is it a geographical thing?
 

after reading so many posts and strong opinions about people taking offense to so called personal questions such as -

"how much did you pay for your dog"....to..."where do you live?"

i just have to wonder - is it JUST ME or is it a geographical thing? i personally wouldn't mind to answer either of those questions. most people i know wouldn't either. in fact, a lot of our conversations start off with, "i just bought a ______ and i got it for XXX amount of dollars! i bought it at _____"

someone even mentioned responding with "how much did you pay" with "how much do you make" which was witty, no doubt.

but honestly...um...i wouldn't care to answer that question either. afterall, most people know approximately how much a dog of a certain breed costs...much like they know what a person of a certain profession makes, lol.

when i meet someone, we usually know where each other lives, where each other works, how many kids, what ages, and what our spouses do for a living within the first ten minutes. maybe it's the southern hospitality thing...i don't know. some people think it's weird for a person to ask where they live, but i would think it was ultra weird for someone to not want to tell me.

just sayin....

:p we are the same way around here! Upon meeting someone I will usually learn within 10 minutes what they are having for supper! :D

and by the way..what part of TN??
we went to Nashville last summer..and loved it!:thumbup:

I have no problem saying where I am from or other things about me , but I was raised that it is rude to ask someone how much they paid for something * I guess a dog included * :p I don't know if that is included.
I guess you can hint and see what happens :D I think everyone is different , meaning : Some people will have a problem saying what they paid, others wont. For me ,I just would not ask, but I wouldn't hold anything against anyone who would . :D

I'm from Indiana and I don't mind when people ask me how much I paid for something. When I take my two to the dog park I get asked alot how much I paid for them. I am stationed in Japan so we have people from all over on base and I anwer everytime without even giving it a second thought that it was rude. ALTHOUGH, I do know that often times people were taught that it is rude to ask things such as that. If I am ever really curious about the cost of something and I just HAVE to know, like how much did it cost to get your hair done, how much were those shoes.. I always say, "If you don't mind telling me.." and then ask ... I try not to though... but I'm with you , I don't mind telling anyone what I spent on anything... :)

Perhaps it is.

Has anyone tried to break into your house? Or worse, succeeded?

I now live in a very safe community but I used to live in a place where if you went for a jog and a person said “hi”, you jogged faster.
Maybe were you are from is a safe place to live and you don’t need to worry about the same things that people in other areas do. There is a reason parents teach their children not to talk to strangers. I have had to place two restraining orders on people in my life and I am only 28yrs old. One was for a legit stalker who would write me "letters" leave presents for me on my doorstep.
I don’t want to know how much money anyone here makes. I only hope that you are comfortable. I never disclose what I have paid for anything I own that other people may not be able to afford. Perhaps its modesty.

I think a lot of this has to do with location. I grew up in a city that had a lot more crime and if was not easy to trust people. We had our house broke into several times. I was shocked when I moved to a smaller community and people leave there car running when they go into a store:eek:. I am trying really hard to trust people and make friends with people that I do not know, but I am still leary of someone wanting to know where I live. I think it is a safety issue for me. JMO

In my opinion it is more how you were raised versus where you were raised. In my home you never asked how much someone paid for something and it was never information offered. It was considered rude to ask someone how much they paid for something, how much they made, or to ask a lady how old she was.
I have no problems telling people that information but would not ask unless I knew them well and felt that it would not insult them.

With all the Yorkies stolen (often for reasons that I don't even want to think about) I do feel a bit worried if someone asks me where I live when I'm walking my four dogs. That's why I started that thread...I don't want to be rude but I don't want to put my pets in jeopardy either.

It's not always the person asking the question "where do you live?" that necessarily scares me but that person could, in all innocence, say to someone else "Did you ever see those four adorable Yorkies that that woman walks around here? They're so cute and I never even realized that they live over there on Main Street". Maybe I am paranoid, but I have lived through way too many Yorkies being stolen in these parts.

