I recently got off a bicycle tour that inter-weaved thru city and country and would be in a large city one hour and a middle of a corn field the next. I couldn't help but notice how much more humble the people in the country were - everyone greets you in the morning with a 'mornin, which took me by surprise the first day. When riding in the city, I noticed most people don't acknowledge you or commonly look forward, but on the country trails, most people would often nod or wave or say a hello. I heard someone say on a interview somewhere that city folks just have things to do and are busy so they appear rude. What do you think?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Are country people nicer?
- Thread starter paste
- Start date
It depends on where. Most country folk are a lot nicer, but one can always run into the Deliverance-types out in the sticks.
Not my cup O tea, thank you very much.
Not my cup O tea, thank you very much.
No.
No "type" of person is nicer. Country people have a tendency to appear more friendly, as that is the tradition, however in small towns and outlying areas, it is not uncommon for the same people who appear more friendly to also be more nosy and judgmental. Busting through stereotypes is almost always worth it.
No "type" of person is nicer. Country people have a tendency to appear more friendly, as that is the tradition, however in small towns and outlying areas, it is not uncommon for the same people who appear more friendly to also be more nosy and judgmental. Busting through stereotypes is almost always worth it.
I've lived in towns with populations of about 5,000, 100,000, 2 million and 11 million (the last two are greater metro area figures), each for at least four years The people operated differently in these places, but I didn't find the small town folks to be any nicer overall. They did take more time to talk to strangers because life generally moved at a somewhat slower pace, and they had fewer transportation problems to deal with; meanwhile, the city people are more in a hurry and sometimes come off as rude. But for whatever reason, the smaller-town folks were more likely to get all up in your business and gossip once you lived there a while, and they were less accepting of ideas (and in some unfortunate cases, skin colors) that were different than theirs--maybe they had less to do, or maybe it was just the fact that everyone knew everybody else.
Bottom line, I've found pluses and minuses to both.
Bottom line, I've found pluses and minuses to both.
Nah. I live in rural Oregon.
My neighbor threatened to shoot me over riding my dirtbike in our pasture at 3:00pm.
The lady across the street cussed out my buddy because he turned his truck around in her driveway and accidentally hit a patch of dried grass.
That lady's neighbor is really cool, though. Just run on over and chill whenever. My sister actually learned how to ride a dirtbike in his yard haha. And I broke that same bike in his yard...
Our other neighbor is pretty cool too. Traded him a pack of cigs for a practically brand new tire for my NOT broken dirtbike.
But I've also met a lot of awesome and not so awesome "city people". The world is split pretty much 50/50 IMO. Geographic location does not matter.
My neighbor threatened to shoot me over riding my dirtbike in our pasture at 3:00pm.
The lady across the street cussed out my buddy because he turned his truck around in her driveway and accidentally hit a patch of dried grass.
That lady's neighbor is really cool, though. Just run on over and chill whenever. My sister actually learned how to ride a dirtbike in his yard haha. And I broke that same bike in his yard...
Our other neighbor is pretty cool too. Traded him a pack of cigs for a practically brand new tire for my NOT broken dirtbike.
But I've also met a lot of awesome and not so awesome "city people". The world is split pretty much 50/50 IMO. Geographic location does not matter.
Not necessarily. In small country towns people strive on gossip and drama. They may put on a nice facade but under all that they can be extremely judgmental about people and gossip travels quick. Probably why they're so nice to each other. And nosy doesn't even begin to describe some people, though there are alot of really cool, "real" people too.
BTW, this is coming from a guy who lives currently lives in a town in Texas with a smaller population than the apartment complex he lived in in California.
But country folks do know how to party, I will say that.
BTW, this is coming from a guy who lives currently lives in a town in Texas with a smaller population than the apartment complex he lived in in California.
But country folks do know how to party, I will say that.
I think the city breeds a certain anonymity and a certain fear of strangers. You can't say hi to folks on the street because there's too many of them, plus you're more worried about getting mugged or just having someone waste your time. Country people can be more easy-going about that kind of thing. But they can also be a lot less open in other ways.
