Ungenerous people

This topic was created by Curious Brit
[Mon 3 May, 3:58 Tasmanian Standard Time]

I've got a trip to the States coming up, a three week
sojourn through the southern states. As I've never been
before, I've only the second-hand impressions of others to
go on, but many of them did tell me that when in America
one should avoid niggards if at all possible.
I've been made to understand that they are very unpleasant
in the south, even moreso than those in the northern
cities, such as New York.
Perhaps I could trouble any Americans on this list to give
a few helpful hints should I be confronted by any niggards
during my trip?
Thanks in advance

[There are 11 posts - the latest was added on Thu 20 May, 4:38]

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  1. WARNING Added by: THE EURO LEAGUE
    [Timestamp: Mon 3 May, 6:09 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    THIS IS JUST AN ATTEMPT AT HUMOR, FROM A NATION OF TEA
    DRINKING MILKSOPS WHO LIKE TO MAKE NAIL BOMBS IN SPARE
    TIME. PLEASE EXCUSE

    utter lack of originality.

    CARRY ON



  2. e Added by: e
    [Timestamp: Mon 3 May, 7:59 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    what's a niggard?



  3. but seriously.... Added by: rich
    [Timestamp: Mon 3 May, 9:25 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    I have lived in the Midwest, Northeast, and South. The
    reception of foreigners (or people from other US regions)
    is probably more varied in the South than elsewhere. This
    is the least wordly part of the US---people really are tied
    to their roots and experiences (personal or vicarious) that
    are at odds with this are difficult for them to undertsnad
    let alone accept. Midwesterns are are just enough more
    worldly that, for the most part, they seem like
    cosmopolitans by comparison (I'm a native Midwesterner and
    enjoy going back because there's much less nastiness and
    other bullshit to people there).
    x
    Having said this, it's also true that some parts of the
    South (e.g., Atlanta, cities in North carolina) have
    experienced large inmigrations from other regions and the
    degree of open-ness or at least tolerance does vary. For
    example, In New Orleans, there's great tolerance for
    eccentricity and other than residual racism, it's a very
    open environment. On the other hand, in places like
    nashville (and even to some extent, Atlanta), the lack of
    worldliness does intrude. There 's no sense of urban-ness
    (exc for old cities like New orleans or Savannah) and the
    arts really struggle to do anything that isn't very
    "traditional".
    x
    In many places, you will be overwhelmed with politeness and
    nice comments (i.e., you will positively gag on the
    sweetness). In other places, esp. rural areas, you will be
    treated with great distance and perhaps even suspicion.
    Service in stores, hotels, etc. is often quite awful (I've
    worked in service fields in my younger days, so I am being
    informed not snobbish about this)---it tends to be
    overbearingly sugar-y or indifferent or downright stupid.
    More than other parts of the country, workers are more
    interested in chit-chat with friends than in attending to
    you. The "best" of "southern hospitality" occurs once in a
    while and is a treasure--a graciousness that mixes
    diplomacy and a subtle frankness that is truly distinctive.
    x
    Race occasionally plays a role. What I've described above
    easily applies as much (or more ) to whites serving whites
    than to blacks serving whites. There is still racism and it
    can go both ways.
    x
    The unpleasantness in the South is different from the
    unpleasantness in NYC. New Yorkers can be self-centered,
    obnoxious, etc. but may make no claims to be otherwise.
    Southerners think thay have the best manners, are the
    nicest, etc. There's more self-delusion in the South. In
    fairness to New Yorkers, I like the relative
    transparentness, the gritty sensibility of New York humor
    and the genuine cultural diversity of the place.
    Southerners get extremely defensive if you start attending
    to the lack of diversity, the shopping mall culture, and
    the awful ethnic food (with the exception of Bar-BQ or
    "soul food", think of the worst in traditional British
    cooking and you have typical Southern cuisine).
    x
    One thing to consider is that the ethnic roots in the South
    are Scots-Irish, Welsh, and British, which means that we
    can thank the folks in the UK for bequeathing this awful
    Southern culture. In fact, the social chilliness of
    Protestant Northern Ireland reminded me very much of what
    it was like to travel in east tennessess and parts of North
    carolina and kentucky!



  4. Niggard !!!!! Added by: Allen
    [Timestamp: Tue 4 May, 1:52 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    You get what you give! You obviously are either superior
    minded or ignorant of Southern terminology. And so should
    fit right in with typical rednecks. Yes avoid blacks at all
    cost. As your experience with them will mimick (sp) your
    own projections.



  5. Explanation Added by: hell
    [Timestamp: Tue 4 May, 11:10 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    For those who wouldn't know a troll if it bit them on the
    ass: this is a strange british attempt to be funny. He's
    suggesting americans can't tell the difference between the
    word 'nigger' and the word 'niggard' (which means
    ungenerous with money). In my experience, (most) americans
    I know are too intelligent to fall for something this lame.



  6. Double Added by: Positive
    [Timestamp: Tue 4 May, 13:29 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Yeah, right.



