Do you find Bostonians to be friendly-or cold people? (Cambridge: professionals, moving)

[holden125]

Originally Posted by Cliff Clavin

^ LOL. Relax man. It's Friday. Have a beer.

Seriously. The New England way of treating strangers like strangers and not asking questions of everyone you see might be considered odd in the rest of the United States, but in Europe and many other places around the world it's pretty standard. The "rest of the United States" is the outlier.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by holden125

Seriously. The New England way of treating strangers like strangers and not asking questions of everyone you see might be considered odd in the rest of the United States, but in Europe and many other places around the world it's pretty standard. The "rest of the United States" is the outlier.

This is dead on. I don't understand why it's so offensive to many that people in Massachusetts go about their business. I'll never understand why people get so upset that everyone walking down the street doesn't say "hi" to them. Live your life and let others live their own. If you're really going to get up in arms because a stranger on the street doesn't look you in the eye when you pass (seriously, why does anyone care about this?!), then you shouldn't be here. If you talk to someone and they don't make eye contact, then that's odd, but in passing?! Come on.

[TomDot]

I never have a problem with people in New England.
True story: I work in the Environmental field. One time I had to go all the way up to a town near St Johnsbury, VT to collect a field sample from an old abandoned septic system at an old abandoned tool factory. This tool factory was in a fairly rural area of the town. When I got to the site I found that I couldn't pry the lid off the manhole. On the way back to my car there was a gentleman working in his yard near where I parked. He saw what I had been trying to do and he offered me a pry bar. It didn't stop there either, he actually walked back to the manhole with me and assisted from lid removal to sample collection. It was much appreciated.

People who say the things like mason12 did clearly have problems of their own that can't be addressed without going off topic.
I have conversations with strangers several times a day every day in Boston and never have I had the remotest types of issues as he seems to have.

[seeriously]

Bostonians are REAL people. Tough nuts to crack at first but once you get to know them, you can enjoy conversations that stem from the core, sentences that begin with "I think..." instead of wishy-washy, "Nice day, isn't it..." type conversations.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by holden125

Seriously. The New England way of treating strangers like strangers and not asking questions of everyone you see might be considered odd in the rest of the United States, but in Europe and many other places around the world it's pretty standard. The "rest of the United States" is the outlier.

So we should all aspire to European and New England levels of aloofness?

[EastCoastWoman]

Originally Posted by mason12

Finally someone agrees. All of new england including boston has an extremely sullen, unfriendly and introverted population. They're extremely rude, angry and boring. Whenever they do talk it's often to question you as if you're a cop on why you decided to return something or what you meant by saying hello instead of hi. lol seriously, individuals who when do they speak is to berate or be pendantic.
And if you guys haven't noticed nobody has moved to boston in the last 50 years. In matter of fact boston is the only big city in america that isn't growing besides the slumvilles like detriot; everyone is moving out of mass because it sucks!

Also like I said new englanders are constantly suspicious of what? Always paranoid? They have been so sourly subjected to aloof,rude behavior they start to believe that it is in fact normal and true and that any devitation from that is fake. It's a more they adapted to. I can understand being shy or introverted which is exactly what most new englanders are, afraid to talk about most topics, so instead they say nothing. But it extends past that to downright insolence or hostility when you ask them a question or are in fact truly being friendly, because that's how you make friends at least in the rest of the united states. Also it's odd if you are a nice person you could be subjected to laughter, insults or a harsher degree of rudeness. Because I think new englanders hate you more(they hate everyone) because either you're on the moral high ground, they think your happy or they view kindness as weakness.

[Shizzles]

Originally Posted by trionetriathlon

Note to the folks who think Boston women are "ugly," etc, etc. Please remember that women really do not feel safe any more no matter where they go! Take a moment, if you will, to do a search on women who have been raped, beaten, etc after a night at a club. Also, if you think they are being rude, could it be that you may need a new approach? Boston is an area filled with very intellegent career minded women who may be out at a bar to enjoy being with friends after work. If you are interested in a woman, there are ways to be successful. Try an opening having to do with politics, medicine, business, etc. Remember that most women like men who have a brain and are attracted to that first! If you sound sincere, look kind and are a true gentleman, you will have a plethora of women to date! Seriously! Try it! Also, stay away from groups of women...they are dangerous...usually they are there to be with their friends and not to meet a guy!!! Good luck!!

As a guy, just a couple things, since I see this argument from women alot:

Don't take this as me trying to be mean or a creep, but if a guy is gonna attack you, he could just as easily do it while you're in your apt or walking down the street. I mean, isn't there a certain point where we've crossed the line from precaution to paranoia? Wanna stop criminals? Pack heat.

Second, what's hilarious is that women will get uber scared at the slightly dorky nerd at the bar, and totally get blasted and flirty with the d-bag with tats up the wazoo and a eye undressing her while she blathers. sorry, but I dunno how much I buy the saftey argument anymore.

Big City chicks are paranoid in general, largley becuase they went to big unis were feminist teachers teach girls every single one of us [men] are rapists and sadist waiting to unleash our wrath. Fear fear fear fear fear.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by HeadedWest

So we should all aspire to European and New England levels of aloofness?

Yup... the rest of the world is "aloof" (it's not just Europe and New England... try anywhere in Asia, South America, etc. The bulk of the World's population is this way) while the the "friendly" portion of the U.S. has it right. Please.

[theSUBlime]

I like Boston, but I generally find on the cold side (on many levels ). Also be prepared to encounter the "I'm always right and you're always wrong" attitude." Neither demeanor is exclusive to Boston though.

[Weekend Traveler]

I just returned from a five day vacation in Boston. We rented a car and saw most of the area and came in contact with so many people. I have to agree that the Boston area is great. So much to see, so green, so scenic and so many beautiful communities BUT the people are the coldest I have ever met outside of Miami. They look at you like you have two heads and the coldness is downright frigid. What is up with this?