Official "Seattle Freeze" Discussion Thread (travel, work)

[41Willys]

I got a x-mas gift titled NewComers HandBook for moving to and living in Seattle and it mentions the "Seattle Freeze". So the freeze is legendary!

[MK1971]

Originally Posted by 41Willys

I got a x-mas gift titled NewComers HandBook for moving to and living in Seattle and it mentions the "Seattle Freeze". So the freeze is legendary!

There's also a video documentary that someone posted on Youtube that covers this subject.

Again, I'm not a fan of the term "Seattle Freeze" itself (I've also heard a term called Minnesota [n]ice that describes a similar cultural attitude) -- I've just observed that this area has its own culture of reclusiveness, insularity, type b personalities, and passive confrontation that some people like but that some, especially outgoing or type a personality, people don't.

[FunkyMonk]

After spending a week in Washington State and Seattle, here's my take.

My friend and I drove up from California. Oregon was gorgeous and the people were smiling, friendly and seemed to be outgoing, we loved Oregon. Portland felt like heaven. I made two friends on the street who I still chat with actually.

So we drove up into Washington eventually. Our first stop was Chehalis. We were both happy and excited to be there, but we were met with outright rudeness.

We were smiling, trying to be light-hearted and social, but we were met with deadpan expressions, mean glares, even blatent snubs, lack of responses to direct questions, etc.

It's like these people feel that they aren't supposed to talk to anyone outside of their immediate little groups. And if you pop up on them trying to be friendly and talkative (which I like people to do to me), they immediately turn VERY cold. We got out of Chehalis very quickly and made it very clear that we were offended by the icy attitude.....

We went through Olympic National Park then. Just about everyone in the towns around the park seemed very distant, cold, rude, serious, smug and VERY judgemental. We were actually afraid they would shoot us at one point!

It was so bad that I felt it as confrontational and I got into a few verbal altercations with people, had some very ugly interactions with people. It truely was bad. It took me a few days to realize that this is just what the vibe is in Washington.

Seatle had that same feel, but with a more grungy/hip style instead of the woodsman feel of rural Wash. The people there were like flies on the wall. They would avoid all contact and seemed to almost have an almost autistic fear of each other.

Seattle wasn't really rude, but the people were definantly in their own little worlds, looking them in the eye they seemed to be really lost in thought or self-reflection all the time, closing out their surroundings.

Eventually it got to the point where my friend and I were walking around Seattle just being rowdy (maybe this is cause we were sleeping outside for 2 weeks camping too?) but i think it was mainly because the people were so distant it's like they weren't even there. We both sort of felt like we were roaming around an abandoned city full of zombies or something and we felt like we owned it for this reason.

I must say that I knd of liked it though in a way. It felt sort of spiritual and nice, a good change from the aggression of many American cities. But it is very.....different.

[41Willys]

I don't think Seattle is known for it's hippies. (sorry Jimi ) You guys would love San Francisco and Boulder, Colorado . Sorry you had a bad time. Driving up the coast is a beautiful/scenic ride, or so I hear.

[toughguy]

Walking around downtown Seattle is no different than walking around Midtown Manhattan. People aren't going to look everyone they pass in the eye and greet them. I have to LOL at this bizarre post.

[MK1971]

Seattle is nowhere near as crowded or busy as downtown Manhattan.

Not sure where Manhattan factored into the past few posts, but I don't think that saying downtown Seattle and downtown Manhattan are just the same is valid.

Unless you just mean the eye contact thing, in which case in a packed/crowded NYC street it seems kind of normal, on a street with maybe 5-12 pedestrians (Seattle) it seems a little awkward and kind of funny.

[toughguy]

Originally Posted by MK1971

Seattle is nowhere near as crowded or busy as downtown Manhattan.

Not sure where Manhattan factored into the past few posts, but I don't think that saying downtown Seattle and downtown Manhattan are just the same is valid.

Unless you just mean the eye contact thing, in which case in a packed/crowded NYC street it seems kind of normal, on a street with maybe 5-12 pedestrians (Seattle) it seems a little awkward and kind of funny.

While Seattle doesn't have packed pedestrian cooridors that go on for miles like you do in Manhattan, or anything comparable to times square, Seattle is no slouch. There are quite a few blocks that are packed with pedestrians just like you would see on madison, park, broadway....5-12?! are you kidding me, 5-12? what were you thinking when you said that?

btw, downtown manhattan is very, very crowded during the day but is a ghost town at night...I was talking about midtown.

[41Willys]

Originally Posted by toughguy

While Seattle doesn't have packed pedestrian cooridors that go on for miles like you do in Manhattan, or anything comparable to times square, Seattle is no slouch. There are quite a few blocks that are packed with pedestrians just like you would see on madison, park, broadway....5-12?! are you kidding me, 5-12? what were you thinking when you said that?

btw, downtown manhattan is very, very crowded during the day but is a ghost town at night...I was talking about midtown.

I was on Houston Steet a little while ago @ 11pm. There were more people on the streets then there were during the day. (no kidding) Ages 19-late 20's thrive in NYC from 11pm to 5-6am. The saying is true, its the city that never sleeps! Sunday mornings on the other hand are probably the least crowded. But after 10am it starts in all over again.

[internat]

Originally Posted by MK1971

There's also a video documentary that someone posted on Youtube that covers this subject.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roC_nsdyi1I

Interesting video.

Again, I'm not a fan of the term "Seattle Freeze" itself (I've also heard a term called Minnesota [n]ice that describes a similar cultural attitude) -- I've just observed that this area has its own culture of reclusiveness, insularity, type b personalities, and passive confrontation that some people like but that some, especially outgoing or type a personality, people don't.

I have never been to Seattle. I know Scandinavians very well though. This is not at all surprising. Seattle and Minneapolis both have a relatively strong Scandianvian influence. The mentality comes from the Jante Law. Scandinavian people really are introverted, cold and polite. There are of course exceptions. But we are generalising here.The more rural Norwegians can appear a bit more jovial than serious looking Swedes. They would have passed on the traits through nature and/or nurture. Read about the NPA personality theory. I would guess they are mostly NP. Gloomy weather (SAD) will only reinforce the behaviour.

[41Willys]

Originally Posted by internat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roC_nsdyi1I

Interesting video.



I have never been to Seattle. I know Scandinavians very well though. This is not at all surprising. Seattle and Minneapolis both have a relatively strong Scandianvian influence. The mentality comes from the Jante Law. Scandinavian people really are introverted, cold and polite. There are of course exceptions. But we are generalising here.The more rural Norwegians can appear a bit more jovial than serious looking Swedes. They would have passed on the traits through nature and/or nurture. Read about the NPA personality theory. I would guess they are mostly NP. Gloomy weather (SAD) will only reinforce the behaviour.

The Jante Law is a little dated no?