Why are so many people from Michigan mean ?

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Rose T

I'm originally from Michigan, and I'm not mean. Nor are any of my family members who still live there.

One thing you have to understand about the Motor City - the economy there is seriously bad. My cousin has been looking for a job for 2 years. He's a journeyman satellite technician with tons of experience, and he can't get a job in his field.

Not only is unemployment at least 3 times the national average, but property taxes are very high even in the not-as-nice suburbs. My cousins each pay about $4000 per year in property taxes on houses that are valued at less than $100,000. In contrast, my condo in Atlanta is valued at $105,000 and my property taxes are $1600 per year. They can't sell their houses and move somewhere else because no one is buying houses. They're trapped, and that makes them depressed and frustrated.

By the way, most grocery workers in the north are unionized, so they do not feel the need to be happy & pleasant to customers. I'm from there, and I still feel culture shock when I visit!

So, I'm sorry that you think that the entire area was disappointing, but you need to look beyond the surface and think about why things are the way they are.

â™¥ Blue

It's unfortunate that you generalize the population of the whole state on the experiences of a few people you met.
Yes, there are " crappy " areas of Michigan but that can be said for EVERY state. There are many nice areas here. Did you even travel outside of the metro area? Northern Michigan is gorgeous this time of year with the fall color change. Your " honest" comments are immature.

Stephanie M

Well i'm from michigan and i'm not one bit mean. They could LOOK as mean as they want, but they can also be the nicest person in the world. Oh and it's not about where your from it's how you act (and I don't act ghetto or mean).

Mr. Knowledgeable VI

People in Michigan are not mean, rude, or inconsiderate. During the 20 years I lived there, I interacted with great citizens who have great compassion for helping people.

Iguana

I'm from the Detroit area, and maybe i'm looking through rose colored glasses, but I don't see "pissed off and angry". Maybe I'm so used to it that everyone just seems normal.
If it's true , what you say though, I would say it's because the economy.
If the grocery store you went to had people that park their carts side ways (blocking the ability for anyone to pass them) while taking for ever looking on the shelves for items, that they will never be able to reach, then yeah, that tends to piss people off.

Sweet_Di

I am from michigan and I am not mean at all and neither is my husband or son or the people i know. maybe people are Just stressed cause all the jobs here are moving to mexico!!! .michigan don;t suck we have beautiful places here to visit. some of us have a great Sense of humor. i am so sick and tired of people from other states putting us down. we have the great lakes plus over 2000 inland lakes and we have beautiful waterfalls here there is a lot to do in michigan.

DetroiterGuy

Glad your back in Cali, then your shallowness won't rub off on us. Look, just because people "look" mean or rude doesn't mean we are. The Midwest has some of the nicest people in America. Michiganders live in the worst state economically and winter is coming...we have wicked winters. I'm sure you saw alot of people smiling...that's impossible NOT to see someone smiling. I have never been to Cali, but here's my generalization: shallow, hippies, rich, and Mexican gangs. Maybe when and if I go there i'll "see" rich, shallow hippies.

It's me B!tCHes!!!

I like many of the peoples answers to your question. I live in Detroit and yes, many suburbs are more uptight than others, but I think you have went to a store where many of the people were stuck up. I go to the suburbs occasionally and I don't like to play the race card, but they do act like they don't want to be bothered. More often though I go to the store and people will strike up conversation with you. I do that all the time.

I do know many people from Cali who said they had a culture shock when they came to Michigan, because as much as we want it to be, this state still is segregated in many ways. I don't know what city you were in, but you should have came to Detroit and I think you would have gotten treated much better.

As bad as the economy is, I don't walk around frowning all the time, but Michigan as a whole is not a mean state. I love it here and don't want to move, because this is what I am used to. Next time you come to Michigan look me up and I will show you nice people LOL!!!

elizabeth k

Wow, I am sorry you felt that way. I have lived in So Cal for 15 months now and well... l miss Michigan.

Michigan is real while CA is beautiful. They have real music. real culture. and real people. real problems.

Not to put down So Cal but how hard is it living in a place where it is 70 degrees all the time. (if you don't understand that it is because winter is long and hard)

Michigan has had bad economic times for about 2 years now. They are being ***** smacked around by life. They are probably worried about affording groceries.

I am sorry you had a bad trip. I think people are just really really worried.

I love living in So Cal but really it seems like a dream. Michigan feels like home.

I hope next time it is better.

Cesaria Barbarossa (R.I.P. Tina)

Well, maybe because here in Michigan, we're in our own little private economic hell. Even for those in the burbs...

Sorry to shatter your image of a perfect world, but times are hard nowadays and more and more people have to really find something to smile about.

How about praying for them.

mixedqtee

We have the worst economic state right now.

elklady

I have lived in Michigan all my life and can truly say that the people of Michigan are for the most part kind, generous, and caring. We have our bad apples just like anyone else.

I believe it is unfair for you to judge people here on a short visit. I have visited California a couple of times and had some bad experiences there but I would not judge every person in your state based on my interactions with just a few people.

musicalone8123

What day was this on? It could be because the University of Michigan keeps losing all its football games. It pisses us the eff off because we're serious about that stuff. I feel like punching people out after Michigan (the team) loses, especially if they want to talk crap about Michigan or make jokes about the game/team. I also doubt you saw "most places" in the state--there are nice-looking parts of Michigan. I loved Ann Arbor...well, "loved" is a strong word, but it was better than other places I've been, such as Atlanta, as far as not looking like crap.

In general, I don't think people from Michigan are mean. I'm not from Michigan; I just attended school there. There are just regional differences. As someone from the South, I feel like people from the Midwest are not as friendly as Southerners and are the most racist people in the nation, even the ones who think they're liberals. When I went to NY, I somewhat felt like the stereotypes of them being rude were accurate. And people I've met from CA, especially Southern California...many seem either shallow, annoying or very fickle in terms of personality (i.e. one minute they know you, the next they don't, for example).

Not trying to insult anyone, just being honest.

Seriously...there are regional differences.

Christopher B

Michigan is great, and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Alot of people may claim alot of people are mean because they are angry about the lost of jobs. Michigan is known for a state taking a hard hit by the economy.... and maybe it's showing up on the citizens.

Barracuda

There are a lot of ignorant factory worker types of people here who were taught by the Democratic Party to always expect a handout, and they're bitter because life isn't the free ride they expected. The economy here is horrible, but if someone comes here to recruit workers for out-of-state, the bitter attitude disappears and they will tell you they'd rather stay in Michigan. FOR WHAT? People here are beyond ignorant and have a special kind of attitude. I was unemployed for a bit, then I became a manager, and it's amazing what kind of idiot workers you will find here. You wouldn't think the economy was that bad the way people call in to work and disrespect their job. These are the people who went on strike because $30 on a line an hour wasn't enough. It continues to show, even when the jobs are gone.

I have a job offer, possibly another one in another state, and I intend to leave!

demos_jones

It's funny how SE Michigan raves about its diversity, yet builds more and more subdivisions further north, with highly inflated property values, to keep that diversity out. Land of the original White Liberals: "Some of my best friends are black (but I still don't want my sister marrying one, or a family of them moving in next door)."

After living there awhile, I learned that White Liberal is another name for Closet Bigot.

BEAST OF THE EASTSIDE

cause its a hard place to live cause its the ghetto of the US plus its freakin cold

Kevin

yeah michigan sucks. arkansas is worse.

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