[atlaw]

I was born in western Mass and lived in southern Vermont many years. I think that the real difference is what I call the urban /rural split in attitude that we as a country are going through right now. It doesn't mean location, but attitude. Mass is a government is all state, in my mind(since I'm a "rural" guy) and quite oppressive. Vermont is less so but I think it's changing fairly rapidly with the influx of "flatlanders'-they called me that when I moved to Wilmington from the foothills of the Rockies! Jeez, they'd be 6000' underground...anyway, this whole thing is a reflection of the cultural split in the US going on at present.

[68vette]

You are right about the rapidly changing attitude. The easiest way to see this is the style of driving that is spreading throughout the state. Ten years ago, anyone driving was mostly courteous, laid back and rarely annoying/reckless. Drivers are slightly better than what you find in southern New England, but it's rapidly changing. It's possibly caused by the rotating population or it's possible that life is changing in the state as well. It's more and more of a rat race as the years move by.

[averysgore]

Originally Posted by atlaw

Vermont is less so but I think it's changing fairly rapidly with the influx of "flatlanders'-they called me that when I moved to Wilmington from the foothills of the Rockies! Jeez, they'd be 6000' underground...anyway, this whole thing is a reflection of the cultural split in the US going on at present.

My friend who's originally from Chile once got called a flatlander. He proceeded to tell the guy that he grew up near the tallest mountains in the western hemisphere! Also, since age 12 or so he'd always lived in VT, so I wouldn't call that flatlander by any means.