It's hard to tell about people in Florida. Many a person wearing broken down deck shoes and grungy shorts are actually multi-millionaires. Often the clothes here are just comfortable and not a badge of the wearer's accomplishments - unless it's layers of paint. The population is very diverse and is a mix of natives, retirees, immigrants (from many locations), and people wanting to make a buck either legally or not.
I find the natives or long-term residents hard to fit into a pre-defined box. The interests and passions are not easily lumped into a single label. The natural conservationist might also be a political conservationist. The developer might also be working toward some very progressive energy alternatives. All those seemingly dichotomies confuse the general public who wish to think of Floridians as people who wear plaid shorts and black socks, ride around in golf carts and are marginally functional.
What is encouraging are the number of people who quietly go about their business of living the lives they want to - in a lovely environment.
The surprise of a hidden waterway skirting homes in an urban area is a delight. The habitat of alligators and snakes with SUVs and pools is a juxtaposition which tickles my sense of tweaking the smug.
But I think that's a lot of what Floridians enjoy. The quiet joke.
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