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Comment by threatofrain | Hacker News Reader

One thing I have found interesting is that as you go more north in the US, a culture of explicit niceness becomes palpable. I have always though weather may have some relationship, as Canada by reputation would fit this view.

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Interesting, my experience has been the opposite. On the west coast I find that people from San Diego are, on average, a bit more cheery than people from Seattle. Similarly, the average resident of New Orleans seems to have a rosier outlook on life than the average Manhattanite or Montrealer.

As a Northerner living in the South, I will tell you that Northerners are painfully conscious of how they treat and are perceived by others and try to minimize their impact on other people. Southern Hospitality is mostly fake and really more about trying to size you up and figure out details about your life (but yes, in some areas people will go way out of their way to help you out with stuff).

New Orleans residents are outliers. They are far and away the friendliest people I've met anywhere in the US, but at the same time it's a tourist economy and everyone seems to have a hustle. Much love for New Orleans.

As a Northern living in the South, I've found the exact opposite. People seem to be more friendlier down here.

Let's make some more generalizations.

Just wait. They'll learn ya. :)

As a Texan who moved to New York City for the summer I really missed Southern hospitality (and Tex-Mex). When I came back to Texas the Southern hospitality did feel fake until I got used to it again. Although some of it probably is fake, I think most of it is genuine. Just like when I moved to NY it seemed like everybody was a depressed workaholic, when in reality that they are probably as you say trying "to minimize their impact on other people". Likewise I'm sure Southerners come off as fake until you get used to the culture. The pace of life is much slower and people love to make small talk. Also we don't ask people how their day is going so that we can figure out details about their life and judge them. Its just a nice thing to do.

About that last point, for me it's more that the mere mention of someone (as in, i'm trying to relate a story and mention someone as a minor character) brings up questions like "what's their full name?" and stuff about who their family is because they're trying to figure out if they know the person. Everyone talks about everyone else's personal business here and there is no expectation of privacy. For someone coming from a big anonymous city like New York, that's incredibly violating.

Could still be weather as the Parent stated. San Diego, warmer, nice weather. Seattle, rainy, snowy, gloomy, could be Seasonal Depressive/affective Disorder from not enough sunlight.

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