Looking down their noses

“A world of two halves” (December 18th) looked at northsouth antipathies around the world. The power of these stereotypes is impressive. One factor is the dichotomy that up=higher and down=lower. It may also reflect an unconsciously anthropomorphic view of the world, mapping the body onto the Earth. So the north represents the head and mind, whereas the south is associated with organs of procreation and elimination.

RICHARD WAUGAMAN

Clinical professor of psychiatry Georgetown University Washington, DC

The perceived distinctions between north and south goes beyond international differences, such as the euro zone’s frugal north versus its Club Med south, or even interregional ones, as in Belgium or Italy. It also applies within cities. In Chicago, for example, the North Side is seen as prosperous and safe in contrast to the South Side, so much so that a few years ago the French foreign ministry issued an advisory to French citizens visiting the city to avoid the latter. And when I lived in London years ago we rarely went south of the river, other than trips to Wimbledon and the National Theatre, as the attitude was that there was little worthwhile there.

ANIMESH GHOSHAL

Des Plaines, Illinois

Massachusetts definitely has this dynamic along the coast. Cape Ann is seen as serious, hard-working and no-nonsense, especially compared with Cape Cod, the quintessential tourist destination in New England. I also lived for a bit in California. In San Francisco I wasn't surprised to hear Los Angeles derided as a place of lazy layabouts. But in la I was surprised at the contempt for people from San Diego. Angelenos thought it was they who lived in a hard-working city, whereas San Diego was the place for layabouts.

ALEX MASLOW

Boston