Why Doesn't SF Smile? (Los Gatos, Marina: college, live in, farm)

[BayDude]

Originally Posted by guy1

I'm really surprised people are taking these comments personally, resorting to name-calling, getting their feelings hurt, yada yada, very strange. Seriously.

If you like it, you like it, if you don't, you don't.

Yeah, alot of people here take anything that can construed as criticism at SF (and the bay area at large) very personally. A symptom of low self-esteem/high insecurity imo. Emotions run high.

Its really not that serious and really just somebody's observations and curious thoughts. Instead of just offering feedback they usually resort to calling you a troll, name calling etc

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by andyadhi01

Very strange! I assume you were not paying them to behave that way. I noticed that it is easy to elicit friendly behavior when you are buying things from them.

I am a photographer and a cyclist. I found that other cyclists don't even have the courtesy to do simple favors like help with directions (Gotta get a bike GPS). Its almost scary to approach strangers here for anything because they look like socially-isolated, angry, sad bombs that are about to explode! I guess if you belong to the 'right' demographic it helps! People over here don't seem to interact with people who don't look like them.

Nope, wasn't buying anything from anyone just talking to them. In fact some of them came up to me. Now I will say that just because may look like they might be anti-social, doesn't mean they are. If you're not approaching others because of how they look, with all due respect could that possibly be an issue? I know I do this sometimes myself but have to remember that I am doing it sometimes.

[Gentoo]

First, if you consider the smiles of people to be genuine, then why do you put "friends" in quotation marks?

As you write later, you say it's not "fake" friendliness, so therefore, you must believe it's "genuine" friendliness, so no need for quotation marks.

*sigh* I put friends in quotations marks because it's not like we exchanged numbers and decided to have lunch later on and then make other plans. Friends was used as a figure of speech, not literally so I used those quotations marks in that context.

Is this clear yet? LOL

[Gentoo]

It's also sad that you would have to insult people by calling them stupid if they have an opinion or point of view that is different from your own.

I apologize if you thought that was directed at anyone in particular. It's a word I tend to overuse but I wasn't actually calling anyone stupid.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by tstieber

I too would have to say that people in SF are generally pretty friendly. If it's the middle of the workday and you're in the financial district, then people are probably thinking about work and wouldn't be smiling. But if you go to Dolores Park on a Sunday afternoon when everyone's socializing and eating ice cream, then they're probably smiling. Depends on the circumstances. I'm a happy guy but don't smile all day long either.

Exactly. I tend to spend most of my time in the city in Golden Gate Park where people are relaxing so perhaps this is the reason for my experience.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by jman650

Andy's still trolling huh? Whatever. If he's this desperate for some kind of thrill in his life and can actually achieve his goal by trying to instigate arguments and bash SF on an online forum we should let him. Anyone reading his crap can see his obvious agenda. I've got him on ignore so I don't have to read his BS unless I feel like it (which I don't). Let him fester in his misery.

But you are correct. It is ironic how the whiners and crybabies are pretty much just complaining about the other people here that are just like them when they talk about what's wrong with "SF." LOL how pathetic.

That ignore feature is a wonderful thing isn't it? I only discovered it fairly recently and mostly see that persons post when someone else quotes them.

[Gentoo]

Okay now I'm starting to see why people are accusing you of trolling here. I'm pretty sure he put "friends" in quotes the way he did b/c he was talking about new acquaintances rather than lifelong brethren and differentiating. If I just meet someone and have a single positive interaction with them, that can be referred to as "making friends." But that doesn't mean that person is suddenly actually my friend who I'll claim when I'm talking about actual friends. Genuine friendliness or not, it would be kind of weird to refer to anyone in passing as one of your actual friends. They are temporary "friends" who you may remember down the road and refer to as such, but they are different from actual friends. If he thought they were fake why would he have even mentioned them? You seriously couldn't figure this one out on your own?

Much much better than I was able to say it as I lack the patients LOL Thanks jman

[Gentoo]

I wonder if the San Francisco trolls and the Seattle trolls are 1. working together or 2. just the same people. I read the same things I swear, it's funny really...sad if true...but funny LOL

[ambient]

Originally Posted by guy1

I noticed I got stressed out right away when I drove into the city. The traffic was very intense, and finding affordable parking was not happening! I found relatively inexpensive parking, but it was a 15 minute walk from my destination.

And then I had a bunch of homeless and deranged people and panhandlers yelling at me, or someone else.

I was thinking 'man, what a pain!'

On the flip side, world class dining and the general energy and verve of walking around a big city.

It is TENSE though.

There are other factors involved, but yeah, the density of traffic and people, while energizing, can also be a bit of a downer.

Every big city is this way, from New York to Paris.

[andyadhi01]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

Exactly. I tend to spend most of my time in the city in Golden Gate Park where people are relaxing so perhaps this is the reason for my experience.

Okay so you don't live here and then lecturing people who live here about how the city actually is. FYI, Golden gate park also attracts its share of d'bags!