Do Portlanders/Oregonians hate small talk? (moving, bars, friendly)

[AndyAMG]

Originally Posted by valsteele

I guess he could have said the same thing, but not in such a dickish tone. I don't know, it was the context of it, he just sounded arrogant to me.

Some people are like that. Eventually, you too will join the dark side.

If your are here three years from now some Californian with a sunny disposition will approach you and say, "my, it's a rainy day" and you will say with out skipping a beat "hm, it's rainy every day." Then the cycle of northwesternism begins yet again.

[Mini-apple-less]

Originally Posted by AndyAMG

Some people are like that. Eventually, you too will join the dark side.

If your are here three years from now some Californian with a sunny disposition will approach you and say, "my, it's a rainy day" and you will say with out skipping a beat "hm, it's rainy every day." Then the cycle of northwesternism begins yet again.

I've lived in Oregon since 2001 and I'm 25 (14 of my ~22 years of memory), so that's most of my life really. I'm actually pretty reserved myself in some ways, but I don't see myself as being above basic niceties and civility. I don't appreciate people who act like they are superior to me.

[AndyAMG]

Originally Posted by valsteele

I've lived in Oregon since 2001 and I'm 25 (14 of my ~22 years of memory), so that's most of my life really. I'm actually pretty reserved myself in some ways, but I don't see myself as being above basic niceties and civility. I don't appreciate people who act like they are superior to me.

Hmmm, since you are female and 25 I am highly surprised a man was rude to you. Perhaps, high school was tough for him in the ladies department. I know a lot of nerdy dudes who treat women bad or pretend they are better than them, because they see it as some sort of weird juvenile payback for lack of female attention in high school or life in general.

Remember the kid who shot up UC Santa Barbra. Very scary insight into the mind of a man given no female attention.

Personally, I would have said "yeah, it's pretty good, it does its job"

[Mini-apple-less]

Originally Posted by AndyAMG

Hmmm, since you are female and 25 I am highly surprised a man was rude to you. Perhaps, high school was tough for him in the ladies department. I know a lot of nerdy dudes who treat women bad or pretend they are better than them, because they see it as some sort of weird juvenile payback for lack of female attention in high school or life in general.

Remember the kid who shot up UC Santa Barbra. Very scary insight into the mind of a man given no female attention.

Personally, I would have said "yeah, it's pretty good, it does its job"

I'm actually a guy. My name is just a Game of Thrones reference ... Valyrian Steel. I am sort of girly in some ways though lol .

[AndyAMG]

Ah, male and 25 and another male in an elevator, it all makes sense now. But you're right, basic human niceties are are rarely a given. However, I can tell you that in asia you probably would not have been acknowedged at all even if you spoke the language. Same with the majority of Europe. Idle chit chat is a mostly American thing. I can't think of a country I have been to where someone would have engaged you. Not even Mexico... maybe Canada or UK but not likely. I would say that the friendliness of the south and midwest is actually an exception to the rule of human interaction world wide.

I wouldn't take at a superiority thing, more like a what-pointless-chitchat-thing.

[CapnTrips]

Re the hiking thing: I've noticed that walking past someone on a hike whether they say hello depends more on (1) how many other people there are on the trail that day -- if there's too many, its too much trouble, and (2) how far you are from the trailhead. Hello's and eye contact becomes more common the further you are from the trailhead, as though those who were willing to walk more than just a couple of miles feel that they have something in common over the lazy hikers. If you are in "backpacking range" and carrying a big pack, everybody says hello.

[Bluesmama]

I think about the only time I get really irritated with small talk is while going home after work. I ride mass transit most of the time, and after 8 hours of talking all day with countless people, I am burnt out and done. But, while I prefer to remain alert in trains and busses (I do not use the oblivion of smart phones), I do try to avoid eye contact to discourage small talk.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Live in a tiny home? Small talk is OK.

[Larry Caldwell]

The OP has no idea where conversations are appropriate. People go hiking to get away from people, not to hold a party. If you are not calling for help, shut up. Nobody talks to strangers in an elevator. If you want small talk, join a club.

[CanuckInPortland]

Originally Posted by Liberty Lover

Most boring people I've ever met in my life... all they ever talk about is either new age religion or some extremist liberal talking point.

Most of the conversations I have with random people here revolve around either the weather or the Blazers. Mostly the weather.

You must be in a different part of town.