West of Eden

California jokes appear to have become an established genre of American folklore. “The land of fruits and nuts” represents, for the rest of us, the kookiness capital of the world. But while it’s obvious (particularly in New York City) that California has no monopoly on crackpots, it is true that the balmy climate and the lingering aura of the last frontier do in fact attract malcontents, misfits, and megalomaniacs from points east and north seeking either to discover or to create an earthly utopia beside the Pacific.

It’s not surprising then, that California’s considerable contributions to national sanity tend to go unheralded; but it is a pity, since, when you take a closer look at those gurus, you discover that at least some of them are peddling not hedonism, or primal scream therapy, or biorhythmic whatever—but the oldest wisdom in the world.

About the Author

Mona Charen

Mona Charen is a syndicated columnist, the policy editor of The Bulwark, and the host of the podcast Beg to Differ.

Featured Tags

California jokes appear to have become an established genre of American folklore. “The land of fruits and nuts” represents, for the rest of us, the kookiness capital of the world. But while it’s obvious (particularly in New York City) that California has no monopoly on crackpots, it is true that the balmy climate and the lingering aura of the last frontier do in fact attract malcontents, misfits, and megalomaniacs from points east and north seeking either to discover or to create an earthly utopia beside the Pacific.

It’s not surprising then, that California’s considerable contributions to national sanity tend to go unheralded; but it is a pity, since, when you take a closer look at those gurus, you discover that at least some of them are peddling not hedonism, or primal scream therapy, or biorhythmic whatever—but the oldest wisdom in the world.