One of the most refreshing things about being back in the United States and Canada is just how friendly people are.
We presented in Austin during SXSW, and despite the city being packed, everyone was fantastic. At restaurants, businesses, walking around -- just all fantastically nice and courteous people.
Austin is probably only the second most courteous city we've been on the Tour, though.
Number 1? Vancouver.
People are overwhelmingly -- almost crazily -- friendly and courteous in Vancouver.
Something strikes me that the two cities have in common -- lots of space.
Since ancient times, cities have usually had a reputation for less courtesy and hospitality. You put too many humans in one place and things start getting messy.
And then something dawned on me -- all of North America was built on lots of space. The whole continent had room to expand and grow, with enough space for anyone pioneering enough to go get some land and make a mark of their own.
Has that overflowed into a common culture, and does the general mentality in North America descend from its frontier ethics? Well, why wouldn't it? The ability for an overflow of population to move out into suburbs, countryside, and to found new cities takes pressure off overtaxed services, and gives the people who want space their own land.
That builds up institution, laws, government, and customs all along the same lines.
With a large frontier, local communities need to take care of their own in the absence of organized services and law enforcement too. Those strong local ties become unofficial networks of churches, schools, and home communities. Those turn into official organizations. And so on.
It's shocking how courteous people are in North America -- what are your thoughts on the root cause of it?