New Yorkers??

Question

Why do people think New Yorkers are mean and cold? I'm 13 years old, from New York, and I'm not like that except when I'm being annoyed.
Reader's Digest criticizes New Yorkers in the July 2006 issue, saying, "Have New Yorkers suddenly gone soft?" and "In the end, four out of every five people they encountered passed RD's courtesy test, making New York the most courteous city in the world. Imagine that."
I don't get this. Could someone explain why people criticize NYers so much?
Thanks!

Answer 1

Hoya Dooin?
I moved to New York from Atlanta and I thought New Yorkers were very friendly, interesting, curious, humorous, easygoing, and usually sophisticated and sharp, but if not at least they were streetwise and funny.
If they don't like you they leave you alone. They didn't have time for gossip and games. If you mess with them, they'll take care of it fast, let you know what they think, then it's over.
They are impatient, and so was I when I lived there, especially when slow people block the way in the subway or stairs.
They tended to be generous too! Kind of embarrassed to not pick up the tab sometimes for a friend, and always showed up to a party with a gift.

BUT, I met a lot of people who moved there from other states that put on this "tough New Yorker" act to look mean so people wouldn't mess with them. They were not as down to earth and approachable as New Yorkers.
I LUV NY, but not the weather (except May, June & Sept.)

Answer 2

Stereotypes are hard to change. For a long time New Yorker's had a reputation as as rude, cold and obnoxious and in "your face". Mst of the time that description was true...why? because as the greatest city in the world we always felt superior then residents of any other city. We were resented because of this attitude which in turn made New Yorkers even mor defense about the city.

A lot of that changed after 9/11. As a life long resident of New York I see a noticeable change in our attitude toward ourselves and out of state visitors. We've kind of mellowed a bit.

Our reputation as discourteous, rude people living in a crime ridden city is not as stong as it once was.

Answer 3

I guess it has something to do with New York being such a big city and filled with such driven people. There's more crime, more litter, and more people which I suppose makes for a more hardened public. I expected to encounter more rude people when I visited New Year's 2005/2006 but I actually met a lot of really nice people and never felt like anyone was the stereotypical New Yorker. A lot of the films/TV shows set in New York usually perpetuate the stereotype of a hardened citizen but I think people just need to travel there themselves to for their own opinion.

Answer 4

NYers are used to and expect efficiency and quickness in thier daily lives. We get irritated when the person ahead of us on line at Starbucks orders once coffee at a time instead of all at once. We are annoyed by people with the temerity to drive the speed limit in the left lane. We get angry that the counterperson at the Deli takes your order, goes in back, then omes back out to ask "wait....what did you want again?"

Naturally, to people from the slower places in the world, this seems brusque and cold, but in reality it's a higher form of existence to which only we are privileged.

Answer 5

because new yorkers are always in a rush, late, meeting someone somewhere etc. and dont have extra time for bs around.
comparing to other states - new yorkers are cold.

Answer 6

I think we are just always in a hurry and it seems that we are rude. We're not rude, we're just impatient. so... HURRY UP . MOVE IT.