Maybe it’s the flat, barren landscape and threat of severe weather; maybe it’s the high poverty rate (16%) and low rates of health-insurance coverage. For whatever reason, the Sooner State ranks in the bottom five of every category we considered.

Even the official state rock song is depressing. In 2009, the Oklahoma legislature bestowed that honor on "Do You Realize?" by the Flaming Lips; it's a dirge-like tune featuring lyrics such as "Do you realize that happiness makes you cry? Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die?"

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20483493,00.html

I'm surprised other states that seem more flat, barren and depressing than Oklahoma, like Kansas and North Dakota weren't on the list. Yet, two states more forested and hilly than Oklahoma were more depressing. Oh, well, the Devon Tower isn't something to get depressed about. Hopefully OU and OSU won't get depressing too soon.

Oklahoma's depressing quality of life rankings say Republicans are due to the long leadership from the Democrats going back since statehood. Now that the Republicans fully rule at the State Capitol, I hope they will prove what they mean by not making conditions even more depressing in the state. But the making of hashish getting punished with up to life in prison upon first conviction certainly isn't the right way to go about it.

Overall, though, I think conditions in Oklahoma now are not as depressing as they were in the 1990s, thank goodness!

I can kind of agree with the article. Sometimes this place is depressing. It almost seems like the grass is brown 10 out of 12 months a year on top of all the natural disasters we seem to have every other month.

The bit about the Flaming Lips song cracks me up though. I don't think Dirge is in their vocabulary. And if it was, it would probably still be an OTT joyous neon ballad about the celebration of life.

This would be part of a modern definition of crap journalism. First would be random top ten lists. Second wold be an article as an internet slideshow. Not even worth reading. That will probably be my first and last visit to health.com

Another pointless list from CNN.

Another pointless list from CNN.

Another pointless list period. People in OKC have such a love affair with being ranked in something it is quite pathetic and disgusting. There will be a thread for every poll that includes OKC in a positive light, even if it is published by Bubba's Bathroom Magazine. "OMG yay go OKC! We are rock" blah blah blah. People and their love affair with these polls makes me want to throw a cantaloupe at their head. lol At the end of the day...who the hell cares? Do you like where you live? Yes? Okay then. Stop worrying about what other people think. Don't like where you live - help change it or find a setting that better fits you.

Do I find Oklahoma depressing? At times. As stated before...the short growing season, lack of green (and tall trees) in most areas, and no major NATURAL bodies of water...does make the state some what limited and can get repetitive and boring. Does that mean I'll move? Perhaps. I'm alright with the place for now though. Just wish we had more water. :-P

Oklahoma City is also on the top 10 list for low unemployment. Where are you going to be the most depressed? The state where you have a job or the state where you don't?

I don't give much attention to these lists for the most part, but they do serve to remind us about stereotypes and general perceptions of others.

And, as much as I think I (and others) don't pay much attention to "top this" "top that" lists, they obviously have an audience or they wouldn't continue to be published. Also, in hindsight I guess I myself do rely on these lists because I often use them when in other states to find places to eat and things to do.

I'm in Austin right now and we used the top hiking list to find a great new place to take the dogs and hike this morning.

Like I stated in another thread, the perception of Oklahoma (or Texas) is based off the stereotypes perpetuated about western Oklahoma and Texas. Most of the coastal types neglect the entire eastern parts of the states that have varying terrain, many lakes and forests. Then they seem surprised by the news reports on national media about things like the wildfires we are having right now where they actually see trees. Near Bastrop where we looked at land a few years back there is 25,000 acres on fire with about 400 homes lost, that are is in the middle of the Lost Pines forest area. They just seem to think that one area that is known from the old westerns represents the entire state.

Bryan - The difference is you are looking at lists that do serve a purpose, one that highlights aspects of a certain place. All these others lists pitting the bad things of city against city are pretty much worthless. If most of these lists were printed on paper you could put it on a roll in your bathroom and it would actually have a useful purpose.

ANYPLACE can be depressing if you let it be no matter how much is around, it is much more of a "state of mind" issue rather than a "place" issue.

I think I will show this to my journalism class as an example of pointless journalism. I think this is a beautiful state, filled with hard-working, beautiful people with an interesting heritage. We can't all live in the same state. I choose to live here, and I am most certainly not depressed by it.

I also think severe weather is interesting, and that more people should understand how the weather works. This is a perfect place for that.

I am so depressed that we are on this "most depressed list" thats it makes me more depressed!

Living in Oklahoma is not depressing. Living in close proximity to some of the folk who live here .....

Living in Oklahoma is not depressing. Living in close proximity to some of the folk who live here .....
Those folks pretty much exist everywhere, the people on the coasts just don't want to admit it.

Those folks pretty much exist everywhere, the people on the coasts just don't want to admit it.

I think I have to agree with you on this one.

