City Hicks

When we think of the word "hick", what are we thinking about?  A country bumpkin?  A redneck?  A hillbilly?  What is the definition of a hick?  dictionary.com says it's "an unsophisticated, boorish, and provincial person; rube."  Why do we associate these qualities only with country people.  I'm originally from a rural community but I've travelled extensively in this country and abroad and have spent years in Japan and Korea on military assignments.  I would have to disagree that being from the country or living in a rural area qualifies a person to be called a hick.  In fact, in my travels, I've met far more people from urban areas who would fit the definition of a hick.  Most especially people from very large cities like NY, LA, Tokyo and Seoul.  These people are not challenged and feel they are educated by their very presence in their respective area.  While I agree it takes a certain set of life skills to live and thrive in a metropolitan area, I don't think that attaining those skills qualifies a person as sophisticated or even educated.  I've seen both sides of this coin and will elaborate on both in future posts.