This is clearly a niche question lol but hear me out!
I have heard of how many Europeans find Americans too friendly. They say we smile too much and make too much small talk and just bowl over everyone with our aggressive American-ness.
Within America, Massachusetts is regarded as a bit… grumpy if you will. You won’t find any ‘southern hospitality’ here. Folks often describe us as ‘kind but not nice’ in that we are not particularly smiley, we do not care to engage in small talk and we mind our own business – although we will jump in to give help when needed and are regarded as more genuine in our actions and words if a bit gruff and sarcastic.
To me that sounds less like the America that Europeans talk about as being so overtly American.
So for folks who have traveled to MA and other states, or have simply met people from MA – do they seem different in any way? Or are we all so similar that the distinctions we make with ourselves don’t really come through for you?
14 comments
Nothing wrong with being friendly, everyone likes friendly, there’s a version of it that just comes across as fake though.
Go west. Guys from Texas are probably the ones who goes along best with at least Scandinavians. That laid back, cool style mixes well with our reserved ways. Guys from North East, NY, NJ, New England aint normally all that AWESOME but they are normally quite pushy, kinda aggressive.
There’s also the history and stereotype that New Englanders are/were heavily influenced by Calvinism. I guess that’s often a stereotype of the greater United States, but really it started in New England
There are some parts of Europe, like the Netherlands (except for the southern part), the Protestant parts of Switzerland (IIRC), and probably some other parts of Europe that were also influenced by Calvinism, so I’d be curious to find out what their perceptions of New England are
Everyone from the US is seen as evenly USAmerican.
No matter your state, or ethnicity.
We pile you up on one big “MURICA pile’
I’ve only travelled to New England, but have met people from other states. I really couldn’t tell a difference in character or manners, but perhaps in interests and sporting activities, and of course accent. The Mainers were far more interested in skiing and hiking than the California surfers.
Every country in the world ascribes different characteristics to their different regions, because of different histories, religious affiliations, whether they are rural, urban or maritime. Some of these over time, become out-dated tropes, others remain closer to the truth. Outsiders may not be aware of these or just comment that people in smaller cities seem friendlier than in larger cities, or that people in wealthier areas seem are different from those in poorer areas.
Tbh I think most Brits at least couldn’t distinguish “Massachusetts Americans” from others, obviously we don’t know your country as well as you and most people just aren’t that interested. I could only tell you that Boston is in Massachusetts because I’ve been there. I remember enjoying it more than any other US city I’ve been to, so you are probably on to something.
But in general I think we don’t get bothered by friendliness, but the way for some Americans everything is so OTT. It has to be awesome, or THE BEST, or whatever. When I speak to these people (some of whom have been colleagues) it just makes me think everything is a facade, nothing means anything if everything is at an extreme – friendliness included. So if people from Massachusetts are more genuine in their interactions then we would probably respond well to that, but probably wouldn’t have a clue that it’s because they are from there.
We – in Italy – don’t think that Americans are too friendly.
We also can’t tell someone from Massachusetts from any other American. You’re all the same to us, sorry.
Most Europeans dont know any more states than NY, Florida, Texas and California. Maybe Hawai.
We dont have stereotypes from different US states, Americans look pretty similar to us. Even Canadians are difficult to differentiate if they don’t mention their nationality
I’m deffo not differentiating each state lol. Locals can have stereotypes about their country but in Europe it’s the US, not the states
>I have heard of how many Europeans find Americans too friendly. They say we smile too much
Lol, nobody has a problem with friendly or smiling people. The problem is the fake friendliness
Honestly no Europeans that haven’t lived for a long period of time in the US can tell what state someone is from, you all look the same to us
I work in retail, in an area where I meet many (mainly middle-aged middle to upper class) Americans. It’s only recently that I started being able to attach stereotypes to certain states or cities. Like how Minnesotans tend to be reserved and leave quickly, whereas Texans often stay to joke around. The ones who still say ”dollars” here, and talk over instead of to you, are often Californians. Younger New Yorkers tend to melt in with the locals the best. Rainy weather often attracts customers from Seattle.
That said, it’s taken me three years of working in this environment to notice these patterns. What many (but definitely not all) Americans do have in common, regardless of origin, is this over-friendliness that often comes off as fake. As well as an air of living in a bubble separate from the rest of us.
I don’t think most Germans have stereotypes for different US states, except maybe Texas and California.
I personally haven’t been to the US, but I recently watched the YouTube channel geowizard, where he attempted to go from Boston to Miami by hitching rides with random people, which he regularly does in Europe. Interestingly, I felt a real distinct shift in the general behaviour of people once he got to the south of Virginia, with people south of there feeling *more* European to me, more open and relaxed, less afraid of strangers.
Also noone objects to friendliness per se, there’s just a certain carsalesmanesque sliminess that comes with, especially corporate American culture, that can feel ingenuine.
I was an exchange student, and lived with a bunch of Americans from all over the US – Massachusetts, NY, Florida, California, Tennessee, Oregon etc.
I honestly liked all of them, but I was better friends with the guys from MA and NY. It might be a coincidence, but they were probably a bit closer to Europeans personality wise, and more specifically Northern Europe.