Berlin Vs. NYC: Battle Of The Cities

A Town So Nice, They Named It Twice: New Yorkers Aren’t As Rude As Their Rep!

New Yorkers are loud. Fact. But the fact that this translates to ALL New Yorkers being rude is a myth. There are rude people everywhere in the world, and I’m sure other cities also deserve some asshole cred. Here’s some kernels of truth about Big Apple-ites through Berliner eyes:

• New Yorkers are actually so willing to help tourists that they will even come up to you if you look a bit lost, whereas Germans are much more reserved, so you’d usually have to initiate the “S.O.S.” yourself.
• New Yorkers love (and I mean, LOVE) to act like experts and give you advice on things. Germans are more modest, so they’ll say “I don’t know that much about it,” even if they have a PhD in the subject.
• New Yorkers tend to get up close and personal with you super fast, talking to strangers the way Germans would with their best friends.

Why the “rude” stereotype then? Sure, taxi drivers will honk obnoxiously at you, or people in suits will tell you to get out of their way if they’re in a hurry, but you’d find this in any big metropolis. To be honest, I think people confuse New Yorkers assertiveness and openness as being “rude,” like when the guy at the bodega calls you “sweetheart” or someone on the subway says "I have the same T-Shirt as you. OMG we’re twins." I can imagine a German in that situation would probably feel like “Why are they talking to me as if they know me?” Winner: NYC for frankly my dear, not giving a damn. [Photo via]