As CD said, it's what you're used to.

Believe it or not, we grew up with no a/c (that was a luxury for rich folks .... the same with "built in" swimming pools and wall-to-wall carpeting). Heck, even rich people were the only ones to have a/c in their cars. I grew up around the car business (my dad and two uncles) and remember when the Yankee dealers would bring truckloads of used cars down here to dump. They'd have all been in salt (winter roads up north) and "rust-proofing" wasn't quite as advanced as it is now. "Undercoating" was about all you could do and you had to have that done yourself (dealer or aftermarket). Anyway, they'd dump those Northern rust buckets down here at the auction, then haul a load of local cars back up North. We could always spot a Yankee car because it would have a heater (they were an option back in the day). It was widely known, if you bought a used car with a heater in it, you could expect it to be rusted out within a couple years 'cause it starts on the inside and works it's way out. Odd, but years later, you could always spot a Northern rust bucket because it had no a/c! Which brings up a question I haven't even thought about for years, is a/c even an option in passenger cars these days? I honestly have no clue.

I will say, once a/c became the norm, I got to the point I couldn't live without it. I was spoiled. But, when I entered the military and was sent to beautiful S.E. Asia, I ended up living in a small village with no a/c (no electricity) or running water ... in a subtropical country! The temps. ranged from 86-degrees (F) in the Winter to 105 in the Summer. Add the 99.9% humidity and it made Florida seem like paradise! Ok, I finally got used to it and it became "normal". After living there for 4 years, I returned "home" to California where my family had moved while I was away. I returned in August when it was considered HOT in L.A. If I got anywhere even close to an air conditioner, my teeth would literally be chattering and I'd be freezing my ass off! People though I was crazy showing up for work in long sleeved shirts and a coat or jacket! I was miserable riding in a car with anyone because they always turned on the a/c! I finally got used to it and when I went to buy my first house, I informed the realtor a/c was a must.

These days, I consider a/c a gift from God and it's on my required to live list! But again, weather is what you're used to and you get acclimated to wherever it is you live.