People from the Northern United States

Quote :

It's been my observation that people from the Northern United States are more rude than I am accustomed to

It is a Saturday night and Flash is taking a hiatus from talking to the
women on Myspace, so I thought I'd take a little time for our debate. =)



Growing up a Northern girl, I feel I can comment on the quote above. I hope the OP doesn't mind I copied it. He goes on to say more, but the one
sentence is all I felt I needed.

Like I said, I am a Northern girl, perhaps not by choice but by circumstance. I've been here a few years shy of forty so I feel I can give a fair comparison between the ways of Northerners and my experience with Southerners.

First of all, my comments do not apply to all, so don't go getting your feathers in a fluff. These are only my experiences and observations.

We Northerners have a way about us, that's true. The weather sucks, for
one. We have about four months of blistering heat and four months of
frigid cold.The other four months are a battle between the two, and
usually less than a week apart. One day it might be seventy, the next
thirty. We never know how to dress. So a lot of times we feel like sh*t
because of the stupid weather changes, and are stressed because we wore a sweatshirt and the temperature fooled us yet again.That has a lot to
do with it.

As children we were not taught Southern hospitality, gallantry, and the like. We were taught to be independent creatures and depend on no one but ourselves. We feel we have something to prove.

What? I have no idea. We are not open and friendly to strangers, they
are not to be trusted until they earn it. We Northerners are always in
a hurry. Things must be done and done right away! There is a sense of
urgency about us that must have been passed down from our Northern
ancestors. We like our space and privacy and can be quick to anger if
provoked. I don't know why these things are, it's just the way it is.

We speak with a Northern nasal twang and our vocabulary is completely different. We do not carry passengers in our cars, nor do we put things in our boots. We take someone in our cars and put our feet in boots during the frigid four months. Pastry, up here is doughnuts or pie, not dumplings.

With all these differences (and many others I have not mentioned), you
probably do think we walk around with corn cobs up our butts most times.

The Mason-Dixon line definitely still exists.


I have visited the South a couple of times and you may be surprised at
what I found. People in the South, folks I have never before met in my
life, treated me like family. If need be they would have given me or my
family their last shirt or last dollar without hesitation. They invited
me into their homes and would've been happy if I'd stayed forever. They
were never in a hurry and took time to visit with one another on front
porches as twilight settled over the magnolias. The gentlemen were
polite and treated me like a lady.(Don't you DARE laugh!) The womenfolk
were greatly interested in my cooking skills and were anxious to share
their oldest recipes handed down to them from ancestors long dead and
gone. They loved me and love me still.

The weather has to have something to do with it. Summer-like most of the year round. No wonder no one is in a hurry, because it will most likely be warm again soon.
There is no trudging around, freezing your a** off trying to get to
somewhere warmer. It doesn't take Southerners twenty minutes to warm up the car and scrape ice from the windows.

Despite the vocabulary differences (I kept wondering why they wanted to carry me everywhere; I was much too heavy), and overfeeding me at every
opportunity, I have never found more kind or caring people as I did in
the South.

I remember my trips there fondly, and know that when I go back this summer it will be as if I never left.

People in general, however, are rude or not anywhere you go. The climate may make some difference, but genuine affection and compassion come from the heart.

Well, dang yer purty little hide, Mel, I think you done said it all. Probably much better than I could. I ain't got a thing against people from up there, they're just not quite as laid back as we are down here, and while I occasionally venture into the frozen reaches of a northern state, such as Kentucky, I grow tired quickly and coast back home.

There are many fine people in the north, our own Mr. Stodghill is a very good example of that, as is the originator of this thread, and I have nothing but respect for all of our frozen friends.

Perhaps someone could start a new thread where we could get into a nice friendly, but very heated discussion about the war of northern agression.

Do you mean the Civil War?

Ahem... I thought you might appreciate my observances of the North/South rudeness theory.

And also might be a little surprised, too.

No, I'm not surprised at all Mel. I'm sure that you noticed, in my original post, where I qualified my observations about people from the north and people from England by saying;

"That's not a hard and fast rule by any means,"

And that's pretty much what I meant. There are people everywhere that can be rude and obnoxious, I'm sure you recall that I can be when I think the situation calls for it, and there are people everywhere that can be nice and polite. I can also be that way, and like to think that is my usual nature, although I know there are those that will disagree.

I've had the opportunity to run into both kinds from a lot of different places. I like some people, others not so much, and for the most part it's never been a regional thing. I am usually just as friendly and polite as I am given the chance to be, and to tell the truth, I think most of us are that way.

