> I've only lived in NH for a bit and it is crazy how different the attitudes are here. I've never been any other place where people care as much about individual liberty.
Speaking as a native(who now lives in Boston) who grew up just south of Lebanon I find this attitude interesting. Growing up there wasn't much talk about 'individual liberties'. It was much more along the lines of it ain't my business about what my neighbor does. It just seems to be an interesting shift.
Though I'm proud that Lebanon has decided to go this way. It's important and I hope that other libraries follow their example.
I also grew up in the area and am always suprised when I hear people describe th climate in NH as the parent commenter. People do kinda keep to themselves, especially the ones who go back many generations. But the libertarian types seem to me to come from other places, attracted to NH because of the motto and the reputation, which Im not sure it really deserves. Its a pretty typical rural northeast place culturally, very close to VT or upstate NY (places I have also lived).
Or Connecticut. I grew up in Acworth and I remember one of the roads in Charlestown on my way down to school was called "Connecticut Heights". Always made me chuckle.
When I went to college over that way, it wasn't a huge shift from the part of western Maine that I came from, either. At least the locals, anyway - there was quite a bit of culture shock dealing with my fellow classmates, who certainly were cut from a different cloth. Hanover has some of that "get up in everybody else's business" vibe, but outside of that bubble, it's a lovely area.
Speaking as a native(who now lives in Boston) who grew up just south of Lebanon I find this attitude interesting. Growing up there wasn't much talk about 'individual liberties'. It was much more along the lines of it ain't my business about what my neighbor does. It just seems to be an interesting shift.
Though I'm proud that Lebanon has decided to go this way. It's important and I hope that other libraries follow their example.