i think its pretty true - although its not just about close minded-ness. a lot of people do associate california with kim kardashian types - which i assume to mean pretty, fake and lacking in skills beyond entertainment value.
i try not to think this way myself... my own experiences clash with this sort of thinking a lot, but its a very common perception and its evidence is to be found in a lot of places sadly... helping to reinforce those perceptions.
It's true for the most part. I've lived and worked in France, I've been in ~11 countries and lived in Mexico as well. I speak 2 languages and my eyes are fully opened, not prejudiced against any region of the world. Including the southern US, I just speak to realities and my anecdotal experiences.
Which may be worthless, or anger people.. but I have more experiences than most so I tend to trust my own thoughts more than some politically correct statement about the southern US (where I live) not matching up with stereotypes.
The southern US is like the northern US but basically taking the trailer trash from the north and multiplying it many times over. That's the south in a nutshell.
Where there's smoke, there's fire. There's always some truth to rumors and stereotypes. I don't dislike the south or southerners, but when I said "lower quality of people" that was a poor choice of words. I should have said a general lower quality of education. I also think it's clear the general standards for anything in the south are lower than northern states. They'll give a driver's license to anyone south of the Mason-Dixon. I hate to say it but I think this is indisputable. I love southern folks as much as I do any other, they're very friendly and good people. Some are worse than others and the truly vile ones are no more a larger percent of the population than any other ethnic group's bad apples.
That said, I do prefer Mexicans to Americans of all stripes. Just a better culture, friendly, open, they take insults from Americans in stride and the insults never stop from my nation. Amazing people to be honest. Point being, my views are well-traveled and are not exactly some US-Yankee carpetbagger elitism that my initial statement suggested.
i try not to think this way myself... my own experiences clash with this sort of thinking a lot, but its a very common perception and its evidence is to be found in a lot of places sadly... helping to reinforce those perceptions.