The Hawaii Stereotype

I never realized how much a stereotype a place has until I lived in Hawaii. When I tell people I living in Hawaii now, a host of questions come, all in a similar format:

• Do you play at the beach all day?
• Does Internet work there?
• Does Amazon deliver there?

The first time I encountered the Hawaii stereotype was when I was in Japan - when a friend mentioned:

Those that want to have an easy time doing their masters degree, apply to the University of Hawaii.

That was confusing to me - where I felt that came out of left field.

Another instance of the stereotype:

All people in Hawaii do is sit on the beach and play in the water.

Stereotypes have a truth to them and provide a shortcut for others that don’t know to easily accept them as a truth.

After living here now, I find the Hawaii stereotypes don’t hold up, yet, they still propagate because the stereotypes are so easy to spread.

Well, maybe the Hawaii stereotypes propagate because there are more visitors to Hawaii than people living in Hawaii. I meet others living here and they don’t hold up the Hawaii stereotype at all.

It’s the first time where a place’s stereotype is so pervasaive. Hawaii is a great place - in a way, I wish the stereotype was just that of play and remoteness (two things I do believe in).

I would also say because of these stereotypes, it’s changed the way I think about “working remote” - where I learn most companies that say they are “remote” are not open to having a team member in Hawaii for whatever reasons.

🤷

When I encounter the Hawaii stereotype with those I talk with, I share my perspective, of what it’s like to be here. Yes, the beach is great, Internet is fabulous, and Amazon eventually delivers here.