Hello, New York. How rude and un-Minnesotan of me. We haven’t been properly introduced. (This means I want to talk about myself more.) Let’s skip the handshake and go straight to the good stuff. There’s a nasty flu going around. Wouldn’t want you (really mean me) to catch anything. (I mean, who knows where you’ve been.) You can call me Mr. Nice.
Webster would say to be nice is to be amiably pleasant and kind. Hmm…well, isn’t that nice?
You see there’s nice and then there’s Minnesota-nice. If Webster had a definition for Minnesota-nice, it would include words like passive aggressive, insincere and sugarcoated. These not-so-nice qualities are not exclusive to Minnesotans, but we find a way to make them seem nicer, even if we aren’t feeling so nice. It’s not in our nature to say or do anything that would cause someone to be put off or take offense. We get our point across in other ways. Like buying our upstairs neighbor a brand new pair of slippers for Christmas instead of just telling them that they walk too loud at night.
Minnesota-nice is a personality trait (or disorder) that is hard to kick. I lived in Los Angeles for two years, and that didn’t cure me. LA is pushing its own brand of artificiality. Now, as a New Yorker in training, I look forward to discovering the truth and sincerity behind some of the country’s nicest people.
Hahaha Disorder. Definitely a disorder.
ReplyDeleteAgreed Jess, Minnesota-nice is a disorder, given I am tainted myself over my wee stay in "nice" snowy land (and I'm still here?!). All the best in NYC Chris.
ReplyDeleteI'm from the Midwest (wisconsin) and lived in Minneapolis for a good ten years and i for one LOVE the directness of New Yorkers. That's not to say there isn't kindness and gentleness also. I have met oodles of incredible people here. I do find that you have to make a grand effort to insert yourself into things. Most people won't do the asking. And in fact are pleasantly surprised if YOU do the asking. I've lived in New York for a year and a half and wished I'd come here years ago. I also lived on the West Coast (San Francisco). If you ever want to get coffee and compare notes about different parts of the country that would be fun. charlene AT theredheadsaid.com
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