Clarifying some misconceptions about Boston

​1. Not everyone has the accent
Guests will ask if I’m from Boston and when I tell them I’m not they often remark, “I figured you weren’t; you don’t have the accent.” There are lots of people born and raised in the city who don’t have the typical accent that is so often mangled in films. What I’ve learned is that while the Boston accent is prevalent in the city, it tends to be a more working-class feature. Due to that, you will find the accent in some neighborhoods more than others (South Boston aka Southie, Dorchester, Charlestown). Also, some of the outlying towns have the typical Boston accent, although even that can differ depending on what suburb you’re from.
 
Besides that, you’ll still on rare occasions find the old Boston Brahmin accent spoken. It’s an upper class, hoity-toity tone that is a dying dialect but quite unique.

2. We all love sports
For decades in the 20th century, the sports teams in Boston were loveable losers. Something happened as we entered the 21st century which caused the teams here to catch fire and win lots of championships. Especially the Red Sox and Patriots. Winning teams help increase the number of fans, but there are still a lot of us who aren’t fans of any particular team or even the sports themselves. I’ve lived in Boston since 2008 and never been to a sporting event. Large crowds and expensive ticket prices don’t appeal to me. I also know many others who haven't attended games either. That said, I did a tour of Fenway Park that I recommend. I also attended roller derby matches and those are a lot of fun, too!

3. Taxachusetts
Perhaps at some point in our state’s past we had exorbitant taxes. But since I’ve lived here I’ve never found the taxes to be such. Our sales tax is 6.25% and our state income tax is 5.05%. That may be high compared to where you live but it seems reasonable to me.

4. Dunks has the best coffee
Most Bostonians know Dunks doesn’t have the best coffee. There are other chains or small mom-and-pop joints that serve up a finer brew. But Dunks has two things going for it: they’re cheap and they’re everywhere. It’s not unusual to find four locations within a mile walk. It makes sense they’re so plentiful since their headquarters are in nearby Canton. Many people go to Dunks because it’s easy and it’s a quick hit of caffeine. So if you’re wondering why Bostonians have such a fascination with such an average place, trust me, we get it. Also, we realize their donuts aren’t that good, either.

5. Loud, drunk, and obnoxious
Unfortunately, many movies and TV shows give the impression some Bostonians are one drink away from punching someone in the face. My experience has shown me that the people who are loud, drunk, and obnoxious are more often than not college students or those coming in from the suburbs on game days. Even that isn’t one hundred percent accurate. Stereotypes tend to cast a wide net but there are nuances behind them. Most people who live in the city are hard-working, helpful people, although I'm sure it's possible there are a few folks in the city like those on the Saturday Night Live commercials.

6. We’re horrible drivers and have horrendous traffic
Okay, this one is pretty true. That said, there’s a style of driving here that is pretty loose with the rules and relies on honking your horn a lot. Once you understand the system, though, you can let go of a lot of the criticism. Then you can accept driving in Boston for what it is: controlled chaos with often backed-up traffic.