The Future of Californication

California has a chance to do something radical: to redefine its wrecked image.

The word “Californication” has taken on various meanings over time. In the 1960s and 70s, it referred to California-style urban sprawl and high housing costs. In the 80s, it began to signify overdevelopment, environmental destruction, and the spread of fast-food restaurants. Later, with the Chili Peppers song “Californication” in 1999 and the TV series with the same name starring David Duchovny in 2007, the term came to predominantly allude to moral depravity and cultural

All together, Californication brings to mind a two-time divorcee with a face ruined by plastic surgery living in a suburban development where the closest restaurant is a McDonald’s. So…not exactly an inspiring picture.

I’ve always found Californication to be an obnoxious word. It’s a portmanteau (California combined with fornication) and portmanteaus are obnoxious. But also the meaning of the word always speaks to the worst of California. It implies that California’s influence on the world is net bad, if not entirely bad.

To an extent, I get it. I grew up in Washington state. Anytime a nice home went up for sale in my town, it was assumed—cynically—that someone from California would buy it. The thought of this happening (and it did actually happen several times in my neighborhood), conjured images of overly-tanned blowhards with inflated egos. Which is to say: the rest of the US sees Californians the way Europeans see the average American tourist.

But my childhood perception of California didn’t end with this stereotype. My first CD was Surfin’ USA by The Beach Boys. I loved any movie that glorified the fast-paced culture of Southern California. Steinbeck was one of the first writers I became obsessed with, and the world he depicted in Monterey County seemed as mythical and magical as Narnia. When I was a little older, I became obsessed with psychedelic rock and the Beat writers, and I thought San Francisco had to be the coolest place on Earth, even though I’d never been.

Why isn’t there a word epitomizing this side of California’s influence? It seems obvious that all of these aspects of California culture are more significant than what gets referred to as Californication. Urban sprawl, car culture, plastic surgery, rabid consumerism, so-called moral depravity—none of this is unique to California. If it was, it is no longer. Meanwhile, California continues to uniquely influence the world in terms of tech innovation, film production, internet culture, and lifestyle and dietary trends.

The fact that California is currently seen as something like a failed state or a hellhole is possibly to its advantage. Give the world a chance to stop importing the old version of Californication. Let Miami achieve recognition as America’s epicenter for plastic surgery. Give Alabama and Nebraska a chance to shine for having the most fast-food restaurants per capita. Let Phoenix enjoy its status as urban sprawl capital of the world. Give a shout-out to West Virginia, Tennessee, and Delaware for leading the nation in per capita drug overdose deaths.

With time, I see no reason why Californication can’t come roaring back with a new meaning—a positive one, for once. Here’s my vision:

• The farm-to-table movement becomes wide-spread thanks to advancements in vertical farming. Californication.

• Inspired by innovations like Korean tacos and sushi burritos, fusion cuisine becomes the norm, liberating menus from bland, predictable dishes. Californication.

• The allure of startup culture sparks the development of innovation hubs in mid-sized cities throughout America. Californication.

• Develop coherent policies around drug abuse, mental illness, and homelessness that ultimately clean up city streets, inspiring other liberal states to follow California’s lead.

• The California high-speed rail finally gets built by the next generation of politicians who committed to removing any regulation that stood in its way. This inspires a mass buildout of high-speed rail across the nation. Californication.

• The startup city idea known as California Forever inspires new and existing towns to commit to building affordable homes in walkable neighborhoods powered by clean energy. Californication.

In 2024, Trump said of California: “Really it’s a Paradise Lost but we’re going to bring it back.”

OK. Let’s do it. Let’s bring it back.