Rogue nature

Yesterday we noted how a British-based study determined that Rhode Island was the second-most “stressed-out” state in the U.S. Today our weeklong blog series on the report takes a look at a second category, “conscientiousness,” ranking states according to the personality traits of being “dutiful, responsible and self-disciplined.” Here, Rhode Island came in 48th, meaning only three states finished with lower scores (the District of Columbia is included in the personality map). A description of the cultural profile for states that rank high on the conscientiousness scale follows:

Individuals in these states are more likely to place importance on religion and attend places of worship. Exercising at home is popular, but life expectancy is relatively low. Entertaining and socializing with friends is less popular than in many other states. Computer scientists and mathematicians are more likely to flourish than artists and entertainers. Many people prefer systematic and focused tasks, and clearly defined rules and regulations.

If you read yesterday’s blog on “neuroticism,” you’ll note the inconsistencies. Let’s start with the premise of the conscientiousness category. If it’s true, then “entertaining and socializing with friends” would be more popular and “artists and entertainers” would be more likely to flourish in low-scoring states like Rhode Island. Except that those findings contradict yesterday’s note suggesting a high neuroticism ranking means that “people are less likely to go out or spend time with friends” and “entertainment and the arts tend not to flourish in these states.”

But a closer reading of the report reveals something else. The three states that finished lower than Rhody in the conscientiousness category were Hawaii, Maine and Alaska. Note the similarities: All are ocean states. All are iconoclastic, with strong separatist traditions and uniquely individualistic and independent state cultures. Historically, all have experienced some dislocation with mainstream America. (Maine actually split off from Massachusetts; Rhode Island was the first colony to renounce British rule and the last of the original 13 to accept American statehood; Hawaii and Alaska, the most recent states to join the club, are remote and exotic places that still prefer the totemic to the bureaucratic.) All have been havens for dissenters, free-thinkers, pirates, rogues and scandal-mongers. These are places where individual liberties are celebrated (in ways both good and bad), where “systematic and focused tasks” are considered dull and dreary and “clearly defined rules and regulations” are to be avoided whenever possible. There’s a reason we’re called The Independent State (with the highest number of registered independent voters per capita in the U.S.) But if you’re looking for more conscientiousness in your life, take a trip to New Mexico, the top-ranked state in the category.