Official "Seattle Freeze" Discussion Thread (electric, dry)

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by JesseJB

Gahhhh you're in a CITY. ... ask you for extra rhubarb.

SEA is about the same size as Cleveland or Minneapolis, and rhubarb is a 'staple' there (Often your neighbor's, since privacy fences aren't very prevalent, and non-existent in many 'CITIES')

99% of people (SEA) don't have the time or care to get to know you

Isn't 'this' statement precisely the point of the thread

Precisely the point

Enjoy your 'city' (as in really ) as in FREEZE !!

[415_s2k]

Also, I'd like to point out that many of the responses to whether or not the Seattle freeze exist go something like this:

'NO, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD IT ISN'T REAL! WOULD YOU SHUT UP OR DIE ALREADY??? JEEEEEEEZ, SEATTLE IS THE BEST CITY ON EARTH, PEOPLE HERE ARE SO DAMN NICE, IF YOU DON'T GET IT THEN YOU DON'T DESERVE TO GET IT BECAUSE YOU'RE PROBABLY A WORTHLESS, MEAN PIECE OF CRAP. GO BACK TO CALIFORNIA ALREADY, WE DON'T WANT YOU!"

Or the more sedate but equally bileful "maybe life isn't for you" someone lobbed at me a few posts ago.

Very warm and inviting...

This is another thing that I've mentioned and discussed with people before: Seattle is quite unique in precisely how militant some people are about their love for the city: they take any question about its social character or any statement that "Seattle didn't work for me" as a personal assault, and then lash out excessively and give extremely scathing and hateful retorts speculating as to how the person who didn't like it must somehow be wrong, abnormal, bad, or unworthy of life.

[Inkpoe]

Props to 415 and Stealthrabbit for describing it well.

I don't understand why some posters are saying this thread should be locked up or just die. Nobody is forcing them to read this and they can always overlook this particular subject.

There has been enough people talking about Seattle Freeze and articles written on it. so there's obviously some elements of truth in it. No point in denying it, saying that "Well, I never experienced it, so therefore it doesn't exist." I've seen it in action, and I have to say I been guilty of it myself where I should've been more inclusive. I do wonder if other Seattleites realize this for themselves.

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by Inkpoe

Props to 415 and Stealthrabbit for describing it well.

I don't understand why some posters are saying this thread should be locked up or just die. Nobody is forcing them to read this and they can always overlook this particular subject.

There has been enough people talking about Seattle Freeze and articles written on it. so there's obviously some elements of truth in it. No point in denying it, saying that "Well, I never experienced it, so therefore it doesn't exist." I've seen it in action, and I have to say I been guilty of it myself where I should've been more inclusive. I do wonder if other Seattleites realize this for themselves.

What is called the "Seattle Freeze" here exists in other parts of the world as well, Germany, Japan, Norway, Denmark and Sweden, etc all have cultures that are very similar to Seattle's culture in many respects.

It should be no real surprise, as many of our early immigrants came from those countries...and it is often said that an area retains some elements of its early immigrants.

If there is a Seattle Freeze it is part of our culture, it doesn't as many have hinted at make Seattleites bad people

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by seattlerain

What is called the "Seattle Freeze" here exists in other parts of the world as well, Germany, Japan, Norway, Denmark and Sweden, etc all have cultures that are very similar to Seattle's culture in many respects.

It should be no real surprise, as many of our early immigrants came from those countries...and it is often said that an area retains some elements of its early immigrants.

If there is a Seattle Freeze it is part of our culture, it doesn't as many have hinted at make Seattleites bad people

I have no doubt that there are other countries, cultures, cities having something similar to the "Seattle Freeze".... and I don't believe anyone portrayed Seattleites as bad people for that. Of course, there always exceptions to the rule, and you do have those very bitter people who lash out. Not everyone is bitter, and we shouldn't automatically assumed they are. But I don't think some of the Seattleites should get defensive about this sort of issue and deny its existence so rabidly and then flame those who do talk about it... it doesn't allow for discussion. That in itself is what help lends to the bad image.

[415_s2k]

Originally Posted by seattlerain

What is called the "Seattle Freeze" here exists in other parts of the world as well, Germany, Japan, Norway, Denmark and Sweden, etc all have cultures that are very similar to Seattle's culture in many respects.

It should be no real surprise, as many of our early immigrants came from those countries...and it is often said that an area retains some elements of its early immigrants.

I know that people say this quite a bit, but my family is predominantly Swedish, as one could infer from a native (pre-townhouse era) Ballardian. My sister studied in Sweden and I visited her in Uppsala, and people were actually very friendly. Had a similar experience in Denmark. People don't talk as much, but they are more than happy to hang out with you... so you'll be out with six people, and there's not anywhere near as much talking going on as there would be if you're in the US with a bunch of Americans, but you're still socializing.

