Op-Ed: California Has Gone Full 'Dude'

California isn't just laid-back anymore; columnist Joe Mathews argues it's gone full "Dude." In a new piece for Zócalo Public Square, Mathews revives a concept he floated 12 years ago—"Lebowskization"—to describe how residents are increasingly resembling Jeff Bridges' iconic slacker from The Big Lebowski. He backs the joke with data: roughly 10% of adults are unemployed or underemployed, another big chunk is hustling as self-employed or gig workers, and private investigators—Lebowski's unlicensed trade—are unusually common in the state. Cannabis use has surged since legalization, liquor consumption is up, and even bowling is making a comeback via cocktail-heavy "boutique" alleys.

Mathews also spots Dude-like trends in old cars (the average California vehicle is now 12 years old), the booming secondhand furniture and rug market, rising philosophical nihilism among young people, and a slide away from marriage and dating. With more Californians renting, living alone, and aging into Lebowski's demographic, Mathews concludes the "state of Lebowskis" is surviving, not flourishing. For his full, data-laced riff on how California came to abide, read the original column at Zócalo Public Square.