No, it's not named that which you called it, it's named the war of northern agression, and I don't really want to discuss it, I just wanted to mention it.

I am glad you spoke up, Don, as I was wondering who was being quoted there.

Mel, you speak (type) the truth. Northerners can be just as nice, but it seems to take a catastrophe for their warmth to shine through. I am pleased and proud to say that southern hospitality just can't be beat, because they wear it constantly, not just in times of trouble.

Up here, if you are in a small town or community, there seem to be more friendly people around. Perhaps because they are not so rushed. In the large cities they have to get their groceries home before the downpour starts perhaps, and before the freeway turns into a parking lot.

If you stop and think about it, 'the war of northern agression' is an apt description, and one that southerners will correct you with. My cousins have schooled me well!

We can discuss it if you like. The Civil War, I mean. One of my favorite subjects!

Zada, you're so right. We in the Pacific Northwest will share our umbrella with anyone!! We know about ruined hairstyles and worms on the sidewalk. The rain is somewhat of a leveling agent. Everyone looks the same when we're all soaking wet. hee hee

Sorry, I'll pass. Not in the want to mood enough to get into any more of those discussions that sometimes start friendly and get nasty.

I find I pass on more of those kind of topics than I engage in anymore.

You're no fun =(

I'm taking my marbles and going home. =)

Zada, this is a carryover from another thread. Mel started this one so the other could stay on topic.

As Mel and I are just now getting back on a speak to without shouting basis, I have no desire to get into any discussion that will make us regress to where we once were. I've not been in any great angry discussion for a long time now, and that's kind of the way I want to keep it. Not that I can't discuss the war in a civil manner, I can, but I've found that it's easier to just not discuss it at all.

By the way, it was for econmic reasons and not about slavery.

E. Don Harpe wrote:

By the way, it was for economic reasons and not about slavery.

LOL!!! I know you want to.


But I understand. You're right. I have enjoyed our amicable relationship thus far and do not wish for it to go South.

(Excuse the pun, of course)

So very true, Don! My history book contained lots of errors when I was in school, about many things! I didn't learn the truth until later, and often wonder how much of what I learned about anything was right. 8^))

Believe it or not, I had written the same thing (about going South) but thought better of it and took it out. I thought it would be a bit too much.

Hmmm.

I was born in Oregon. Lived there until I was 8.
Lived in Guadalajara Mexico from age 8 to 14.
Lived in several different cities of Texas from age 14 to 30.
Lived near San Jose CA from age 30 to 35.
I've lived in Northern NV since then ...

Does that make me Southern? Northern? Western? Foreign?


And I've been to every one of the lower 48 (except Vermont). Most of them more times than I can count. I've also been to four provinces of Canada.

You know what?
There are lovely, hospitable, and kind people from border to border (and across both borders) and coast to coast.

And sadly ... mean, nasty, rude people in the same places.

However, almost everywhere, it seems, treating a grumpy person with kindness and a smile can change their demeanor.

Funny thing. I was in Ireland for 10 days. Went to Dublin, Galway, Bray, and several other places. It seems everyone I met was super nice. I don't recall being treated badly by anyone. (And Ireland isn't exactly known for its sunshine)

merrihiatt wrote:

Zada, you're so right. We in the Pacific Northwest will share our umbrella with anyone!! We know about ruined hairstyles and worms on the sidewalk. The rain is somewhat of a leveling agent. Everyone looks the same when we're all soaking wet. hee hee

It gets even better than that, Merri--several years ago we under an ice storm. The community was completely cut off from the world for two weeks. The lights and phones were down. Neighbors with equipment who did not even know each other (anyone within 5 miles is considered a neighbor out here) were out clearing portions of the roads so others could get to the little store, people were loaning out their generators to keep freezers charged up and some even organized board game nights to get company and have some entertainment. Occasions like that are the true meaning of helping one another through tough times!

Interesting thread.
Being from Pennsylvania, a Yankee, I can appreciate the comments Mel made. I too have often commented about the friendliness of the southerner and made the weather comparison - cold in the north and warm in the south. The same is true in Europe. Cold (more reserved) in the north, and warm (more open) and friendly in the south - the Mediterranean region.
Regional differences make it interesting. If we were all alike, it would be rather boring.
Don, you are a wise man.

