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it seems that every couple of months, an out-of-stater such as yourself decides to create a thread on the nj forum asking whether the jersey stereotypes are true:
virtually every time, it's a thinly-veiled attempt by a troll to bash the state and whip up a frenzy of angry, defensive responses. because nj has a(n) (undeservedly) poor reputation nationally, outsiders seem to revel in picking on the state's residents - even in person, as recounted by some of the nj forum regulars:
at the risk of coming across as a stereotypically boorish and crass native new jerseyan, i hope you're one of the few non-trolls who sincerely wants to learn more about the state and isn't just trying to stir up a war of words. i mean, every time i see a post like this, i can't help but shake my head and ask, "do we really need to address this topic yet again?"
believe me, constantly having to defend your state (even if you no longer live there) gets really tiresome. past and present new jerseyans always have to justify their choice of residence to outsiders.
but whatever; i'm going to assume you're really interested in learning more about the state's allegedly colorful denizens. so to answer your question:
-yes, there are some people in nj who match the negative stereotypes.
-no, they do not comprise the majority of the state's residents. in fact, most of us who have spent a significant portion of time in the garden state are embarrassed by that type of behavior.
the truth is, we mock people like that; we don't emulate them. don't get me wrong - trashy and low class people exist everywhere, and nj is no exception. but they are far from the norm. and the ones you see on tv are walking stereotypes who exhibit the most extreme, obnoxious behavior - that's why they're on tv!
-something else most of the country does not realize: nj is overwhelmingly suburban, and actually has its fair share of rural areas in the western fringes and southern portion of the state. believe it or not, nj has farms, woods, hills, mountains, lakes, and oceanfront beaches. the great majority of the state is not a toxic, industrial wasteland filled with uneducated, low-class loudmouths.
i'll be the first to admit that overdevelopment is a problem in nj, but it's more along the lines of suburban sprawl (i.e. too many malls and suburban tract housing developments) rather than the miles and miles of smokestacks that outsiders seem to envision.
-because the state is so suburban, and because virtually all of the state is within commuting distance of either nyc or philly (or both, if you live in central jersey), the typical new jerseyan is a well-educated, middle-to-upper-middle class soccer mom and/or white collar office worker who lives in a pleasant, leafy suburban town with schools that are far better than the national average. malls and diners are a big part of the local culture, and there are plenty of quaint, attractive downtown areas as well.
for the most part, new jerseyans' interests are pretty typical: going into "the city" (either nyc or philly) for dining, shopping, nightlife, sporting events, museums, and other entertainment; hanging out down the shore; hiking in the mountains; going to the mall; supporting their local high school's football team on friday nights; and so on and so forth. you know, stuff that suburbanites around the nation enjoy.
-you (and most of the country) may not realize this, but almost everyone on the most recent show to come out on mtv, "jersey shore", is actually not from nj. most new jerseyans are repulsed by shows like that which appeal to the lowest common denominator by putting the trashiest, most stereotypical folks on display.
sadly, the women on "real housewives of nj" are in fact new jerseyans, but as mentioned, they're only one element of a very diverse state populace. can you imagine if mtv had gotten a more typical new jersey family for its shows? somehow, i think the claims adjuster, his financial advisor wife, and their honor student kids would be way too stable and boring for trash tv like "real housewives" or "jersey shore".
no, there isn't. italian-americans comprise a huge portion of the state's population (larger than any other ethnic group, i believe) and thus are very much part of the mainstream. the majority of italian-americans in the state don't match the stereotype; there are plenty of successful, well-educated, and articulate doctors, CEOs, engineers, entrepreneurs, investment bankers, professors, and so forth who happen to be of italian descent and live in nj. i don't know why that's surprising to outsiders, but apparently it is.
and then there are those italian-americans who match the so-called "guido" and/or mafia stereotypes - usually from lower middle income/working class backgrounds along with some nouveau riche types. but for some reason, outsiders seem to regard these idiots as representative of italian-americans and/or new jerseyans as a whole.
