RI Attitude (Cranston, Central Falls, Little Compton: house, neighborhood, colleges)

[ricitykid]

Rhode Islander atittude. I'm not saying everyone has it. But there just seems to be some kind of attitude here. There's a bit of unfriendliness, no one smiles to waves hi to each other in the street. People are cold and indifferent. (Not EVERYONE.) A majority of people don't seemed to be well-educated here even though there are some excellent colleges here. It also seems like a majority of people here have only passed high schoool. Some people are a bit rough, and they just scream the "arrogant but ignorant white-collar low class uneducated" stereotype. Or there's the WASP-ish kind of people with the arrogant and ignorant attitudes, who think they are above everyone else and don't date to associate themselves with anyone who aren't like them.
Don't get me wrong. I know some really nice Rhode Islanders. Maybe it just depends town to town. But I had a job both at Dave's and this deli shop that closed down, and I always seemed to encounter these sorts of people. >D

[MikeB4681]

That is more of a north east thing then just RI. You will pretty much get the same attitude from people in any city north of Washington. People up north many times have a hard, no nonsense, front. If you are the one to break the ice and be nice a lot of times they break out of it but not everyone does. I use to run alot when I lived in RI and said hi to other runners and walkers and would always get a hi back or at least a smile. When I didn't break the ice, I almost never received a response.

Some people up north can be a little bossy or jerks when it comes to ordering things they want, like fast food and meds(I know what I want and its your job to give it to me fast). People will usually be more civilized when service is expected more so then speed. I worked in a running boutique on the east side and had a lot of people come in with cold attitudes that opened up because they had to work with me in order for me to fit them properly.

I live in FL now and people are more laid back and friendly. Though some of the best people I know are from the north, the people that are high strung, inpatient, or rudely sarcastic down here are usually from up north. I sometimes ask them when they moved down here in a way that suggests that they are acting out of place; )

[MikeB4681]

Originally Posted by ricitykid

"arrogant but ignorant white-collar low class uneducated" stereotype.

huh? Bad place to put the wrong color collar

[Crispo]

I've been here 5 years (originally from Midwest) and still trying to figure out whether people in RI (and most of New England) are cold inside like they appear on the surface. I think they are, and it is a result of a rigid Puritan culture.

[Hollytree]

Bulletin Bulletin

Rhode Islanders were thrown out of Massachusetts by the Puritans for being too liberal. There were no Puritans here!!

And Rhode Islanders are NOT "cold inside" !!!!! That's ridiculous!
Have you asked yourself what YOU might be doing to provoke cold responses?

[Rnrboy]

I'm with you Holly.

Frankly, these posts are getting beyond ridiculous.

[Crispo]

HollyTree and RnrBoy,

Ok, thanks for proving my point.

[Crispo]

HollyTree,

This is another typical trait of Rhode Islanders - they think they are funny and smart (Bulletin Bulletin, haha), but they are dumb and rude. Roger Williams was a Puritan minister. Besides I said Puritan culture pervades New England. I'm open to other suggestions from anyone who knows what they are talking about .

[ljd1010]

As a Native RIer who relocated to NC 3 months ago, I understand what Crispo is saying. I lived in a great neighborhood in Cranston for the last 20 years. For the first 17, my neighbors all kept to themselves and were not in the least very friendly. Then something happened - people retired, died and moved away. Young families bought most of the homes and the neighborhood was transformed into the most welcoming place imaginable. The last couple of years there, we had annual block parties and pub crawls. It was terrific! The woman who bought my house moved in 4/15. I keep in touch with my old neighbors now and none have yet to meet her! Maybe they should knock on her door.....

On the other hand, I find people here in NC to be incredibly friendly and welcoming. Our first day, neighbors knoed on our door with baked goods in hand. We've already made several friends on our block, been out for dinner, over for barbecues etc. It is refreshing. People in the service industries as well as drivers are much more courteous here. I'm not knocking RI, I love it - my family is still there. Many in RI could learn something from southern hospitality.

[Hollytree]

HollyTree,

This is another typical trait of Rhode Islanders - they think they are funny and smart (Bulletin Bulletin, haha), but they are dumb and rude. Roger Williams was a Puritan minister. Besides I said Puritan culture pervades New England. I'm open to other suggestions from anyone who knows what they are talking about .

Crispo,

Maybe you don't get the sense of humor! I find NE's to be often funny and smart. And many are dumb and rude just like everywhere else. Of course, one could say that commenting at all about "New Englanders" is stereotyping, like pronouncing mid-westerners dull and plodding. Of course they all aren't- that's ridiculous. That is what I was trying to say. Do any midwesterners understand and forgive?

And, if you want to be technical Roger was a Puritan who rejected Puritanism and founded RI as a separatist colony. I believe he became an Antinomian Baptist (though I haven't fact checked that!). I apologize for not being exact enough but it was the overarching point I was trying to make. He was ostracized by the Puritans.

I, personally, am a New Englander by choice having lived in many other states- as are about a third of those in my neighborhood.

I found southerners and southwesterners, when I lived there, to be consciously & overtly friendly in manner but ultimately no friendlier than any other region. And who is more "Puritanical" than a southern Baptist or a Mormon from Utah?

And exactly why would you want people in the US to be less puritanical at this point? I'm really curious. I think many people are decrying the current lack of modesty and morals- the Modonnaization of young girls, etc etc. Kids with multiple piercings and their underwear showing.... bring back the Puritans

I do believe New Englanders as a group often appear more reserved than those from other parts of the country- but with the homogenization and all the recent immigrants spread throughout the country, regional differences seem to be lessening.

Also, as I've written several times in this forum, it matters A LOT where in RI you live in terms of how the inhabitants are going to strike you. Little Compton is VERY different from Central Falls. Cranston is different from South Kingstown.