Also, as someone who speaks some Japanese and is reasonably cognizant of their social mores, I can also say that the social reservation between Japan and Seattle is extremely different. In Japan, people are - if anything - less "Hi neighbor!"-ish and more reserved from the gate, and much more concerned with the correct honorific titles, depth of bowing, etc., but then end up being more like Swedes (i.e., quiet, but still very social). Furthermore, the Japanese made up a very small portion of Seattle's populace, nowhere near enough to make a dent on the general social mores of a predominantly-white city at a point in time when races intermingled little.

If there is a Seattle Freeze it is part of our culture, it doesn't as many have hinted at make Seattleites bad people

But few if any people here are saying that Seattlites themselves are bad people, they're saying that they couldn't get with the social climate. Honestly, for every person who outright bashes Seattlites, there are at least a few posts of Seattlites lashing out at people who have NOT said anything about Seattlites being "bad people," because said Seattlite inferred that the non-Seattlite was saying that people from Seattle are "bad people" because they couldn't get behind the place!

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by Inkpoe

I have no doubt that there are other countries, cultures, cities having something similar to the "Seattle Freeze".... and I don't believe anyone portrayed Seattleites as bad people for that. Of course, there always exceptions to the rule, and you do have those very bitter people who lash out. Not everyone is bitter, and we shouldn't automatically assumed they are. But I don't think some of the Seattleites should get defensive about this sort of issue and deny its existence so rabidly and then flame those who do talk about it... it doesn't allow for discussion. That in itself is what help lends to the bad image.

Not saying you, or anybody recently has portrayed Seattleites as bad people, however there are those in earlier posts that have.

[JesseJB]

When I hear people contrast Parisians with people from Southern France it always reminds me of here. Except with bad style.

[Casportsfan]

Originally Posted by 415_s2k

Okay, let me clarify something...

It is absolutely foolish to say that people in Seattle aren't civil or polite. They will smile politely, wave, ask how you're doing... on the surface it looks like Pleasantville, USA circa 1955. It's just that the smile and wave aren't an invitation for any further interaction, and when they ask how you're doing, you're not expected to answer with anything other than "Good! How are you?" so they can say, "Good! Have a nice day."

It's not an actual invitation to be - or even possibly be - friends.

It's civil. It's polite. This is a good thing, it's just a let-down that it stops right there. In other places, if someone is outgoing and polite like this, it means that they are most likely interested in getting to know you more. If you've spent a long amount of time in a place where this is the case (like, 90% of the rest of the US and Canada), it's quite disheartening to experience.

Furthermore, it's not like I moved from a small town where everyone knows your name to Seattle and was shocked that people had their own lives. I was born in and spent most of my childhood in or around Seattle, my mom's entire family is there and I have been there many times over the years, and I spent the interim years in Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Boston and LA get a rep for having fake/unpleasant/aggressive/mean people, but I found the populaces of both on the whole to be much more friendly - there was no "freeze" like Seattle has.

I think you summed up the phenomena pretty well, at least what I can gather of it. I am posting as someone who has submitted numerous resumes in an attempt to move to Seattle with no immediate luck. What you are saying appears to an accurate description of the Freeze, if it does occur.

What I've found on my numerous trips there that is much different from where I currently live in northern California is that it's very difficult to extend a conversation in the NW. For instance, at a supermarket here, the attendant may ask, "how are you doing today, looks like you got some sun", Re:, "yeah I was at the lake all day, nice out there", attendant: "I just took my kids there yesterday . . . ", and it goes on. I can't even tell you how many random conversations I've engaged in here at coffee shops, with neighbors, and others here that sometimes last 10-15 minutes.

Now, any big city does have it's draw backs in terms of meeting people. My best friend lives in an area of San Francisco that I frequent, and you are lucky to get 1 out of 5 people to even respond to a simple "hello". So, some of this may just be big city living, but I definitely feel that people are somewhat hesitant to really engage on a personal level in Seattle. People appear to be very reserved there, which can be a good thing, and part of the intrigue of the city. At the same time, the friendly/lively energy is definitely lacking.

[unicornsareawesome]

Being that I currently live in a small town in the middle of a "good ole boy" run part of Florida, I find the overly open, overly friendly vibe here to be a little annoying. I was raised in Miami where everyone minded their own business, but if you made the effort to make friends with neighbors or strangers you might end up with a new friend.

Where I live now, people want to know where you're from, what your favorite color is, what your views on Obama are, what kind of underpants you wear, etc. just from getting checked out in line! This took a year of getting used to, but I long for people that just living their lives like I am.

Granted I haven't been to Seattle to experience it first hand, but I just wanted to put it out there that maybe sometimes people don't want to wave at their neighbors or know whatever the latest neighborhood gossip is.

I have a feeling that if you're pursuing things that you find interesting, you will come across people with similar interests, and make friends. I'm sure Seattle is just another big city where people are just trying to live their lives and that maybe the ones complaining were expecting it to be more small-townish. It is what it is.