This summer was depressing enough for me to consider moving somewhere I don't have to stay indoors for three months. If summers like this become standard, I'm not sure how long I could tolerate it. Prior to this year, I would have said the sunny weather is mood lifting and that there's very little about Oklahoma that's depressing.

[QUOTE=bluedogok;465409 They just seem to think that one area that is known from the old westerns represents the entire state. [/QUOTE]

If you watch any John Ford western, you'd think that Monument Valley was in Texas. Check out the opening scene from The Searchers.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy2-abqR8B4

Obviously, the CNN "Seer" on the [pre]-front end of this topic has his head so far up his ass that he has to open his mouth to see where he is going.

Which, btw, causes the flight attendants unnecessary extra work trying to figure out how to strap him into the seat for his "fly-over" as they descend, momentarily from The Cloud to observe that the territory, below actually does resemble something on Google Earth.

The funny part is that peoples' perceptions are actually shaped by this s=it.

Maybe it’s the flat, barren landscape

While attending college in California I was friends with a guy that took a bicycle ride across America for his high school senior trip. There were several dozen riders in his group and they rode from Tacoma, WA to Jacksonville, FL. He tells people if they think Oklahoma is flat they need to try and ride a bicycle across it.

People who say OK is a barren wasteland watch too many westerns. Just take a drive from OKC to Dallas on I-35. First you hit the rolling hills of Garvin County, then the Arbuckles, then the thick cross timber forest between Ardmore and the Red River. Hardly a barren landscape, and its not even the nicest part of the state. Of course once you cross the Red River it becomes flat, barren, and brown until you hit Denton.


This summer was depressing enough for me to consider moving somewhere I don't have to stay indoors for three months. If summers like this become standard, I'm not sure how long I could tolerate it. Prior to this year, I would have said the sunny weather is mood lifting and that there's very little about Oklahoma that's depressing.

I'm glad someone else said this. I can't remember a summer when I've been so bored and couped inside the house, but this is obviously not the norm. Also, once you go to a place where its cloudy 75% of the time to the point where you have a vitamin D deficiency you will be greatful you are in OK, even when the sun is frying you half the year.

Let them think what they want... I don't want the whole world moving here once we find out how good we have it. You can't actually rate any place until you have lived there long term.

To all the Okies out there who hate this place, move away for awhile and you will become fond of it. I left in 1995 for military service. My goal was to plant my feet somewhere on the west coast with warm temperatures and sunny beaches. I lived in Port Hueneme, CA, Farjardo, Puerto Rico Andros Island, Bahamas Okinawa, Japan and Gulfport Biloxi. Each place had it's positives and negatives. The best place was Port Hueneme. As time went on, I started missing having four seasons and all the great comforts of Oklahoma.

In my opinion you cannot really compare living any place until you have lived in one or more places for at least a couple of years at each stop. Sure, every place looks grand on vacation however, living there long term is a whole different story.

It isn't depressing here. I would be depressed with some states up north, where you get summer for a only a few months and heavy winter for the rest of the year. Even after this horrid summer, I would hate to be in winter for months at a time with no break.

The most depressing thing about Oklahoma is all the stereotypes and negative opinions that I hear way to much of. Given that I have been in Oklahoma all my life so I'm a little sensative and defensive but most of the negative comments are from people who have either never been here, or have been here once and never even tried to look past the stereotype they have formed. If you look past the ideal of there is nothing here but cows, or everybody here is an uneducated hick who runs a meth lab and drinks beer when their not out cow tipping, which may be the case for parts of Oklahoma but not all or even a majority of it.

But besides that, Oklahoma isn't depressing and it's far from it. We already know it's one of the most diverse states in America so the "Oklahoma is flat" theory is just dumb. It's more down to earth here and we can just relax instead of always having to be on our toes with thing after thing after thing to do. Oklahoma...is this a great state, or what.

I agree Mdot. It pains me to realize some folk think everyone drinks beer unless we're out cow tipping.

What kind of lame tail momma's boy leaves his beer at home when it's cow tippin' time? Maybe that weak crud takes place in KS or TX, but not here by golly. Of course the beer goes along. Otherwise what would one chase his 'shine with?

I'm from West Texas where I'm sure the author of the CNN Article would never bother to travel. If so, he/she would know what flat really is. I'm in love with OKC and the "hills & trees."

^^Haha!

You got to take your beer with you when you go out. Some of the best things happen after someone says "Here hold my beer."

... Some of the best things happen after someone says "Here hold my beer."

:tiphat:

It isn't depressing here. I would be depressed with some states up north, where you get summer for a only a few months and heavy winter for the rest of the year. Even after this horrid summer, I would hate to be in winter for months at a time with no break.

OSUMom, I picked your post to respond to, but it's also in reply to most of the posts here. I think the study was referring to the states that have the highest incidences of clinical depression, not states that depress you.