Minnesota Nice
For you native Minnesotans out there — perhaps you can confirm or deny your experiences with Minnesota nice. The Wikipedia entry about Minnesota nice had the following list:
- You may visit a Minnesotan and be offered something to drink multiple times.
- Minnesotans are renowned for charity work and donations.
- Minnesotans are renowned for taking forever to say goodbye. This is in part due to the winter weather and reluctance to leave. This behavior is seen in Scandinavian and Finnish cultures where many Minnesotans trace their heritage.
- Minnesotans file fewer civil lawsuits than residents of other states.
- Minnesotans are more open with their homes than in many other states. Many homes outside of the larger cities are left unlocked even if no one is home.
- Instead of rejecting an idea in the workplace, Minnesotans are known for calling a meeting to discuss the idea, and then canceling the meeting.
Do these seem accurate? I know the first one is certainly true, and the third is very true in my experience. However, I haven’t noticed the last one to be true. Anyhow, today just seemed like a good day for some Minnesota pride.
Comments
Markoe +1
I can disprove this theory in two words… Dan Mckeown.
Zing!
Dan McKeown
Well I was not born here. I was born on the East Coast so I think that explains things.
Nils
Dan’s a coastie? I should have known. That DOES explain things.
Completely kidding. But I think several of those points are true to an extent but I especially believe that most of Minnesota nice can be traced through Scandinavian heritage. The openness with safety (doors unlocked, etc.) and homes (extremely welcoming) are traits I found to be pretty common in Norway while I was abroad there. Of course, having a Norwegian heritage myself, I may be a little biased. Heia Norge!