Job Discussion Forums

[nomadder]

Does it really come down to north vs. south?

We(mainly) northerners are stuck indoors so much that it takes alcohol(or worse) to make us talk to one another(and then sometimes regret that we did?)while southerners are outside most of the time and naturally more socialable. Doors are often open if not non-existant, not to mention walls. Sun makes for warmer people and snow or cold rain the opposite. Is it really as simple as that or is there more to it?

[mlomker]

The design of cities and buildings have a lot to do with that--and building design is certainly a function of weather. I always that it was neat that elevators and walkways are usually outdoors in California...couldn't do that here.

My company recently built a new building and designing areas for bumping into people and gathering places was an important part of the plan.

[Cdaniels]

I have my own little theory that its a function of seasons too, as well as the cold. For example, in the northeast US, for example, settlers might find a new neighbor is friendly in the summer and fall harvest but becomes non-reciprocal during the winter. We tend to be suspicious of strangers and sometimes . Southern Californians (for example) generally seem phony and over-friendly to us up here. I can understand how we get a reputation for being unfriendly, but it probably began as a useful survival trait, generations ago.

[nomadder]

Good one. I wonder if we have a friendliness quota. During the winter it is low-just job and getting our quota of food say but in the summer we see people much more and after a while we may tend to the phony smile and fake convo or the escape. Some people must be much more used to doing "the talk" if they live somewhere where they don't have to do the winter hibernation thing.

[Sweetsee]

"Shiney, happy people having fun..."

[acwilliams]

Funny, isn't it, how many countries have a north-south divide for personality traits.

Here in China, the typical northerner (my colleagues tell me) is tall, stocky, grumpy, has no knowledge of etiquette, is good at practical things, is very honest, eats meat but not vegetables, drinks too much and doesn't wash.

Whereas the typical southerner is short, skinny, well-dressed, is personable and a slick talker, has excellent manners, is unreliable and untrustworthy, eats anything that moves, and washes twice a day.

It makes me laugh because this description is pretty close to the stereotypes that northern and southern English people have about each other. (Except that we northerners wash. We do.)

[gaijinalways]

Makes you wonder? But how do you apply the theory here? It seems her that people from Hokkaido and Kyushu are friendlier and crazier (wait, forgot about the Okinawans ). People from Tokyo, though?!

[denise]

I have my own wacky theory. It was disproven the moment I arrived in Japan, but I still kinda like it...

Vowels. The more vowels a language has, the more people have to open their mouths to speak. The more open the mouth, the more expressive the face. And so the more open the person/society. In a country whose language skimps on vowels, people can communicate although they barely open their mouths.

I developed this theory on a vacation in Greece (very vowel-rich) while I was living in Prague (a bit lacking). In Greece, there was noise, merriment, a few spontaneous yelling matches in the streets (OK, not "friendly", but open!), etc. In Prague... well, I loved the city, and the entire country, but the people definitely don't give you warm fuzzies.

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[dmb]

I've spent the past four months being as miserable as sin. Winters are depressing in Istanbul.... But spring is here... so I am off down to a pavement cafe I am now happy

[Justin Trullinger]

In my travels, there's always been an inverse proportion between friendliness/money.

Andalucia, an economically depressed region in southern Spain, is famous for the warmth and friendliness of it's inhabitants, whereas the north of Spain, far and away the wealthiest region, is known for its rudeness.

Same in Ecuador, where the coast (impoverished) is generally friendlier than the Sierra (wealthiest region).

Same in Italy, where the north is the affluent, and unfriendly, part, and the south is economically depressed, and the people take you home with them.

Found the Scots (mass unemployment, centralization skewing benefits to the south) much friendlier than the people of London and the south, where per capita income vs cost of living index is more favourable.

Money is the root of unfriendliness?

Justin

[mlomker]

[valley_girl]

Re: Justin's money theory - It could be that people with money feel threatened by people who do not have money (i.e. the less fortunate might try to swindle the opulent out of their wealth). People without money have nothing to lose by being friendly and everything to gain. It's a good theory, IMHO.

[Justin Trullinger]

I'm extremely friendly! What does that say about my financial situation?

But seriously, here in Quito, I've seen a real feudal mentality- those who have a lot often don't feel they have to be civil, especially to those who are perceived as "lower down." (Many students' parents can be outright rude to my assistant, but are quite cordial to me, as I have a better title.)

Those who have less, often seem to enjoy more. Maybe because they worry less about security, possible loss, etc.

In my experience, the "new rich" are the worst- as if they've worked hard all their lives for the privilege of being rude to others...



Hoping to stay poor,
Justin

[Mike_2003]

National stereotypes play a big part in it too. If you go to a country with the impression that the people there are friendly, you are more like to approach dealings with openness and a smile on your face because your are expecting a friendly response to your behaviour. If you go somewhere with the strongly-held belief that people from that country are �cold and unfriendly�, then you are likely to display a more reserved and negative body language in your dealings with said people, and hence a form of feedback behaviour develops.

When I lived in Turkey I notice many times that tourists would smile at the locals a lot more (as an above poster mentioned; the vacation mood) and thus started this feedback loop. Once while sitting in a caf� in Istanbul I noticed two British tourists walking down the street. Two older Turkish men were sitting on a wall and as the two tourists passed they smiled and nodded at the two Turkish men, who in turn smiled and nodded back. I overhead the two Brits commenting on how friendly the people were and I wondered how often they would smile and nod a greeting at a complete strange back home. Incidentally, after they had passed one of the old men turned to the other and said something like �bloody foreigners�.

Mike

[gaijinalways]

Actually the reverse is true here in Japan, people frown all the time (as they're countuing their money) and make me want to take a vacation somewhere else !