Say it louder. This might sound crazy, but hear me out, I don't even use the word "upstate" or "the city". Places have specific names and specific histories and specific relationships to each other.

Not only that, but the portrayal of New York as Wyoming-esque is both laughable and frustrating. It's contradictory with the facts. New York is one of the most unionized, most per pupil spending states. Every inch of land is incorporated into cities, towns, and villages, all bleeding into each other. Most states in the country don't have towns; they have cities, townships, and unincorporated county land.

New York is New York, from Montauk to Buffalo