MA people question (Boston: home, college, taxes) - Massachusetts - City-Data Forum

meltinjohn · 07-05-2009, 09:58 PM

I come from MA, lived there for years, but moved to PA, then FL. and now back to MA.
I just want to ask others in here if at the root of it all, they think MA has some of the nicest people in the country.
It seems to me like I am seeing this reality, but nobody at all would ever think to say that MA has some of the better people in this land.
All I hear is oh, MA is so rude, but it seems being back home is a bit more friendly than I saw PA and FL ppl.
When I havent left MA, it was like ya many ppl here suck but then I see other places and meet others from other places also and its like gee, Mass people are some of the best after all. Thoughts?

oadon · 07-06-2009, 08:51 AM

The people of Massachusetts are the best..It's the Politics that suck

ogre · 07-06-2009, 09:03 PM

I haven't travelled lots and lots, but I've been to a few places. When it comes to actually living somewhere long enough to really get the inside feel for the place, most of my life it's been the Boston area, but I've also lived in western MA, the South, and the Midwest. In the places I've been, I've found that you run into all kinds of individuals everywhere, but somehow the way it all adds up varies from place to place. The general feeling you get from interactions with people being out and about in everyday life will vary. MeltinJohn, my best guess is that since you are from MA originally, you're just more comfortable with the general vibe that the people here collectively give off, so to you they seem especially nice. You'd find plenty of nice people anywhere, but that . . . feeling . . . about how "the people" are in general might put you off in some places just because it's different from what feels like home to you.

meltinjohn · 07-07-2009, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oadon

The people of Massachusetts are the best..It's the Politics that suck

The politics are bad everywhere, but in MA, the spending has become so unreal. FL was extremely ****ed up tho with Charlie Crist and his gay scandal and from that to him turning on the repubican party to back Obama.
I thought FL was more ****ed up in some areas and with politics and police, I thought FL was = or worse. The cops in FL were meaner.
Unless it just seems this way to me, but I wouldnt be surprised if others said the same as me how MA people are some of the better.

meltinjohn · 07-07-2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ogre

I haven't travelled lots and lots, but I've been to a few places. When it comes to actually living somewhere long enough to really get the inside feel for the place, most of my life it's been the Boston area, but I've also lived in western MA, the South, and the Midwest. In the places I've been, I've found that you run into all kinds of individuals everywhere, but somehow the way it all adds up varies from place to place. The general feeling you get from interactions with people being out and about in everyday life will vary. MeltinJohn, my best guess is that since you are from MA originally, you're just more comfortable with the general vibe that the people here collectively give off, so to you they seem especially nice. You'd find plenty of nice people anywhere, but that . . . feeling . . . about how "the people" are in general might put you off in some places just because it's different from what feels like home to you.

PA people to me were friendly up front, but they kept all people from a distance if they didnt grow up with you, but theyd play this polite front too. I didnt like it often times because I sensed theyd talk behind your back quite a bit. I felt in some of the nicer places, PA was more snobby and the women were worse than how I viewed MA women.

NTM many people everywhere love to hear the Boston accent to the point they wanna visit and sometimes when they do, they find they wanna move here so..
Many college kids moved to MA yrs ago and it was the place to come.
It WAS free thinking, cheaper housing and taxes, but now its bad and NH is getting worse politically with the liberal influence. I want MA to go back to how it was and it could if the MA we know now self destructs itself bad.

Marcolo · 07-08-2009, 02:17 PM

Yeah, MA has the nicest people. Just like NYC has the slowest and most laid-back people, and Buffalo has the best weather.

Just like that.

Cliff Clavin · 07-08-2009, 02:42 PM

I met a guy on the 4th who was visiting for the first time from Wisconsin with his wife and 2 daughters. He told me Boston people were the nicest people he ever met. I'll admit was surprised, especially coming from a mid westerner, but was nice to hear.

Atlantica · 07-08-2009, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliff Clavin

I met a guy on the 4th who was visiting for the first time from Wisconsin with his wife and 2 daughters. He told me Boston people were the nicest people he ever met. I'll admit was surprised, especially coming from a mid westerner, but was nice to hear.

That's funny I have a similar story. Fourth of July weekend was crazy here on the Cape. Sandy Neck Beach was packed and the parking lot was full by late morning. I noticed a few cars parked along the side of our road. It is a private road and a good mile from the public beach. A gentleman approached me and as he did, he took off his hat and said "excuse my English but is it okay if I park here for Sandy Neck Beach. I left my children there to go to the beach." I asked him where he was from to which he very guardedly replied "Quebec City". I told him the road was private and while I had no problem with it, some of my neighbors might. I then directed him to park in my driveway where I could be sure his car would be okay. He had a look of shock on his face that only got even more pronounced when my husband, who was heading out to the store told him to "hop in and he'd give him a ride to the beach".

I felt good and bad at the same time. I think if you approach people with a kind attitude, they will respond in kind. Perhaps we in Mass do not have that reputation.

meltinjohn · 07-09-2009, 09:55 PM

At a market basket one time, I witnessed a guy pay the peoples groceries ahead of him because they were senior citizens and he told them they deserved it.
I think Boston gets a worse rap than how it really is and places like PA get a great rap like the "You got a friend in PA" thing and the amish, but for sure, not all its cracked up to be.

miu · 07-10-2009, 10:37 AM

I prefer people around the Boston area. There are good friendly people everywhere. But Boston people seem to me to have a high probability of being well educated, and into culture and the arts. When I've traveled to other parts of the US, as in the south, the people are also good people, but they seem to be less educated and very overtly christian with them throwing in a lot of "god bless" and "god willing" in their talk. And that's not at all for me.