There’s nothing quite like the Iowa State Fair to remind you what “Iowan culture” really means. Naturally, I went with my friend Tommy to do some deep anthropological research, because what better way to study culture than by watching a group of women holler “Haaaarrrr-old!” at the top of their lungs during the husband-calling contest? (Move over, Shakespeare, we’ve got performance art right here in Des Moines.)
Tommy and I actually tried to break it down: What is Iowa’s culture, anyway? Why is what we do as a group of people different from other states? Where the heck did Iowa Nice come from? All important questions that I unfortunately could not answer after my long day at the fair.
Speaking of Iowa nice, I made a new friend–a goat. Not just any goat, mind you, but a goat with enough personality to make you rethink your entire social circle. We locked eyes, shared a moment, and I’m pretty sure it understood me better than half the people I’ve met in college so far. No offense, humans…