Talk:Minnesota nice

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Funny article. Being Swedish I see the Swedish heritage you guys have...

--Fred-Chess 13:29, 18 May 2005 (UTC)

--I really didn't understand Minnesota nice being from the state, until I started traveling. I can't beleive how offensive, loud, and rude people from other states can be. Also I have in fact spent more than a few minutes explaining directions to people. Ravedave 03:56, 27 August 2005 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] minnesota

it is a nice state when it is summer out for paintball or baseball and the winter is good snow for boarding

[edit] california

I think ill stick to sunshine, warm weather and beaches thank you very much! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 134.121.247.116 (talk) 06:11, August 27, 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Needs references

I am from Minnesota and I believe in some aspects of Minnesota nice. However, this article throws around a lot of claims without references-- for example that drivers are more aggresive than elsewhere. This may or may not be true, but is strong enough to deserve a reference. dfrankow 00:18, 21 June 2006 (UTC)

-- I agree - the paragraphs about racism and the examples need some references.

Apparently some people really hate Minnesota. I trimmed down the article heavily. Ashibaka tock 16:58, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

I have lived in Minnesota my entire life and think the phrase is ridiculous. I believe the line about Minnesotans using the phrase themselves ought to stay; it's bandied about so much in the state, despite the reality of the coldness of many of its citizens. That's not out of "really hate" for Minnesota - that's perception. User:RiverBlue22

-- I think it's impossible to reference something like this - it's just a phrase that people wouls look up if they heard it used and need some idea of what it means. Perhaps it would be more appropriate on urbandictionary, but i'm glad it's here for those of us who aren't from Minnesota. Anonymous.

I've just created a Wiktionary article on "Minnesota nice" and loaded it with context-providing quotations from reliable, published works, in part to address the above concern. ~ Jeff Q (talk) 10:03, 31 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Reword

Are the quotes in this sentence: Many from out of Minnesota will state that "MN Nice" is actually "Passive Agressive", actual quotes? Otherwise I'd like to reword them slightly.--Daveswagon 16:52, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

People in minnesota (minneapolis) are indeed pasive agressive. they are unable to take constructive criticism or being called out on their inconsideration, grown adults often saying "i dont like to be yelled at" even when you speak to them in a civil tone. people in minneapolis, pretensious and phoney and not to be trusted. Did i mention that peopl in minnesota dont know how to merge onto highways either.

I've heard essentially the same complaint about "Minnesota Nice" from several different people who moved here from out east. "I don't like to be yelled at" is a frequent complaint from Minnesotans and doesn't refer so much to the loudness or literal tone of voice as to the tone of the words used, being overly blunt or harsh. It's a culture clash -- what's simply considered being open and honest in one part of the country is considered shocking and rude here. In the reverse direction, the Minnesotan, trying to be polite and non-confrontational is likely to be seen as passive-aggressive or even "phoney". Alas, there seem to be a lot of people who don't understand that what constitutes a "civil tone" is culturally relative. I rather imagine the author of the comment above finds himself constantly confronted with overtly polite but in fact somewhat hostile neighbors in Minneapolis regularly. If you run around displaying the kind of attitude he does, you're going to offend, and people will react accordingly.
Minnesotans can take constructive criticism, but not if it's offered poorly. As as for being "called out", well, no, not many Minnesotans are going to react well to someone acting like they have the right to pronounce judgment on them in that way. That kind of arrogance doesn't sit well with most Minnesotans. --68.187.144.197 (talk) 09:43, 18 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Iowa Stubborn?

Would anyone like to explain why Iowa stubborn is in the See Also section. It has nothing to do with Minnesota Nice and I assume it was put their due to some rivalry between the states. --Ndstate 06:30, 23 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] This is Only Half of the Definition (or less)

The phrase, as defined here, suggests that its significance is based as much on character as behavior.

The phrase is generally used by outsiders to define the irony of Minnesota culture (being a culture that is at least deceptively hospitable, and often overtly passive agressive). However, many Minnesotans have ignored the accusatory nature of this phrase and essentially hijacked it.

The problem with this definition, of course, is that it is written from the the much smaller, less relevant, far more biased Minnesota point-of-view that the phrase is bestowed upon both our culture's behavior and character. Unfortunately, that's not what the phrase means (outside of the very small self-congratulating group of Minnesotans that hikacked the phrase).


The 1996 Motion Picture "Fargo" was the most popular depiction of the ironic humor of "Minnesota Nice" in all of popular culture. (Anyone care to point to something more widely-consumed?) And while you may not like this film, and may think it portrayed "Minnesota Nice" in the most negative ways possible (depicting very friendly Minnesotans that would actually rather kill you than be friends with you), it did more to spread the understanding of what "Minnesota Nice" is outside of Minnesota than any piece of media has to date.

It is odd, therefore, to have an enry for "Minnesota Nice" that doesn't in some way mention "Fargo" or at least the more common, accusatory definition that suggests Minnesota culture is very shallow in its friendliness. This would fully contradict the very favorable (and biased) definition offered here. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 63.231.224.72 (talk) 21:18, 27 March 2007 (UTC).

geez that wasn't very nice, eh?Gabenowicki 20:14, 12 May 2007 (UTC)