Demographics and People

[vader]

I'll start off by saying I have lived in S. Florida since I was born, about 30 yrs now.  I've been in the retail business for around 12 yrs.  I generally get along with all my customers no matter what race or nationality they are.  I consider myself a pretty easy going guy and get along with just about anyone.

Recently, within the past few weeks, I went on vacation to NC for about a week.  The people up there are incredibly friendly and are willing to help you do anything.  I went to a Wal-Mart to pick up some ski pants and was asked if I needed help and I was caught completely off guard by this.  The employees at are local store are the polar opposite, they hide from you or give short/rude answers.

Now I come back to S Fla. and I don't know how I have dealt with it so long.  The people/customers are like nite and day from up north.  I have people from other countries ( mainly spanish folk ) who come and get mad at me because I didn't speak their language.  This is directed at all latino's, but that has been the general census.  The lack of education is unreal as to listen to most of the young
kids talk and a good portion of their parents, usuallly about 30 and under are the same way.

I can't believe the way people that are only 800 miles apart can very so drastically.  I'll wrap this up by saying,  I had intentions of moving to NC by the summer but had doubts since I was raised in the city and all the ammenites were so close and in NC that is not the case, you do have to drive a bit.  After coming back and seeing what  I was dealing, I have decided I will definitely move now.

Tim

[ChadTower]

Eh, keep going another few hundred miles to MA/RI, and you're right back into the stupid kids/parents, rude people, and general lack of personal courtesy bucket.

[mccoy178]

I would tend to think that your experience may have to do with the population of the region you visited in terms of metro vs. rural.  I still think you'll find that anywhere in this country, you will find the same situations just varied by accents and weather.   Like Chad said, they have village idiots everywhere, as well as polite, intelligent people as well.  I would just be worried that if the attitudes are the main reason for moving, you may find that once you are integrated into the community, it will have just as many pros and cons as your current environment.

[ClubNinja]

Eh, keep going another few hundred miles to MA/RI, and you're right back into the stupid kids/parents, rude people, and general lack of personal courtesy bucket.

Absolutely true.  Jerks.

[vader]

Good points from both of you.  I'm just find my general disgust dealing with the people I'm dealing with now.  Just seeing the way people act vs. up there.  I
totally agree that anywhere in the country there will people of the polite/rude
side in just seems to be more the case down here.   I guess the simple explanation is the a the population of the area I live in is alot more that where I was visiting so I wouldn't be subjected to nearly as many people that could be rude/ polite.  I've just found that since coming back from there, my attitude has changed so much as I have a hard time dealing with people.  I guess living here all my life had contributed plus I need a change of scenery.

Tim

[DrewKaree]

There ARE parts of North Carolina where you'll find ass hats too, but usually it's because of the area you're in.  It's still one of the nicest states I've lived in, and if it stays that way, the wife and I plan on moving back there in our retirement years.

Durham/Chapel Hill area was where I lived, and around Duke's campus, it was about 80/20 with the nice folks still holding a lead.  In Chapel Hill, it was about 60/40.  More money, still nice folks, but a larger concentration of ass hats.  In Cary, that's a money area too, but it seems to be spread out more and you have a more varied concentration of wealth, so the ass hats tend to hide pretty well. 

[ChadTower]

Several of my friends have moved to NC in the past 4 years to escape the cost of living in MA... it gets more tempting every month that I bring home a large paycheck and it still isn't enough to cover our quite modest lifestyle.

[DrewKaree]

I dunno about your job market and prospects in NC, but it seems they have a decent employer base in the area.  I worked in the triangle, lotta pharma companies and hospitals up the wazoo, it seemed.

Housing costs were definitely better than here in WI, although a basement was almost unheard of unless it was new construction.  Property taxes are SWEET there too.  2500 sq ft house my buddy has cost him $1600 a year.  That same house in WI would cost him double in taxes alone.

[Zakk]

I'll start off by saying I have lived in S. Florida since I was born, about 30 yrs now.

[DrewKaree]

I say as I come in after snowblowing my neighbours driveway

Edible packing material for all!!

Dude, wanting to play with your new toy isn't the same as being "nice", it's just wanting to play with it a little longer.

I think you got some of that non-edible stuff....it's screwing up your braynz!

[Zakk]

Ah, but neighbour just had a heart attack, so I AM being nice...he has his own snow blower after all...




_{(not as big as mine, but I'm sure that's just a freudian problem)}

[DrewKaree]

Ah, but neighbour just had a heart attack, so I AM being nice...he has his own snow blower after all...

