sociable, outgoing and energetic people are. We don't think we have an individual energy shortage. But people who are extremely sociable and outgoing tend to move to big cities, and there simply aren't any of those in Wyoming.
On the plus side, Wyoming is ranked one of the top 15 least neurotic states. What, us worry?
If the study is considered a true depiction of Wyoming's personality, no one will want to move here. Which would be OK (remember our rugged individualism) if we didn't need more people in our labor force. To keep the economy humming, we've got to attract more residents to fill all of those open jobs.
But if people who are extroverted, agreeable, conscientious and like new ideas aren't attracted to Wyoming, what are we going to do? The only sensible solution is to recruit people who are just like us, so they'll fit in right away.
So, putting our best spin on it, here's the advertisement Wyoming might want to run in other states, or maybe one of those Internet matchmaker sites:
"Tired of big crowds? Want to live somewhere where you can be yourself and not care what others think? Where individualism is cherished, not scorned? Somewhere like no other place on earth?
"Have we got a state for you …"
