I know exactly where your orchestra should build its next venue: between a popular fishing hole and Amish country in a county with high Lutheran population…oh, and in the winter months, those fields needs snowmobiling trails. #BigDataUsedBadly
Seriously though, an article by Andrew Van Dam in the 8/8/2022 edition of the Washington Post provides some fascinating data obtained after sifting through thousands of Airbnb listings to see how Midwesterners identify as defining characteristics.
What they discovered is while fishing related terms dominate sales copy, “Conservatory” took the #3 spot while “Orchestra” came in at #11, two spots higher than “Snowmobile” and three spots higher than “Amish.”
Another fascinating aspect to the article is how the author demonstrates the way big data should be used in that it inspires questions as much as, if not more than, providing answers.
Two of the next three most-Midwestern words, “Heartland” and “Lutheran,” seem like gimmes. One’s a synonym for Midwestern, and — in the minds of many — the other might as well be. “Conservatory” and “orchestra” seem odd, but Google Trends confirms that both are unusually popular in Midwestern states. If you think you know why, let us know!
If you think you have an answer, write to Van Dam via that link and let him know!
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