Are New Yorkers as bad as they "seem" to be? (neighborhoods, living in)

[Elvira Black]

OK, how's about we turn the tables and see what the outside world thinks of us NY'ers---and what we think of ourselves. Do we fit the usual sterotypes?

Rude, vulgar, loud, opinionated, hard-boiled, insensitivie, uncouth, materialistic, murderous gangstas and solipsistic yuppies?

The homeless bum or the corner and Carrie Bradshaw a foot in front of him, applying more rouge as she waits for the light to change?

[BXGEAR]

Originally Posted by Elvira Black

OK, how's about we turn the tables and see what the outside world thinks of us NY'ers---and what we think of ourselves. Do we fit the usual sterotypes?

Rude, vulgar, loud, opinionated, hard-boiled, insensitivie, uncouth, materialistic, murderous gangstas and solipsistic yuppies?

The homeless bum or the corner and Carrie Bradshaw a foot in front of him, applying more rouge as she waits for the light to change?

It's just that, NYers are exposed to so many different people, constantly. There are 8 million people cramped into this city. There are so many different TYPES of people too. You cannot generalize who NYers are. There is no stereotype. But there are similarities because we develop a deep sense of survival. For example: Some people are thieves. They will want to steal from you. Some people talk too much. Some people are selfish. Some people are extremely cheap. Some people are liars. Some people will shove you in the subway because they are rude. Therefore, NYers develop a way to weed out bad people and surround themselves with good people. Trustworthy people. That way, they survive.

Also, NYers don't genuinely trust people due to above.

And they are loud because there is a lot of people here and we need to be heard. Otherwise, you either just got here or you're a tourist.

I think real NYers are those who grew up here. Who have family here and work experience. Real NYers are different. They present a unique feel. Even if not flamboyant. lol ranting now

[Elvira Black]

Well put...I say rant away...

[Lillietta]

I say that New Yorkers are direct and that's a very welcome trait when most of the rest of the country can be passive-aggressive. People I know who visit the city say this directness also demonstrates itself in helpfulness and friendliness. The fact that people are rushing around and tend to be impatient may be construed as rude as they want to get to where they're going, but I don't find New Yorkers rude. I like the fact that they are willing to speak up and say their peace and have an opinion. If they think you're right, they'll tell you; if they think you're wrong, they'll tell you. You know where you stand.

I enjoy the fact also that when I sit in a restaurant or go to a bookstore, people talk loud enough so you can hear the whole conversation as opposed to most other places in the US where people speak in muted tones. So I guess you could say that New Yorkers are upfront.

[NYnowNC]

Well, now that I live in the South, I have met people who would say things like:

1. You do not sound like a character from Seinfeld. My response, well there are different accents throughout NY. My accent, coming from the Bronx, is not the same exact accent as someone from Queens, yet we all share the NY sound.

2. You are not rude. My response, I can be... I know when to turn it on when I need it, and off when it is not necessary.

3. You don't speak very loudly. My response, well, I know the culture is different, so I share my loudness with my family and friends....

4. You are not confrontational. My response, if you're nice to me, I'm nice to you. Period.

5. NY is so beautiful, why did you move? My response, well, it is hard to see the beauty if you're living like crap... -I don't really say that, but I try to point out that there is a difference between tourist areas and areas where people are really living.

[NooYowkur81]

A lot of New Yorkers are good people behind rough exteriors. People who've lived here a while just have their guards up a lot but there's a lot of decent, good people here amongst the a-holes who give the rest a bad name.

[Clutch718]

Well, it depends. In Manhattan, you'll be hard pressed to see any REAL New Yorkers south of Central Park. Most of the people living there are 20-something hipsters who were probably raised in the Suburbs, or came from Nowheresville after getting their education.

Of course, you'll run into a few people who've had a bad day that'll get out of their car and curse if you cut them off or whatever, but generally, people are just calm and going about their business. We just take a lot more pride in living in NYC, and that comes with a brute attitude. Just don't come off as being a sissy and you'll be fine

[complexsimplicity]

I don't think New Yorkers fit most of the sterotypes. I've been there quite a few times and have friends there and everytime I visit, I get a good vibe. As Clutch718 stated, it is hard to find alot of real NY'ers below Central Park. Especially Midtown, which is one of the main reasons I avoid Times Square. The ones I do come across are always helpful if I need directions or have a question about something. I only had one person walk past me when I asked for directions. He has his hands in his pockets and arms close to his sides so I assumed he must have been recently robbed or something. In Brooklyn, people gave me the parking spots if they were leaving and had time left on their meters when in very crowded neighborhoods. They saved me about 30min-1hr trying to look for a parking spot.

I also think they way you present yourself has a lot to do with how a NY'er will treat an outsider. For instance, a few years ago I brought some friends with me who never been to NY. When he asked for directions or a general question, people looked at him like he was crazy or walked past him. He looks like the typical tourist, smiling, walking slow looking up at the building and not paying attention to the people walking 80mph trying to get where they need to go. Me on the other hand, I know my way around NYC pretty good and blend in with the crowd. Ny'ers treat me pretty good and I even had people come up to me and ask for directions. I have seen some rude, vulgar, and uncouth NY'ers, but I would be too if I was a native living among 8 million people and tripping over a tourist every 5 minutes, lol.

[BXGEAR]

I find a lot of New Yorkers to be narcissistic. There are a lot of characters. New Yorkers are funny when you get to know them, everyone ****s around with each other because the day is so boring

[StuyTownRefugee]

Originally Posted by BXGEAR

I find a lot of New Yorkers to be narcissistic. There are a lot of characters. New Yorkers are funny when you get to know them, everyone ****s around with each other because the day is so boring

The city itself is extremely paradoxical and contradictory, therefore the residents have those same traits. But that is why the stereotypes don't much apply, imo. For everything bad people have heard about NYers it isn't usually true, and for everything positive, generally turns out to be false as well. It's a city of very sharp contrasts.

We would have to define positive and bad attributes to know what we're discussing here.

The basic structure, infrastructure that is, is a complete paradox at the root basic. Everything else seems to fall into the same pattern.