Is there still "Minnesota nice" in the 21st Century? (Minneapolis: home, neighborhoods)

[SueJ999]

Originally Posted by kim825

My husband and I moved here from Pittsburgh PA about 9yrs ago. We laugh out loud everytime someone says "minnesota nice...." It's a riot. We have found people hear to be exactly what prior posters say. Nice to your face and then talk about you as soon as you walk away. Nice on the surface but no true interest in you or getting to really be friends.
We miss the east coast so much. People here think that MN is the greatest place on Earth. Best schools, land etc. It's really ashame that people can't see themselves for what they are. They have such a bad opinion of East Coast folks and most have no first hand experience knowing any. It's a shame that the east coast gets a bad rap. Where I'm from people are really friendly, tell you like it is -- not what you want to hear, and you can actually feel like they care about you. We just hope the housing market picks up so we can sell and get back East!

I, too, am originally from Pittsburgh, PA! I must agree 100% with your post, Kim. I've mentioned on some Pittsburgh forums that there is Minnesota Nice, but it pales miserably with Pittsburgh Friendly! I thought it was just me thinking MN people were only superficially friendly--I'm glad I'm not alone in this thinking.

I also laugh when people consider me as being from the "East Coast". Pittsburgh is still quite a drive from the coast!!

[Lindenin]

Glad to hear Pittsburgh is so friendly. Would it be friendly for an outsider as well, or does it have anything to do with the fact that you're from there, with deep, trusting networks already established, as seems to be the peeve with outsiders in Minnesota?

[sat832]

Sue you are so right, it is quite a drive to the coast so Pittsburgh sort of is a different place. I just miss it a ton and hope the job market would pickup there someday!

As far as people being friendly to "outsiders." I can tell you my experience with that. My husband and I both worked for and met at a company that recruited high tech people from all over the country and world before moving away from Pburgh. I must tell you that it was the abosolute best time of my life! We had the biggest best circle of friends. most weren't from around the area but we had the best social life ever. We had tons of get togethers and everyone was included and treated like we've known them forever. I can tell you for certain that based on what I saw there, it was truly different than what I think Minnesotans would do/treat people who hadn't grown up in the area.

[sat832]

One other note. I guess my biggest beef with Minnesotans who tote the "minnesota nice" line is that most of them have not spent time anywhere else in the US. That frustrates me. I've traveled throughout the country for work for years and have lived here and a few other places different from where I grew up. So I think i'm giving an honest opninion based on more than just spending time in MN.

[akronbball]

Originally Posted by kim825

One other note. I guess my biggest beef with Minnesotans who tote the "minnesota nice" line is that most of them have not spent time anywhere else in the US. That frustrates me. I've traveled throughout the country for work for years and have lived here and a few other places different from where I grew up. So I think i'm giving an honest opninion based on more than just spending time in MN.

Every place has nice people and rude people. I believe some of the perception is based on what you grew up with and are accustom to. I grew up in Minneapolis and lived in Georgia briefly. I went to school in Akron, OH and lived there for a total of 5 years. Generally I did not think the people in Akron were as nice or friendly as Minnesota. People there found it strange to say hi to total strangers while walking around. I work with a guy who was a Detriot cop and he thinks its rude when people he doesn't know try talking to him.

Even though I didn't think the people in Akron were as nice generally I met a great group of people there, something I have not totally found since I moved back to minnesota this year. I think the friends and community you have around you influence your perceptions for that place. Without my friends in Akron I would say that I hated NE ohio, the weather sucks, always cloudy, dirty, everyone talks bad about their state, and not as many things for me to do, but even with all of that I still liked it since I had a good group of people to hangout with. I think people in Minnesota are nice maybe they don't all fit that "Minnesota Nice," but not everyone in south is nice either. Most of the people I meet around minnesota are polite and seem to have manners, so thats all I expect i guess.

[AnIrishMan]

hmmm... I have lived here all of my 38 years and I love it here. I have been to many other states and I like it here best.

As for the "Minnesota nice" controversy, there is none. My wife is from Philly and she could not stand how seemingly non-forthcoming we are. Now she loves the place and the people.

Do we talk about people behind their backs differently than to their face, sure. Where does that not happen? So this is saying if we do not like someone initially we should let them know?

Let's not overanalyze. Otherwise we can do that for every state and come to the same answer. People are people, insecure and judge-mental.

If you have a bad experience or deal with certain types of people, so what. Let me know the state of entirely friendly up-front people so we can quickly dismiss it.

I LOVE MINNESOTA!

[sat832]

I guess everyone's got their preferences. I do not at all love the people in Minnesota. It's been 9yrs and I don't think I'll ever get used to it here. And, people talk about everyone behind their backs, everywhere. Agreed. But somehow my experience here is different/worse. I don't know. Not trying to overanalyze. Just don't like to hear the phrase when there is NO such thing as Minnesota Nice.

[silverClimber2go]

Everybody has a style of interaction they prefer. So to say in general the state is the way it is would be overgeneralizing. I belive that to be true of any state. I live in Duluth and I have also lived in the Minneapolis area. Where I grew up everybody knew everybody else from one connection or another. Yet at the same time it was big enough that you could get lost for a while as well. Moving to the Mpls area was a lot different than where I came from. We really never developed friendships like we were used to further north in the state, so eventually I moved back. It's been years since I lived in the Mpls area, but I hear the same thing about it from others who have similar styles of personal interaction and that prefer the smaller city atmospheres. My grandparents lived on "The Range" (Eveleth/Virginia/Hibbing areas) and that was in itself another completely different experience. Everyone knew everyone else and what they were doing. How does "nice" factor into all of this? I have experienced "nice" in every one of these areas. And a lot of times I find that we are the ones being the first to initiate the "nice" that we expect in return. If we go to a larger city the chances of experiencing "nice" are slimmer than when in a small town. I think a lot of it has to do with how safe someone feels, and another part of it has to do with how we, as a community, are growing farther and farther apart because we're living farther apart and we're moving too fast to make the friends we used to make. My fiance, soon to be my husband, both go out of our way to talk to people, help people out, and help people find a little bit of humor in their day. I see surprise and welcome in a person's eyes when we do this, even with locals in our area. But I can tell you one thing...it's worth it each and every single time. I would just hope that anybody anywhere makes the same small effort to bring at least a little bit of joy into someone else's life.

[karowj]

The entire city of Marshall, Mn. is way too nice... it is eerie kind of.

But for the general population of Minnesota, yes, we are pretty nice... as is the rest of the world.

[Isaysos]

really, when i lived in Marshall, people didnt seem too friendly. Maby a few would say hi on the street, but seems like people were like anywhere else. The city where I thought people were the nicest was San Diego, so go figure.