here's the thing, though:
in nj, there definitely is a prejudice against crass, disrespectful idiots of all backgrounds, italian or otherwise. most people around the country don't seem to realize that a lot of these clowns are actually not of italian descent. being a guido is more about adhering to a certain type of loudmouthed, cocky, low-class, vain, materialistic mentality and lifestyle, rather than something inherent in the culture of italian-americans, the state of nj, or the greater nyc metropolitan area.
but i guess the "dumb italian guido/wannabe mobster" stereotype sells, because it allows the rest of the country to have a laugh at new jersey's expense.
again, these folks are hardly limited to nj, but outsiders don't seem to realize this.
well, you're not going to find out what nj is really like by watching trash tv or listening to a bunch of people on an internet forum. the best way to learn about any area is to actually see it for yourself. drive around, get off of the busy interstate highways (which tend to be where nj's infamous industrial areas are located), and instead spend a day or two checking out the back roads and small towns that are REALLY representative of the state.
believe me, constantly having to defend your state (even if you no longer live there) gets really tiresome. past and present new jerseyans always have to justify their choice of residence to outsiders.
Or an out of stater having to justify to both New Jerseyans (that have since moved away/out of state), and others, about why she wants to live in NJ (though, on that note, I met someone the other night at Home Depot [working there, moved down here from Tom's River 2 years ago, because he hated the cold, and loves the FL weather], that actually had many NICE things to say about NJ [especially in front of my mother, who gets all the trash from former residents saying how bad and dangerous NJ is. About a month ago, a resident in my complex, was saying how terribly dangerous places like West Orange, including the Livingston border of that area of WO, and Cherry Hill are. ])
Reps to you on an overall awesome post, though, if I can give 'em
Last edited by EB2; 12-07-2009 at 09:39 AM..
Reason: Misspelling :o
...all the trash from former residents saying how bad and dangerous NJ is. About a month ago, a resident in my complex, was saying how terribly dangerous places like West Orange, including the Livingston border of that area of WO, and Cherry Hill are. ])
LOL at that person who considers the west orange/livingston border or cherry hill to be dangerous!
I watched Jersey Shore for all of about 10 minutes last night before I turned it off in disgust. I was born and raised in NJ and spent many years there as an adult. I am now in Oklahoma, but will always consider myself a Jersey girl (well, actually, an Okie-Jersey girl.)
Those losers on the show are certainly not representative of individuals who frequent the Jersey shore. And BTW, speaking of stereotypes, Oklahoma people don't all wear cowboy hats, chew tobacco, and drive pick ups. In fact, I saw more cowboy hats at the Toby Keith concert in Camden, NJ, than I did at the Alan Jackson concert in Oklahoma City. And most of them have teeth. (The people I mean, not the country singers.)
People from Jersey physically stand closer to you when they talk to you... maybe it all comes from living in the most densely populated state in the union... but when you put a Jerseyite in front of a Californian, the Californian is backing up during the entire conversation!
I've lived here almost six years and have yet to meet anyone even remotely like the MTV Jersey Shore characters.
I've lived here my whole life (grew up in South Jersey, going to college in North Jersey) and I still haven't met one. I've seen one or two (and laughed and them) and am yet to meet someone with a stereotypical accent in NJ. Also, if your in South Jersey, you'll wonder how on earth this is the most densely populated state in the nation as you drive through miles of Pinelands, farms, and marshes.
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(though, on that note, I met someone the other night at Home Depot [working there, moved down here from Tom's River 2 years ago, because he hated the cold, and loves the FL weather], that actually had many NICE things to say about NJ [especially in front of my mother, who gets all the trash from former residents saying how bad and dangerous NJ is. About a month ago, a resident in my complex, was saying how terribly dangerous places like West Orange, including the Livingston border of that area of WO, and Cherry Hill are. 
])
