We don’t have a say in where we’re born, but lately I’ve been wondering how much of human nature is set up by and then encouraged by how we design and implement the institutions people live and work in. The catalyst for this wondering comes from watching the HBO series “True Detective.”
True Detective is as enjoyable as “The Sopranos” was. The storyline, character development, setting, and filming all work to suck you in. The story takes place in South Louisiana. I was born and raised in New Orleans and most of the depictions of Louisiana in the show ring true.
The most clever and insightful of the two main characters is a detective who moved to Louisiana from Texas. That says a lot, when the backward ways in Louisiana get a light shown on them by someone from Texas.
The only bad part about the series is seeing how backwards Louisiana is. I know that’s part of the charm of the place. But from the generally bad education system to deep-seated religiosity to a sometimes shady legal and penal system, Louisiana is a tough sell as an appealing place to live for most people.
If you were granted the ability to direct where a child could be born in order to give it the highest likelihood of a happy life, Louisiana wouldn’t be very high on the list of great places to grow up. The people are sweet but the institutions they live and work in aren’t.