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I think the relatively slow pace of things in the South has to do with relatively fewer large metros. You basically have one big megalopolis from DC to Boston. Big, crowded cities. In the South, you have Charlotte, Atlanta, and Miami. Atlanta is the fastest place I have seen in the South. For the most part, Atlanta, is the largest metro in the South. After that is Miami and Charlotte. Most cities in the South are not that big. Atlanta has about 537,000 residents inside the city(without annexation). Charlotte and Nashville have larger populations inside the city, but much smaller metro areas. Metro Atlanta is huge and home to alot of companies.
No, the northerners think faster, too, so that's not it.
I think it's cultural--because of the faster pace of the northeast, a lot of the mundane small talk is cut out and people get right to the point of what they are trying to say or do.
I know whenever I visited Florida, when I'd first arrive I'd find myself getting annoyed that the clerks and cashiers would waste my time giving me their big smile and "how y'all doing today" schtick while I'd be thinking "cut the bs and ring up my stuff so I can get outta here". But I knew they were grinning and being polite because that's the way they are expected to act down there, and that the whole damn state wasn't going to speed up just because I'd arrived, lol, and that it was ME who was going to have to adjust. Conversely, some southerners seem to think the northeast is being rude when it is really just running on a sense of efficiency.
If you really think our slow talking equates to slow thinking be very careful doing business with us. Southerners might smile, act nice, and talk with a slow drawl, but we are not dumb. We like to lull you into thinking you can walk all over us, but we are the ones planning how to seal the deal. Don't be fooled because we won't get mad, but we will get our way. LOL...Southerners are always thinking behind that aw shucks exterior.
As a northern transplant to the South, I can tell you that this is self-congratulatory claptrap. I've seen many a Southern who can outthink Northerners, and don't you forget it.
I remember one of my very first business meetings down here. It was a presentation to a manufacturer out in the middle of nowhere, a company owned by a guy who sounded as if he had just stepped out of the cast of Hee Haw. The New York office sent down the VP of marketing to make the presentation while I rode shotgun.
In our two-hour drive from the airport, this guy kept making comment after comment about the rubes, the pickup trucks, and whatever else you care to name. We finally pull up to this manufacturing facility, go into this pine-panelled conference room, make our introductions, and start to present to this guy in blue jeans and a flannel shirt.
The VP runs through the PowerPoint presentation, adds some more remarks at the end, and finally opens the floor for questions--expecting the client to roll over on him.
The client sucks his teeth for a second, then says, "Now, I'm just a country boy, but..." And proceeds to pick apart the presentation and the proposed strategy in exhausting detail without once referring to the handout. The guy's critique was spot-on, and left the VP speechless. As I drove him back to the airport, he said, "Well, I wasn't expecting THAT." Since that time, I've sat in many a meeting with Southerners and realized that, in truth, they're a cagey breed of cat. Only an idiot would think otherwise.
In short, don't think for a second that a person who talks slowly isn't thinking quickly. Because you'll get skinned alive.
Maybe this example should be taught in all the fancy "up north" business schools.
Who ever thinks the South is slow is slow on history. Do people forget where the pilgrims landed and the 13 colonies were? So the overall structure of this country started in the north so naturally their older cities are much more advanced populated than the young southern cities.
However all that is changing in the South you got Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Miami all outgrowing northern cities metros. In the future the southern cities will catch up and most instances out grow and become faster paced cities than the northern ones. The south has changed from mostly agricultural to fortune 500 companies in just about the last 100-50 years. Compared to the northern cities which have a 300 years head start. It's common sense why it's slower paced not the people like most people ASSume.
But I knew they were grinning and being polite because that's the way they are expected to act down there, and that the whole damn state wasn't going to speed up just because I'd arrived, lol, and that it was ME who was going to have to adjust. Conversely, some southerners seem to think the northeast is being rude when it is really just running on a sense of efficiency.
Well, kudos, at any rate, for realizing that you'll have to adjust if you come to the South. But I completely disagree with your assessment - your reasoning is flawed, mostly because you're from outside the culture looking in. I work as one of those people ringing up your crap, and trust me, if I'm nice enough to smile and/or ask how your day is going, I really want to strike up a conversation with you. Being friendly with people just makes me feel good, and I'd like to know that if they need an anonymous burden-unload session, well go ahead and pack it all in the next 45 seconds.
On the other hand, you'll also know if I'm not in the mood to hear all about your life. That's just how Southerners are. We wear our emotions much more on our outside and as a result are/have become a much more socially involved people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801
I work in NYC, and for some reason I am always asked for directions by out-of-towners. Even if I'm in a group of people, I am the one who is asked. Never figured out why, but anyway, I cannot tell you how many times people from out of town have said that they expected that New Yorkers would be rude and were pleasantly surprised to find out how friendly people are and willing to answer questions or give directions.
I've found that friendliness differs in its composition from North vs. South. In the North, people are happy to point you in the right direction, pick something up you've dropped, or something else small. In the South (and perhaps in rural northern areas, not sure), people are happy to help you get out of a ditch in the winter, drive you to the hospital if you need it and stay with you, or any other activity that might take up a few hours.
South aint slow...
South just enjoys life...
North too damn busy...
North watches life pass'em by...
South has nice ppl...
North has ,, well you know...
All I know there is way to much emphasis on this North and South business. I don't ever remember anyone in the Northeast referring to themselves as Northeners. People are people there are good ones in either place. Do people move slower or faster from one region to the other. Yes of course. Moving around NYC is not the same as moving around Charlotte or Birmingham or wherever. The lifestyle is completely different and there are millions of people to contend with in NYC.
The weather. The colder it is, the less people want to sit in place.
People get inpatient and less social. Probably because when it's colder you put up with less.
It's universal.
The British and Parisian are notorious for being rude....
The Italians, Southern French, and Spanish however are know for being open
Filipinos are know for being laid back bums, and Japanese are known for being uptight busy bodies.
Mexicans invite total strangers they see on the street to their parties and get togethers, Americans...don't...
Noticing a trend. Yes?
The weather. The colder it is, the less people want to sit in place.
People get inpatient and less social. Probably because when it's colder you put up with less.
It's universal.
The British and Parisian are notorious for being rude....
The Italians, Southern French, and Spanish however are know for being open
Filipinos are know for being laid back bums, and Japanese are known for being uptight busy bodies.
Mexicans invite total strangers they see on the street to their parties and get togethers, Americans...don't...
Noticing a trend. Yes?
Haha very true. I'm half Filipino, and I also grew up in the South. There are actually a lot of similarities in attitude and personality between Filipinos & Southerners
If you want to see slow laid back pace go to the seep south like Alabama mississippi tennessee lousianna or Arkansas
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But I completely disagree with your assessment - your reasoning is flawed, mostly because you're from outside the culture looking in. I work as one of those people ringing up your crap, and trust me, if I'm nice enough to smile and/or ask how your day is going, I really want to strike up a conversation with you. Being friendly with people just makes me feel good, and I'd like to know that if they need an anonymous burden-unload session, well go ahead and pack it all in the next 45 seconds. 
, well you know...