You asked if it was a geographical thing. I think that the "fear" part can be geographical in my case. I live very close to one of the worst cities in America. They have been known to have dog fighting rings there; drug abuse is rampant, etc. However, stealing Yorkies and other small breed dogs has become epidemic everywhere and is a serious problem.


PS. I am one of those people who will definitely spend time talking to people about my dogs and often let them hold my puppies, etc. I think that's good socialization for them if the people seem serious and "normal". I just couldn't imagine coming home and not finding four furry faces running toward me and I would do anything to avoid that.

Im with you...specially the age part :p

It's more a geographical thing. Being born and raised in California...then moving to Texas....definate difference.....People in California can be neighbors for years and not even so much as a good morning. Texas, everyone is your friend.

But, in both areas there are certain questions that are not considered polite to ask. Most having to do with money....how much did you pay for that or how much do you make, is considered rude....just the way I was brought up.

As for how much did I pay for my dogs.....I guess because I'm involved with the dog world. It's something I never reveal. Reasoning is, it's usually followed up with where did you get them, and can I have cntact information. So, the cost of what I paid for my dogs is between me and my breeder.

It may be that people in certain areas are just more comfortable with it. Through the grapevine, I have heard about some dognapping activity not far from me. IF somebody asks where I live while walking Ellie, I'd be very nervous. Not all towns are like Mayberry. lol

I don't know if its a geographical thing.... It maybe a factor, but I think its more about individual personalities. I tend to be very cautious despite living in a rural area my entire life. I just think its suspicious to ask a complete stranger questions about how much they make, how much they spend on things out of the blue.

This is how I was raised, in a very small southeastern Oklahoma town. I consider questions like these very rude. I have been asked about the price of my pups often, and I try to be polite in my replies, but I make it clear that it is none of their business. If I choose to tell a close friend what I've spent on something that is one thing, but to have a complete stranger ask me for that information is something else entirely.

I have a friend who insists on telling me how much she pays for everything. And I'm not talking about finding a good deal on a sale. What she paid for her car, her house, her breast implants, etc. is none of my business and it makes me very uncomfortable when she talks about how much she spends - that should be kept personal IMO.

I think it really is geographical, I live in WA and have spent alot of time in TN (Murfreesboro) there is a huge difference in overall attitudes and tone of people. We joke that the south warms people up :) There are things in both areas that are socially acceptable that wouldn't be in the other.

It's like here in New York , you could walk naked through the streets and very few would notice :p where as anywhere else you would be in jail.
I was just brought up that it is not nice to ask the price of things and also to always let older people go first and to give up your seat no matter where you are for an elderly or pregnant person. Never talk back to adults and always be respectful. :D

Here in Utah I have never had or witness anyone have an issue with asking how much something was, or where they got it. Now, of course, like Mardelin says, if your breeder gives you a special price then you might not want to share, but here in Utah everyone is an open book.. But if someone asked where I lived or how much I make thats a different story. We live in a great family area, but we are kinda paranoid and we always lock our doors.. Its better not to invite trouble...

okay, so i'm not alone!

i live in NE tennessee for the person that asked -about 1.5 hours from knoxville and close to the VA border.

when i've visited in the north, i always thought it was so weird when i would walk into a restaurant and the cashier would just stand there staring at me - expressionless.

here, it's usually, "hi, can i help you?"

when i would go into gas stations and say, "hi, how are you?" the grumpy looking ladies would light up and be like, "where are you from?!" like they aren't used to speaking - it's totally normal to go through an entire transaction without speaking a word. so weird! i worked in a restaurant in high school and i would be fired if i didn't greet the customers and tell them to have a nice day at the end - literally fired.

driving is different too. nothing will make someone more mad around here then letting someone cut into traffic and not getting "the wave."
if i don't get the wave, i automatically think, "they must be from the north."