Your wife already showed us the video of you prancing over there like a little schoolboy and squealing.  Rationalize it however you want, you just wanted to play.  Now posting those pics of Heather would be considered nice.  Just ask Bones or Stingray.  But do we see you jumping right on that?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[missioncontrol]

Several of my friends have moved to NC in the past 4 years to escape the cost of living in MA... it gets more tempting every month that I bring home a large paycheck and it still isn't enough to cover our quite modest lifestyle.

stay up there I don't need you comming down here and lowering my property values. 

people are usually friendly here in NC. What weirded me out when I first moved here is the people who throw up their hand to wave to you as you drive by that you don't even know. now I find myself doing it.

[vader]

That is too funyy.....I was driving on 85 I think and a guy just waved at me...I was like.....um...ok...did I do something wrong.

Tim

[markrvp]

I'm from Texas.  My mom is from Alabama.  In the south we actually teach our kids to be courteous and polite.  Although the Blue Staters like Mr.C make fun of us (due to their own ignorance or bigotry), I would much rather be around polite Southerners than northerners who are rude and arrogant.

I have found that there are intelligent, insightful people everywhere I have traveled regardless of whether or not they enjoy Nascar.  For people to think that Southerners are dumb because they are polite is about the most assinine attitude I have ever seen.

Oh, Bush Won.

[More Cowbell]

Ah, but neighbour just had a heart attack, so I AM being nice...he has his own snow blower after all...

He probably had his heart attack while clearing off your driveway.

[ChadTower]

Ah, but neighbour just had a heart attack, so I AM being nice...he has his own snow blower after all...

My neighbor is 75 years old and has had a stroke.  When I offered to shovel his driveway he yelled at me and hired someone to do it. 

That is how being friendly is tolerated in MA.

[Hoopz]

Must be nice to have disposable income.

People in the midwest are generally polite.  More so in rural areas but thats probably the case in a lot of places. 

[ChadTower]

Must be nice to have disposable income.

People in the midwest are generally polite.

[Hoopz]

Thats pretty sad.   I have helped a few neighbors in the past.  I have a widow next to me so we watch out for her.  Guy across the streen is a firefighter.  He worked all night one evening, got home in the morning and couldnt get his truck up the driveway.  Guy next to him helped me dig the truck out and clean his driveway.

Its what Markrvp said...parents teach their children to be polite.  Or at least some do.

[ChadTower]

The reason most parents can't get their kids to be polite is because you can't teach a kid to be polite.  They won't learn that way.

You have to show them how to be polite by being polite.  That means all of the time, not just when you think the kids are looking.  Please and thank you and excuse me and most of all respect, with adults, with strangers, and especially with the children themselves.

Kids learn by observation, not preaching, and if you don't have manners yourself your kids will never have them.  Even a 3 year old is smart enough to see through "do as I say not as I do".

[Hoopz]

I agree children learn by watching.  So, in effect, they are taught to be polite when they see mom/dad being polite.

Too many people have kids that can't take care of themselves, let alone be a good parent.

[ChadTower]

Well, they also learn negatives by example.  They can learn to be --missioncontrols-- even easier than they learn to be polite.

It is especially hard to keep my kids polite and respectful when their peers have absolutely no manners.  They spend all day with kids that haven't said please or excuse me their entire life, then we have to reinforce the whole thing again when they get home.

[DrewKaree]

Well, they also learn negatives by example.  They can learn to be --missioncontrols-- even easier than they learn to be polite.

It is especially hard to keep my kids polite and respectful when their peers have absolutely no manners.  They spend all day with kids that haven't said please or excuse me their entire life, then we have to reinforce the whole thing again when they get home.

Then there's the people I want to punch right in their earholes!  My kids tell them "Thank you Mr Jones" and ass hat thinks he's gonna be SooperKewlDood and tell them "Oh stop that, just call me Joe".

Dude, I'm teaching my kids to respect adults, they DO it, and you take all that teaching/learning/using manners and throw it all in the crapper? 

Earhole.  Right in the earhole.  Several hundred times, if necessary

[More Cowbell]

How hard is it to teach a kid to say excuse me when he farts in public? C'mon, have some decent courtesy. 

[ChadTower]

Earhole.

[DrewKaree]

"I understand he said to call him Joe, but the very least you can do is treat him with more respect than he wishes to give himself.  It's NOT disrespectful to address someone using the proper terms along with their given name.  It's a sign of honor that someone will hopefully someday give to you."

"Oh c'mon Drew!  It makes me feel so "old"

At times I hear the earhole beckoning me...other times, I get upset at dumber things in life.  Such is the way of parenting....they should have a manual or something