Only if you agree with their politics or belief system.
Country people live in harmony with the nature where as city folk live in harmony with solid concrete.
Contry people live with animals and plants, city folk live with poisoning jobs, bad environment, co-workers of all types and all the other bitter things that come with a city.
I've never had the fear of getting mugged, assaulted etc. in the country where as I look behind every 10 - 15 steps if it's late in the night in the city.
I am 10, maybe 20 times bitter than an average country folk.
But that doesn't mean there are no a******s in the country. I served with the gendarmerie during my military service and had to seriously warn some country folk in order to secure public order. An MP-5 is a pretty effective determent.
Contry people live with animals and plants, city folk live with poisoning jobs, bad environment, co-workers of all types and all the other bitter things that come with a city.
I've never had the fear of getting mugged, assaulted etc. in the country where as I look behind every 10 - 15 steps if it's late in the night in the city.
I am 10, maybe 20 times bitter than an average country folk.
But that doesn't mean there are no a******s in the country. I served with the gendarmerie during my military service and had to seriously warn some country folk in order to secure public order. An MP-5 is a pretty effective determent.
It is a myth that country people are nicer than city people. I've met very nice and very mean people in both cities and the countryside. Some small country towns you just plain would do well to stay out of.
I do not agree that country people live in harmony with nature. You would think they do, but many, or possibly most, do not. They use all kinds of chemicals as weed-killers, pest control, or other agents that are not only harmful to the environment, but that are basically opposite to living in harmony with nature.
Many people who keep livestock think of their animals as commodities; possessions, and can be cruel in the treatment of these living things.
I am a country/city person. I grew up in the suburbs, had a summer home in the sticks of Wisconsin, and have lived in the heart of the city, and currently live in a semi-rural setting. My wife would be remarkably unhappy living in a city, whereas I tend to like it just fine. Cities can be vital, and have a life and environment of their own. I could live the rest of my life in a small cabin in the woods, near a lake, with no other people around, but I could just as easily live downtown in a major city.
There's a lot more to cities than concrete.
My wife's daughter lives in such a town, South of Indianapolis. It is a seedy, nasty, hell-hole of a town, and as far from Mayberry as you can get. If you are an ignorant bigot who likes to cook meth, you would do well there. Everybody else needs to stay as far away from that town as possible.
I think population density is a big factor in perceived niceness. Where I live, there are 20,409 inhabitants per square mile. In Wetumpka, Alabama there are 672.9 inhabitants per square mile. You'll run into more meanies if there are more people closer together.
You're right, harmony wasn't the word I was looking for. I wanted to crack some skulls during my service after seeing how they treat their animals.
My point was the difference between living surrounded with trees, sand, animals etc. rather than concrete.
I lived 1 year in the country, one of the most stressfull times of my life yet I was so calm. I was not bitter at all.
The stressfull times ended and I came back to the city. I thought I was suffocating when I entered the apartment, concrete everywhere. I see concrete even when looking out of the window.
You're right, harmony wasn't the word I was looking for. I wanted to crack some skulls during my service after seeing how they treat their animals.
My point was the difference between living surrounded with trees, sand, animals etc. rather than concrete.
I lived 1 year in the country, one of the most stressfull times of my life yet I was so calm. I was not bitter at all.
The stressfull times ended and I came back to the city. I thought I was suffocating when I entered the apartment, concrete everywhere. I see concrete even when looking out of the window.
Well, that's exactly how my wife feels, and I'm sure many others feel that way, as well.
There is a lot to enjoy in the city, but you have to get in the mindset. It also depends what city. My main city is Minneapolis. There are lovely parks, tons of lakes, and all kinds of cultural venues that make it not only tolerable, but actually fun and exciting. But you have to like that kind of stuff in order for it to work.
Even in the "bad" neighborhoods, I like the excitement. Not everybody is cut out for that, though.
I live in Istanbul, government wanted to destroy one of the last parks and it almost turned into civil war. We have very very limited number of green places. The rest is gray.
Food and booze is probably one of the best in the world. I wouldn't be able to stand it otherwise.
