South-North Differences

[TryingNotToWaddle]

I've recently moved and so far everyone I've met is scared of the capital "because of all the crime and terrorism", is on the right of the political spectrum, a 'loose' Christian, thinks being vegetarian is weird, vegan is impossible and stupid, husbands are useless at childcare and cleaning because it's for women, etc etc

I'm not saying I think different views are wrong... each to their own! I just feel terribly out of place. Everyone seems so cookie cutter up here

AIBU to hold out hope that It is just the people I've met and there are people up here with other views?

I've friends in a rural village down south where there's a similar prevailing attitude. I'm not sure that's north)south. Just city/rural or London/rest of the UK.

We're only 2 hours out and many people wouldnt see why anyone would move to London (noisy, expensive, crime, lack of open space etc...)

No, I think you're right.

The only thing we'd do with a vegan is eat them.

There's plenty of people in the south who think London is full of crime, are Christian, think vegetarian/veganism is stupid and have sexist views about gender roles. I don't think it's a north/south thing.

Have you moved to Royston Vasey?

When I lived in the UK I found there to be a difference between the South west and the North. But a much bigger difference between the SE and the rest of the country.

It seemed like London was in its own bubble. I always disliked going to London, I could never see the plus side to living there.

I doubt it's a North/South thing. I think it depends where you've moved to. How can everyone in the North be on the right of the political spectrum when there's huge areas of the North that are labour strongholds. It seems you are happy to portray people outside of London as being ignorant....Yet you yourself are displaying ignorance (sorry, just get a bit bored of the constant stereotypes....I know Londoners voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU for example but while the majorities weren't quite as great, there's plenty of other cities that did too yet to listen to people on here sometimes you'd think London was the only city to do so).

I've said it before on here and I'll say it again...There's a suburb of Manchester that has the highest sales of copies of the guardian in the country. So, how does that fit with your right leaning views?

I imagine the truth is there are areas of the country that are as you describe....But they are not a North/South thing.

From a left leaning Vegetarian in the North...Of which there are many.

And while I'm ranting, I think you'll find the Vegetarian Society HW is based in Altrincham, Cheshire. But don't let a thing like facts get in the way of your views

I don't know where you have moved to...Yes, there are some places like you describe but as I say I doubt they are limited to the North. I have many friends in London and have lived there and in other UK cities....I think the people living in other big UK cities are more similar to people living in London than you think. All my friends are liberal , some are vegetarian, couple are vegan. None of us are terrified of going to London, many of us travel there regularly for work or visiting friends.

Thas talking shite lass

And yeah I think it's more likely that you've moved to a small town or whatever. I highly doubt people in Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham etc are worried about going to London because of crime ffs. I think we're used to it. Oh and we've had terror attacks up here as well. But yeah again, don't let facts get in the way of your stereotyping.

London really is in its own bubble and a lot of people living there have no idea that there is even life outside the M25. It works both ways.

Well I'm a northerner. I'm not scared of the capital, I just dislike it immensely. It's too busy and dirty for me and I will not use tubes (not because of terrorism).
I don't think I have a political bias and have voted various ways throughout my adult life. I would describe myself as agnostic, I do think being a vegetarian is weird and yes, to me being vegan would be nigh on impossible. I would never criticise it, I just don't understand it. I love food, and most of all, I enjoy meat and fish. Why would I deprive myself of those things? To me, that would be stupid, but to others it wouldn't.

I don't understand why you feel the need to only know people who have the same views as you unless you think others views are wrong? You may learn something from them and have a more interesting life if you embrace individuality and have friends with different views to you. I may pretty much fall into your northern stereotype, but I do have my own personality and thoughts as does everybody else.

Moo I love your post!

This is a wind-up, right? I'm sure that there are plenty of perfectly lovely atheist vegans in the south of England, too.

Thanks happyfeet that's what I was hoping to hear tbh. I never thought it would be that different, hence why I didn't hesitate to move, however since moving I've only come across those viewpoints. Perhaps I need to just give it time. I've not been here that long.

I certainly don't think people here are ignorant.

I live in the North. A couple of streets away from the people who set up Veganuary.

'Everyone'?

It'll be the people you've met. Moving can be hard work and finding people you connect with even harder.

Mum of two - that's what I meant I think, not that I have a problem with those views... just that everyone I've met so far seems to have pretty much the same views.

AIBU to hold out hope that It is just the people I've met and there are people up here with other views?

YANBU on that. (in the NW, like visiting London occasionally, atheist, liberalish politics, like veggie/vegan food, plenty of it around and often my choice though I'm an omnivore, DH is a great dad)

I live in the NW. Actually next door to the village of 'Royston Vasey'. I don't find this attitude. A lot of 'locals' don't like London, for sure, but mostly because they can't fathom why you'd pay half a million for a flat in a busy street when you'd get an estate in the Peaks for that.

And admittedly academia, which might not be representative, but all my friends are decidedly atheist, left wing lentil weavers. As am I.

Yes, everyone is exactly the same up North. That's why election candidates win with 100% of the vote every time and supermarkets only sell one brand of cornflakes (with added meat, obviously).

I'd start conforming PDQ if I were you, before the locals remember where they put that big wicker effigy...

Don't know where you live - I split my time between Leeds, Lancaster and London and many of my friends ( over 50% in fact) are vegan or vegetarian. We're not scared of London and most are moving here after postgrad ... who are you hangin out with?

Well hopefully you'll meet some interesting people soon OP. It's always hard when you first move. But yes please don't go round with a "I miss London, everyone there is soo interesting" vibe , as that will get peoples backs up. I live in Manchester now (not from here originally) and can honestly say my friends are a diverse, interesting bunch. I'm very lucky. And definitely liberal, open minded and certainly not right leaning.

BUT there are plenty of knobheads here too....Like anywhere. But I do think there's a lot of people here that are exactly like friends in London, (just with more disposable income 😋) and many have lived in London, hell some have even lived in foreign cities. But it will all depend on where you've moved to....I grew up in a small middle class village which wasn't diverse (still not right wing though). I don't accept that was a Northern thing though....I imagine that's true of places in the South.

In fact the only UKIP voter I know is my auntie who lives in the South (not London). I imagine you have more in common with my friends in Manchester than her so please don't think it's a North /South thing.

"Left wing lentil weaver"

Thanks everyone, I will definitely try and get to know more people then, and not be so judgemental myself.

Sorry if I've offended anyone.

I have found the NW to have some of the most interesting people, far more diverse and interesting than the people I met when I lived in London and where I live today, just outside of NYC.

You need to get out and about. Where in the North are you? Might be able to direct you to some groups who are more normal.

I don't know if most people I know are on the left or ring of the political spectrum, or what their 'loose' religion is or what they think of vegetarians, even though I am a vegetarian.

So I think you've met some people who are unusually open about their views.

Classic line from Pat and Margaret - London woman making enquiries of a young woman who came from the North:

London woman - "Did she have an abortion then?"

Northern woman - "An ABORTION!, you couldn't even get muesli around here until last year!"