Abe, you know I agree completely with your last two sentences. I think, if one gets serious here and I'm going to, one of the problems in people getting along is our failure to recognize the differences of various cultures. I'm not going to brag here because it will make Don think I've had no trials or tribulations, but having traveled extensively and not staying in American hotels when we do, and often having kids along who are more interested in experiencing the culture than the tourist attractions, those regional differences make it interesting.

I love, love love Wisconsin. There are faults. I grew up in Chicago. I wanted to leave as quickly as possible. Home for four years was in the south. Yes, people treated us warmly. I had many southern friends from various parts of the country as my husband was in the military.

One time a friend of my husband became engaged to a girl in the town we lived in. There was an engagement party and we went. We were greeted with love and caring, although we had never met these people before. During the party, the sister of the hostess badly cut her hand and badly needed stitches. None of the family felt they could leave the party, leave their guests. So Tom and I took her to the emergency room.

Look at North Dakota. And look at Arkansas where I went to assist with tornadoes last February. Both had people pitch in like Zada speaks of. They do that in Wisconsin also. I'm really good in disasters, but I don't ooze kindness on meeting. I am shy, much shyer in life than here. I listen more than speak.

I love people, from all cultures.

As far as the terrible war that occurred on this continent in the 1860s, isn't it time to let it rest on the fact it was horrendous? Dick would be the first to state that in war things are very very nasty. They were nasty on both sides. It is good to study the history, with honesty, with the terrible atrocities on both sides. I wasn't there. My family was. I do not think it is something to make fun of, it was very serious. Reviewers have said I have written about it from both sides in my book. It is time to be at peace, and I do believe that some of the way history has been taught has contributed to us not making peace.

Carol

Forest Elf wrote:

Funny thing. I was in Ireland for 10 days. Went to Dublin, Galway, Bray, and several other places. It seems everyone I met was super nice. I don't recall being treated badly by anyone. (And Ireland isn't exactly known for its sunshine)

... but it is known for its warmth.

Mel, count your blessings. I recall January 1, 1952 when my National Guard outfit left Akron for Camp Polk, Louisiana. "At least it will be warmer there" was the general feeling. When we woke up the first morning it was snowing.
One of the most uncomfortable winters of my life was spent just outside Macon, Georgia. Seventy one day, 30 the next and damp with a capital D.
Then there was the summer at Columbus, Georgia. At five in the morning it was 95 degrees. Imagine what the rest of the day was like.
But that was the old days. Now in Northeast Ohio we have sunshine on most winter days instead of going from late October to late April and only seeing it a few times. My daughter in San Diego often says she misses those cloudy days and is sick of sunshine. I haven't the heart to tell her that constant cloudy weather is only a memory.

As for nice people and rude people, I agree you find them everywhere. My favorite are found in New York City. Brusk, right to the point, get on with it, always on a mission, but willing to take all the time in the world to help you if they see you really need it. No time or patience for dawdlers, though, no use for heming and hawing. Too many things to accomplish to waste time that way.

And Elf is right about the Irish. Work hard, get things done, but then the Paddy Factor kicks in and its time for fun. Just ask Shelagh.

Well, apparently I am quite rude, in fact the rudest peson here, and Shelagh rules.

While Shelagh will never understand the back and forth that has been going on between the North and the South for generations, I do understand the need she has to rule. However, the colonies got away from that a long time ago, so I guess I'll just dump all of my tea in the harbor and bid you all farewell.

If anyone wants to contact me, try edonharpe@comcast.net

E. Don Harpe wrote:

While Shelagh will never understand the back and forth that has been going on between the North and the South for generations, I do understand the need she has to rule. However, the colonies got away from that a long time ago, so I guess I'll just dump all of my tea in the harbor and bid you all farewell.

Ok, that was funny. Sorry, Shelagh! Come on Don, stick around. Besides, dumping tea in the harbor is a Yankee thing.

Something been going on between the North and South? What was that then? Not the War of the Roses. That was East and West. Oh, You mean the canny Scots. Well the Romans built Hadrian's wall to keep 'em out and now we have a Scottish Prime Minister. Let them back in and they take over the place.

Just a minute, you're talking about Confederates and Yankees (are they the same? We dimwit English folk will never understand). Well, Don, I just don't give a damn. I think Rhett said that. Hey madhatter, did you say that? Thought so.

Just an aside. Elizabeth Gaskell's novel, North and South is a skillful study of the cultural mores of nineteenth century Britain. The book was adapted for television by the BBC:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/northandsouth/

Well, if it's going to be on Masterpiece Theatre, I already hate it.