I was the one that asked what part you were from..I just love TN..my daughter goes to camp in Nashville every year..
and speakng of the North..ever asked for sweet tea?
(totally off the yorkie subject)!

Hmmm...I dunno about it being tied to location. :idontknow

I was just always taught that you just didn't ask people personal questions regarding finances and stuff like that that. And, I was taught that it was rude to brag about how much you paid for something.

I think a lot of it depends on who's asking and how they go about doing it. Honestly, I don't really think how much I make or how much I paid for something like a dog or car, or my house is anyone's business.

I agree with most people here. If it's between friends or family I'm sure it would be more okay, but depending on the scenario. For instance, my family doesn't know how much I paid for Uni, but most of you guys know bc you would understand, they wouldn't. I only tell my friends how much I paid for something if it was an awesome deal. If I pay full price or too much for something i never brag about it.

Now about it being from where you grew up, I grew up in an upper middle class sub burb of Los angeles, but still our house was robbed (not burglarized, but robbed, in which they beat my 80 yr old at the time grandpa), there was a serial killer/rapist in the 80s in my neighborhood, so growing up remembering that, i won't tell anyone what street I live on. Which city? sure, but no more than that. I am just uncomfortable with strangers asking me pretty much anything. I am especially annoyed when guys ask me my nationality. (duh! I'm american!) but that's a whole other thread entirely. :rolleyes:

well, bragging about how much something costs is another situation entirely.

i'm talking if someone asks a question. not about just finances, but where you live, work, anything. people ask my daughter where she goes to school all the time - it's just a typical question when you're talking to someone around here at least.

my doctor's wife asked how much i paid for a coach purse i was carrying one day - i said umm, too much - $400 something. if she really wanted to know she could google it and get an idea anyway - that's pretty much the case with anything. heck, you can go online and see how much people paid for their house - that's public info.

oh yeah, sweet tea! it's like asking for water around here - there it's like asking for a rare wine.

i never knew people put milk in their tea or drank it hot until i visited NY when i was 16. i thought that was the weirdest thing!

This is a very interesting thread :)

I really agree with this statement. I was raised in a small town outside of OKC (it's not really small anymore). I'm not offended when someone asks me how much I paid for something but I would never ask anyone that question because I know that a lot of people would be offended.

As far as where I live, I would probably not want to say because the experiences that me and my sister have gone through have made me a more fearful person. However, I think a lot of people in this town wouldn't mind saying where they live. So for me, it's an individual thing.

We have sweet tea in NJ. :confused:

I don't know about up North but my hubby is from West Virginia and usually gets strange looks here in OK when he asks for sweet tea in restaurants. Occasionally, we will come across one that has it, but most say, "well, we have unsweetened tea and sugar that you can put in it. LOL.

I wouldn't be so shocked if someone asked where I lived but I wouldn't necessarily give them directions I would probably name the subdivision or the street if it was a big street.

If someone asked how much I paid for my dog, car or anything else. I just say....you really don't want to know. If they push it I say that is personal and not your business.

I am from Texas and we are a friendly bunch BUT asking what I paid for something is not acceptable to me. If I want someone to know that I would bring it up first.

Same here - I agree with yorkielady06 100%. I was raised the same way.

I wouldn't mind to answer any of those questions either but some people would. I think it depends on the particular person not so much as where they live. IMO, people are going to take offense to someone posting something as harmless as what you posted. I always feel like here on YT (b/c my Facebook friends just don't care) i have to really stress that everything i say is my opinion. For real though, some things you just don't tell strangers if your a child or an adult. =]

In some way i agree w/ yorkielady06 too. There was a girl in high school who always wanted to ask me what kind of things i had and how much they cost. It really bothered me so much. When i was a child i felt like it was none of anyone's business what i had. Sometimes w/ questions about the price of things it seems like people want to know b/c they spent so much more which somehow makes whatever they got better. My yorkie was FREE. Does that make her less of a yorkie than someone who paid big bucks. No. I try hard to chose which questions i answer and don't.