So: a couple of weeks have passed and I’ve reflected on my attitude to New Yorkers… And decided to stick with my original analysis!
The poisonous harridan at the ‘Broadway venue’ is still the worst example, but apocryphal reports from others tend to back up my opinion about Americans in general and New Yorkers in particular: They’re paranoid. They believe that they live in the greatest country on Earth and can’t understand why everyone else in the world doesn’t appreciate how wonderful they – and America – are.
They’re trained – indeed, required – to be nice to your face but, the instant there’s an ‘issue’ their innate belief that we’re all arrogant ingrates surfaces and their professional restraint goes out the window.
The difference between them and people in similar positions in the UK is stark: In Britain we’ve all got an inferiority complex and apologise for everything – and nothing. Partly it’s ingrained politeness and partly it’s the knowledge that there really are lots of things to apologise for. After all, isn’t the customer always right???