Is there still "Minnesota nice" in the 21st Century? (Minnetonka: buy, best school)

[Lindenin]

Originally Posted by judogl44

Okay-here's Minnesota nice for you. We live in a beautiful town and beautiful upscale area. Last winter our Minn. nice neighbors snowmobiled at 12:30AM completely around our home 4 or 5 times. Now the snow goes and they have their 4 wheelers-right thru our back yard. Last night some Minn nice person veered onto our front lawn leaving really nice tire marks. This is a great neighborhood where they don't even wave or acknowledge you're alive (except for 2 immediate neighbors). They even walk their dogs with their noses up in the air.

While I absolutely feel for you (I HATE noise late at night!!), It sounds like this is an issue between you and your neighbor, not an indictment on Minnesota

[Lindenin]

There has been lots of writing on how the new subdivisions create very cold neighborhoods (nationwide). Think about it -- in older neighborhoods, there are sidewalks, downtowns with services within walking distance, an emphasis on the frontyard and front porch, and home/lot sizes that are "not so big" so you end up using public spaces more.

Nowadays, many suburbs are built with no sidewalks, no downtowns (you drive to a community center, a sportsplex, or a mall for you entertainment), an emphasis on the backyard, and massive houses on 2 acre lots so you don't have to leave all year.

There is a reason why people love Highland Park, Edina, Excelsior, and Linden Hills -- it is because it is a real "neighborhood". I think those places probably demonstrate Minnesota Nice a whole lot more than some of the new subdivisions. Just a personal theory, not trying to say this is a fact.

[judogl44]

The only thing I can attribute it to is we are retired and our kids are grown and on their own. We did not want to live in a retirement community but wanted to maintain that family feel and see and hear kids playing,etc. Any kid selling candy,etc has been well received and we always buy-parents are nice enough when they bring them to the door-but say "Hi" the next day and you may as well be invisible. I can deal with that but the willful snowmobiling,damage is uncalled for. BTW-we are in west-central MN-beautiful and one of the nicest towns with chain of lakes. Hate to leave but we are.

[PAGOZZ]

Originally Posted by Dingler

I visit friends in Minnesota all the time and like it there (from April to October). Everyone asks me about the famous "Minnesota Nice" That term was developed by someone who found the people in Minnesota to be nicer than anywhere else in the United States. I wonder if this is still true.

Maybe the fast paced life style of the 21st Century has turned "Minnesota Nice" into "Minnesota I do not have time to talk to you"

Are the Minnesota people actually still nicer than people in our States?

Hello! I relocated in Minneapolis from Chicago 6 months ago. Sorry to tell you that I have see quite a bit of "fake smiles" and I agree with QueenBee 100%.
Making friends is rare and those I made are not from here. People smile, yes, but they are not friendly and they "stare" a lot. You ask neignbors information about the area where they claim they have lived forever and they don't know, but once you find your own solution...Comments on comments even if you dont ask. Phony + Judgemental...Sorry, Just my newcomer experience...NO, I am not a "lowlife", I moved here because of my job.
Pagozz

[NowNewYork]

Having lived for 30 years in northern MN (TRF) and then moving to upstate NY I have seen two different worlds. There is a common politeness and caring in MN that is much less prominent in NY. Are we jaded from so many encounters with other people in NY? Traffic, shopping, people everywhere! I don't know, but there is definitely a difference over all.

[SouthernHospitality]

I agree that most people in Minnesota that I have come in contact with were genuiniely nice to the core. I really believe it has to do with it being the Midwest, because everyone I have met from Wisconsin, Idaho, and most older folks from rural Ohio were pretty doggone nice compared to some other regions in the country. I have a friend in Blackfoot, Idaho and she is one of the sweetest, warmest, big-hearted, women I have ever known.

I live in Georgia and people from the South are usually nice, but the transplants from other states aren't always a good demonstration of our reputation as having "Southern Hospitality". Georgia is now full of transplants from New York, Cleveland, New Jersey, Delaware, Massachusetts, and I think alot of it has to do with the culture that the ATL is becoming known for these days.

I want to move to Minnesota because the people seem to be nicer than most places and they seem to live a relaxed life. The only thing that is holding me back from making the move is finding a place to rent in the Duluth area and trying to get my family weather-ready. I won't buy until I have established myself and am set on living in that region.

[Dave99]

An older Minnesotan (my age or older) would either leave ASAP or try to disappear if someone approached them with an attitude. The very last thing an older Minnesotan wants to do is cause a scene or be the center of attention.

Since I'm german/norwegian this describes my personality perfectly, although I now live in Oregon. Is this how most of you would describe Minnesotan's in general?

[BorderGirl]

I'd like to think MN Nice is still around. I've lived away from Minnesota for a year now and have found that people in Minnesota were a bit more approachable than the people I've met here in Utah. However, now that I've established myself as a Utahn they're finally opening up.

I ran out of gas on the way back into town from the lake. I didn't have a single penny on me. Just me and the dogs. I went into the gas station, explained my situation and they let me gas up and come back with money. These kids didn't know me from Adam.

[JenLee]

Originally Posted by Dave99

Since I'm german/norwegian this describes my personality perfectly, although I now live in Oregon. Is this how most of you would describe Minnesotan's in general?

I think that that is how we were culturally raised; by the "never-do-anything-to-call-attention-to-ourselves" German/Scandinavian hardworking population of ancesters who settled here back in the 19th century!

[Jim Stokes]

IMHO, "Minnesota Nice" has been replaced by "kinda nice." It's more each-man-for-himself in this brave, neo-self-absorbed world of too-much-technology, pervert priests and close-the-door mindedness. But I could be wrong. However I'm approximately 77.8 percent sure that I'm right.