The ongoing trend of mass domestic migration from blue states to red states, especially in the wake of Covid, has fundamentally altered the source of economic activity and growth from coastal states like California and New York to states like Florida and Texas. Furthermore, the majority of Americans no longer inhabit dense urban jungles like New York City and Los Angeles, but instead tend their gardens in the big open suburban sprawls of Atlanta, Houston, or Phoenix.
While many commentators speculate on the political shifts that result from this migration, there’s relatively little attention paid to the cultural shift that happens. The fact that red states are becoming more diverse and cosmopolitan while blue states become less vibrant makes for a great opportunity to explore these themes, and yet, most storytellers, filmmakers, and screenwriters seem rather oblivious to it.
With a few exceptions, most of them will continue presenting New York City, Los Angeles, and occasionally San Francisco, Boston, and Baltimore as the veritable centers of the world. Not surprisingly, this has led many American audiences to tune out, no longer seeing themselves in the characters on the screen — the woke messaging doesn’t help either.
Finally, this status quo is being challenged by “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan in his newest TV series “Tulsa King,” which takes on the issue of the great American migration and the culture clash that ensues. While there’s certainly some conflict, the message of the show is refreshingly optimistic and profound.
The story centers
