{image1} We often hear that people in the Midwest -- specifically Milwaukee -- are "nice," whereas New Yorkers are perceived to be "rude" or "street smart" and Los Angeleseans are "fake." Even though such perceptions are generalizations, there is some truth to Brew City upholding "niceness" as an important value.
"Being nice in public is definitely part of Milwaukee's culture. I think being nice to strangers is important -- as long as you don't overdo it," says Jenny Rushizky.
As a credit analyst for Bank One, Rushizky approves or denies loan requests. This is a hairy job at times, and even though she feels people are nice about 50 percent of the time, she notes that even the "monster clients" usually return to being nice quickly.
Riverwest's James Godsil, originally from St. Louis, says he noticed a huge difference in the "level of niceness" when he moved to Milwaukee.
"When I bring my friends to Milwaukee they say that the people they encounter on the street and in shops are 'so nice,'" says Godsil. "They have asked me many times, 'Why are Milwaukeeans so nice?'."
So, why are Milwaukeeans so nice -- if, in fact, we are?
UWM Assistant Sociology Professor Laura Fingerson says, "Most likely, it (niceness) stems from a number of factors which can include the smaller size of our cities, our German and Scandinavian roots, and our agricultural and homesteader base."
Fingerson says that in smaller cities it is easier to know others in your community and therefore more difficult to be anonymous. She also points out that being nice is not a completely selfless and altruistic act, rather a behavior that provides personal satisfaction.
Perhaps being nice is a self-fulfilling prophecy for us. We hear from visitors and the media that we are nice, and therefore we strive to be that way -- consciously or subconsciously -- at least in public.
The public versus private aspect -- meaning the fact some are nice to strangers in public but disrespectful to friends or loved ones in private -- suggests that sometimes our "being nice" is surface.
"I hate that overdone obviously fake niceness when you know the person couldn't care less," says Tea Krulos, a freelance cartoonist. "But there's nothing wrong with being genuinely friendly and courteous."
UWM's Carrie Yang Costello claims that in communities where people act nice, the results are sometimes not-so-nice.
"Do bear in mind that there are downsides to this type of community: they perpetuate racial segregation, enforce conformity and are hard for in-migrators to integrate into," says Costello. "But the upsides include cleanliness, politeness and friendly neighborhood interactions."
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
