I moved to the Shreveport area a little over 10 years ago, by choice. I’ve stayed in the Shreveport area over the last 10 years by choice…there have been opportunities in other places that have come up over that time, and each time I chose to stay in the 318.
Where I come from sometimes feels like a totally different world planet than Shreveport, for multiple reasons. The climate, the elevation, the winters…and the people. More specifically, the general attitude of the people. I’m from the Midwest, where we’re known for our over-the-top politeness, borderline awkward hospitality, and occasionally odd accents. (No, we don’t all sound like the movie ‘Fargo’).
Midwest Nice Perspective on Shreveport
Even with our “Midwest nice” reputation, I’m specifically from a state where the politeness has a limit…where, when pushed, we push back…hard. I’m from Michigan, where we use the F-word like punctuation and don’t mind a tilly when called for. The biggest university in the state, The University of Michigan, carries the nickname “Wolverines”, even though there aren’t wolverines native to the state. The nickname comes from the way Michigan residents fought against Ohio during the Toledo War…aggressive, violent, stubborn, even more violent…just like a wolverine.
That might sound like its a big negative, like everyone from Michigan is mean, but we’re not. We can be mean when needed, and when its needed. Michiganders will take you to the ground, help you back up, steady you on your seat, and buy the next round. They won’t bring it up again, until you do.
The “Shreveport Malaise”: Why Residents Talk Down the City
In Shreveport, I find that there’s an overwhelming lack of pride in basically anything. People in Shreveport talk more junk about Shreveport than anyone else. Like a big self-hating circle. Its not everyone, so don’t take that road. If you’ve spent any length of time in Shreveport, you know exactly what I’m talking about…