Official "Seattle Freeze" Discussion Thread (Bellevue, Redmond: to live in, dog friendly)

[victorianpunk]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

My opinion on this issue is in congruence with some others upthread who have stated that you'll find this "freeze" phenomenon in many cities nowadays; scapegoating Seattle is most certainly an unnecessary blemish upon its otherwise stellar reputation. I think our society in general is just becoming so overstressed, overworked, worried, etc. that we have little time for others and utilize whatever free time we do happen to encounter to pamper ourselves and assuage our frayed nerves.

As a swing-shift retail sales warrior who often works overtime, including on occasion during the schoolyear, I have very little time for social interaction outside of campus or the workplace. If you were to visit the Northeastern Pennsylvania sub-forum on here, you'd see that folks here in the Scranton, PA area have been tossing around the idea of a get-together now for many, many months, but hundreds of replies to various threads that were initiated before fizzling out since 2007 have been left by the wayside. Why? We have this similar "freeze" phenomenon here in the New York City exurbs. Everyone comments on how "friendly" folks here in Scranton are, but try to get to close and the barriers fly back up. I myself am guilty of this. I'll be the first person to smile and say "Good morning. How are you?" while passing a stranger while strolling down Main Street. Do I really care how that person is doing? Not at all. I expect a quick "Good. How are you?" in reply, to which I'll reply "Pretty good, thanks." If and when someone says "It's funny that you should ask that..." I start to tense up. Why? I don't expect the greeting to initiate more formal conversation, especially when I often don't have time for it while running errands.

With iPods, iPhones, laptops/notebooks, blackberries, PDAs, etc. we're becoming more of a global village, yet we are also becoming a culture of social isolates. I spend more time on this forum, Facebook, MySpace, etc. than I spend hanging out with friends in real life. Why? When you're browbeaten from exams, overtime at the salt mine, stress out the wazoo, etc. you just don't have the energy to want to get involved with others.

Saying that folks in Seattle are somehow more socially awkward than people in any other city is like saying that people in Scranton are more metrosexual-ish than people elsewhere. Broad generalizations such as these just are not true.

I think you hit the nail directly on the head. New Jersey has a "freeze", New York has a "freeze" and Philly has a "freeze". It's just technology replacing face-to-face human interraction, nothing more.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Everyone comments on how "friendly" folks here in Scranton are, but try to get to close and the barriers fly back up. I myself am guilty of this. I'll be the first person to smile and say "Good morning. How are you?" while passing a stranger while strolling down Main Street. Do I really care how that person is doing? Not at all. I expect a quick "Good. How are you?" in reply, to which I'll reply "Pretty good, thanks." If and when someone says "It's funny that you should ask that..." I start to tense up. Why? I don't expect the greeting to initiate more formal conversation, especially when I often don't have time for it while running errands.

Well, in some parts of the country it *IS* OK to have a more extended conversation. Last week while waiting in line to get coffee a nice young man told me about his upcoming new job. He was excited about it and I enjoyed hearing about it. The week before that, a family sitting next to my family at a restaurant told us all about the family friendly restaurants in town. No one "tensed up" because of it...it is just considered the stuff of every day life. There is a thread in the Texas forum pondering whether Texans are "fake" because of such conversations but to me (after living in the Pacific Northwest for 10 years), they are like a breath of fresh air.

There may be cultural similarities across geographic regions but there are definitely differences, too. No one will ever convince me that the Seattle Freeze is just like every other big city's cultural vibe, but we can agree to disagree.

[rams]

I've lived in Seattle for 15 years and i have no friends.
In the beginning I was depressed after I was given cold shoulder after cold shoulder, but now I just don't care.
I don't really want to associate with all these fake, self-aware of how cool they are, organic lettuce grazing snobs.

People in Seattle are fake, fake, fake!!!

My current job is the only thing that prevents me from leaving this aloof, indifferent, rain soaked but still beautiful city.

[Retired Law 08]

Originally Posted by CityGirl72

The Seattle Times: Pacific Northwest Magazine : Our Social Disease

This is a great article...

[ATXIronHorse]

I lived in Seattle for a spell myself. I lived in Olympia first which was UTTER HELL and moved up to Seattle which was a bit better but still totally horrible. The "freeze" really does exist!! At first you think its just you (think->"What the heck is wrong with me?") but then you hear it again and again from other people. I thought itd be a nice place with some cultured, down to earth people...boy was I wrong.

Took me forever to get assemble a group of friends, and even so, they'd be very hard to get out and do things. They'd either cancel or just not call for weeks on end. I hate generalizing but people were just grim, rude, snooty, elitist and all-around lame. I made more friends up in BC when I was there for a few months one summer than I ever did during my 3.5 yrs in Seattle. Whats wrong with that place?

I had a great job and have some good memories (mostly from going up to Vancouver every chance I had), and all-in-all I don't regret having lived there...I think it made me stronger and more independent. However, I'm really glad to be out!!! It was a very easy decision just to pack the car and go when the time was right.

[kcda]

It's definately real, a "social disease" or whatever people want to call it. Even my dh who grew up his whole life there acknowledges how different the people are up there compared to everywhere else.

[toughguy]

All I have to say is I am glad we are not like Texas, where everyone is always trying to get up in your business. I enjoy the social atmosphere and we shouldn't have to apologize for it.

[jwb123]

Considering you don't live there (in TX), never have, and I am sure, never will - how could you make such a statement?

Those that have lived or are living IN Seattle are making comments on the freeze based on their personal experience.

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by toughguy

All I have to say is I am glad we are not like Texas, where everyone is always trying to get up in your business. I enjoy the social atmosphere and we shouldn't have to apologize for it.

Exactly my experience in Texas, and part of the reason why I don't care for the place...

[toughguy]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

Considering you don't live there (in TX), never have, and I am sure, never will - how could you make such a statement?

Those that have lived or are living IN Seattle are making comments on the freeze based on their personal experience.

There are also people chiming in that have never lived here (kcda). Why can't I base my assumption off the prevailing axiom that southerners are overly friendly to your face and then talk about you behind your back?