  7. Sorrry, Hell, but not in DC Added by: Dutch Uncle
    [Timestamp: Tue 4 May, 14:58 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    The District of Columbia had a recent flap in which a supervisor used "Niggardly" in description of funidng restrictions. One of the two people being addressed immediately took offense, left the meeting, and complained that the dread "N" word has been used. This produced a series of musical chairs personnel movements and surfaced the following as a philosophical question: Was the supervisor wrong to use a term which might reasonably be misunderstood by a sensitive but ingorant employee? To what extent should language be dumbed down to avoid any possible insult? Anyhow, it is New England which has the reputation of being overly thrifty.



  8. Re: rich Added by: robert
    [Timestamp: Fri 7 May, 3:37 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    So rich you seem to think you are the worldliest man with
    all the knowledge about the south. Did you get the joke
    about " niggard" or a stingy person with the topic being
    labeled ungenerous people. I thought it was quite humorous
    and followed to see what idiot's would write and then you
    came along. Rich you obviously suffer from highly
    delusional propaganda about the South or just prefer to
    think that the industrialzed farmland you call the Midwest
    is actually cosmopolitan. That was a good laugh. As far
    as a few comments about the south here I feel obligated to
    respond to your indignant comments about the most unique
    and treasured culture in America. No that is not
    delusional. You say no culture in south, Huh? Well it's a
    good thing that jazz, blues, country, bluegrass,rockabilly
    then rock and roll did come from the south or we would be
    playing the jugs and cowbells from the glorious cultural
    paradise of the midwest. yes all of those musical
    categories were originated and started off in the....South.
    No arts you say. Well after years of going unrecognized
    have you been to the folk art exhibit in D.C. No i guess
    you haven't since you would not want to admit that one of
    the truly original artforms of the modern era in the US has
    come from the South. Or I guess you fail to notice the
    burgeoning literary scene that has always thrived from the
    days of Faulkner. Even though i don't like him, i am
    assuming that you despise everything with a John Grisham
    name on it. I am positive that the strong dislike of
    southern culture in American helped propel these books and
    movies to cultural icon status. Or what about 'Sling Blade"
    and " Opposite of Sex" two of countless indie films that
    were directed and produced by SOUTHERNERS.
    As far as our hospitality, if you love to be moody and
    cantankerous then i guess the midwest is for you. With that
    type of geography around me, i probably would be rude and
    bitter too. It's in the weather , rich. Ever wonder why
    people in the tropics are so pleasant. Get over it and
    admit that you wish you could live in such a wonderful
    climate. Also may i ask if the Midwest even has a regional
    food? oh yeah steak real fucking typical, ?
    I live in Atlanta and have travelled to numerous countries
    and i must say Atlanta now provides the city with numerous
    cultural and ethnic events that anyone could possibly
    enjoy. yes some of the rural areas are not that way, but I
    also doubt Utica, NY is any more worldly than Cordele, GA.
    get my drift. Also worldliness isn't everything about
    visiting somewhere rich. If you went to a city such as La
    Paz, Bolivia would you complain that it doesn't represent
    countless nationalites or enjoy that it DOES represent
    Bolivian and an Andean culture?
    New York genuine you have to be joking. I am sure that New
    Yorkers aren't transparent( I hope you understand
    sarcasm). No racism in New York? I guess that explains the
    cops firing 40 times on an innocent black man just because
    his skin color was similar to some perp. Keep your
    delusional statements about the south being backwards and
    racist to yourself or tell them to that poor man's wife.
    If you ask me the Midwest and Northeast could possibly be
    the most racist areas. No that's impossible i never saw a
    black person in upstate new hampshire or the corn fields or
    Iowa. Get the point rich!



  9. where I live Added by: rich
    [Timestamp: Sat 8 May, 14:17 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Boy, Robert----(1) I active ignored the silliness about
    niggardly; (2) "Curious Brit" may be having ajoke with us
    (which I suspected) or is simply stiff (3)I live in the
    South; (4) you draw all manner of conclusions about racism,
    southern culture, etc. which are never mentioned in my
    post. I'm sorry if I prefer trading obnoxiousness with New
    Yorkers to listening to Southerners congratulate themselves
    on their "friendliness" and the "great service" you (don't)
    get here. You want to believe this crap, fine.



  10. Informational Added by: TJ
    [Timestamp: Thu 13 May, 3:46 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Although this may (or may not) have been a joke, it was
    in a way informational, at least to myself.
    -
    I am 23 year old male from the Midwest USA and I have never
    heard (at least that I am aware of) or knew about this term
    niggard which means not being generous with money.
    -
    From my own personal world travels and the not, I have found
    out that although English is English, it still varies quite
    a bit depending on what region of the world you are from.
    -
    This is just one more example of the varying dialect that
    the English language has.
    -
    Although I find it disrespectful and rude that somebody
    would try to joke about such a situation, I do applaud that
    person for opening my eyes up to learning more about the
    differences in the english language itself.
    -
    Thank you for that eye opening experience. I hope to be
    better now because of my increased knowledge of the
    language.
    TJ



  11. Not of that definition Added by: Steve
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 4:38 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    This brit is certainly one racist thug. That word did not
    define his way of spending but the race of people
    identified. If he hates Blacks he should go to the White
    states of New Hampshire and Vermont.




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