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Old 11-12-2008, 11:42 PM
 
Location: I <3 NY
371 posts, read 1,764,827 times
Reputation: 113

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Whenever I meet someone living in Seattle & surroundings, I always hear then complain that its too crowded, too expensive, and too much traffic, apart the usual sneering about the weather. But I notice that people from Portland tend to be more optimistic.

Am I just unlucky enough to meet the wrong people, or are Portlanders more happy? I want to move to Seattle some day, should I REALLY reconsider?
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Old 11-13-2008, 11:15 AM
 
Location: Portland, OR
9,855 posts, read 11,969,132 times
Reputation: 10028
Depends. Why do you want to move to Seattle? I wanted to move to PDX, if I listened to what people think or worried about how they present, I wouldn't have.

H
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Old 11-13-2008, 11:22 AM
 
14,725 posts, read 33,447,917 times
Reputation: 8951
I think people who live in the PNW SHOULD be happier than people living anywhere else in the US...but, guess what, they're not. The most smug and depressed lot I've met. And yet people who live in the bleak, flat interior of our country (I went to a Big 10 school for a grad program) can be down-to-earth and easy to get to know...yet their area is not particularly pretty and their seasons can be harsh. With such a disparity, it's all the more reason to find PNWers distasteful...
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Old 11-13-2008, 12:08 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
7,085 posts, read 12,081,964 times
Reputation: 4125
Visit it and see, you never know. I can only speak for myself, as I would go insane from the traffic. My wife has a number of friends up there, and they always talk how crazy the cost of living and the traffic are., plus adding some on the density of population (I'm not sure on that comparison).
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Old 11-13-2008, 02:19 PM
 
Location: Pacific NW
6,413 posts, read 12,177,883 times
Reputation: 5861
People are people wherever they are. Some are happy. Some are not.

It's nuts, and just a little bit arrogant, to think you can know what someone else feels or thinks just by observing at them. It always brings to mind some talk show I saw (probably something like Oprah or Dr. Phil) where a couple were being counseled. Their conflict came because each thought the other person was only saying they wanted A, when in fact what they really wanted was B. But each of them said that they truly wanted A. Second guessing only leads to misunderstanding. And just because someone doesn't show happiness the way you think they should, doesn't mean they're not happy.

I'm just wondering if one can truly be smug and depressed all at the same time. They rather seem on the opposite ends of the emotional spectrum.
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Old 11-13-2008, 03:44 PM
 
Location: Baker City, Oregon
5,506 posts, read 8,247,253 times
Reputation: 11822
Quote:
Originally Posted by EnricoV View Post
probably something like Oprah or Dr. Phil
There is a Dr. Phil forum. We can't post links to other forums, but it can be found with Google. Maybe the OP can post the question there.
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Old 11-13-2008, 04:27 PM
 
233 posts, read 753,690 times
Reputation: 269
Quote:
Originally Posted by robertpolyglot View Post
I think people who live in the PNW SHOULD be happier than people living anywhere else in the US...but, guess what, they're not. The most smug and depressed lot I've met. And yet people who live in the bleak, flat interior of our country (I went to a Big 10 school for a grad program) can be down-to-earth and easy to get to know...yet their area is not particularly pretty and their seasons can be harsh. With such a disparity, it's all the more reason to find PNWers distasteful...
Hmm. Here's my theory. People in the PNW (west of the mountains) are usually a lot more liberal then say those in the middle of the country. Issues like global warming, injust wars being fought, and basically the last eight years under W are more inclined to be unhappy about the way the world is right now in general, than maybe those who are more sheltered. Seattlites, Portlanders and San Franciscans are more European in outlook to the world and have a darker view of how terrible things have gotten. This doesn't make for the happiest lot. This is ofcourse a huge generalization as i'm sure there are plenty of people in the middle of the country who are as eqally aware yet with a smaller political clout. After the recent election however, iv'e noticed a lot more upbeat attitudes about the new possibilities.
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Old 11-14-2008, 10:22 AM
 
Location: Houston, TX
1,611 posts, read 4,861,811 times
Reputation: 1487
jr, you might just have something there. I really do think it is a perception as to whether the glass is half empty or half full. The minset of the west coasters is decidedly liberal and thus the last 8 years have been mired in the misery that has been the "W" administration. Whereas those in the midsection of the country are less focused on the dire implications of conservatism (as they perceive it to be) and more inclined to focus on family, friends, their communities, jobs and less on the more "global" situations. This too is very much a generalization but still...
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Old 11-16-2008, 07:49 PM
 
Location: I <3 NY
371 posts, read 1,764,827 times
Reputation: 113
Quote:
Originally Posted by Leisesturm View Post
Depends. Why do you want to move to Seattle? I wanted to move to PDX, if I listened to what people think or worried about how they present, I wouldn't have.

H
I wish for a change in scenery.
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Old 11-18-2008, 04:57 PM
 
1,989 posts, read 6,608,942 times
Reputation: 843
Quote:
Originally Posted by robertpolyglot View Post
I think people who live in the PNW SHOULD be happier than people living anywhere else in the US...but, guess what, they're not. The most smug and depressed lot I've met. And yet people who live in the bleak, flat interior of our country (I went to a Big 10 school for a grad program) can be down-to-earth and easy to get to know...yet their area is not particularly pretty and their seasons can be harsh. With such a disparity, it's all the more reason to find PNWers distasteful...
LOL ol rob, you are such a disgusting person
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