In November of 2020, New York State was crowned the title of “Rudest State in America” and you know what? When I read that, it broke my heart.

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New Yorkers have been mislabeled, I think, as being exceptionally rude. I don't think we're as rude as we are in a hurry. In a hurry to get places, in a hurry to finish projects, in a hurry to end conversations so we can move on to the next thing, but certainly not rude. Some would say New Yorkers are blunt and that can be seen as rude, but when there’s something to do or someplace to be, New Yorkers are masters at mincing words to get a move on, and in all fairness, I can see how that could come across as brash.

However, to label an entire state as the rudest in the entire country based on the behavior of a handful of people is unfair. And yet the hits just keep coming. Half a year ago, New York was labeled as the Rudest State in America, and today, we’ve been slapped with yet another ugly title, this one claims we are home to the third most number of complainers in all of the United States. How awful.

According to the comparison experts at Bionic, the United States has the most complainers of any country in the world and when broken down by state, California has the biggest number of complainers followed by Texas, and then New York. We should be embarrassed. Seriously.

Do you know how embarrassing it is when traveling to be asked by a stranger where I'm from, to tell them New York, and then to have them take a step away from me or raise their eyebrows like they instinctively think I'm going to either shred them with my tongue or start a tirade of complaints?

We are better than the perception others have of us. I have to believe that we are. I also believe that those who are ugly are just so loud that all of the good voices and actions are drowned out. What's the solution? How about if we make the good thunder and if we make it drown out the negative?

The eyes of the world are on New Yorkers, so maybe stop spewing so much hate on those who believe/think/feel/act differently than you think they should. Do you really think spewing your anger is going to turn another's view or opinion? No. It will only fester more anger and hate.

A little kindness goes a long way. We don't have to agree with the choices people make, but we should be kind. I know you've heard that. I know when you were a kid, your parents and grandparents taught you that we don't hit, we don't scream, we don't be mean to others. There's nothing that says just because we're adults those actions are suddenly acceptable. It is possible to voice a concern without whining, it is possible to stand up for what you believe in without verbally lashing someone who believes something different.

Listen, change begins inside each and every one of us and if you're someone who is all consumed by negativity, maybe it's a you problem and maybe you need to take a good hard look at your life and evaluate ways you need to change it in order to live the happiest and most fulfilling life and maybe, just maybe we can get a couple of the ugly labels that have been placed on New Yorkers taken away.



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