Can't stand being back here (Seattle, Pacific: college, move to, place)

[X.G.]

Wow. GatsbyGatz:

1) you see no irony in your handle being "Gatsby"?!

2) Bravo. you went out with a pack and met some people. Lot easier to do when you already have a pack. Are you a native. If so, good on ya but get some perspective, sheltered, condescending, apathetic, ignorant one ;-) Learn EMPATHY.

206Traveler, hang in there. I love it here, have hard won friends but I'd be lying if I said Seattle's social scene wasn't very far from perfect. I have friends here from Australia, England and Germany who all are bewildered by the flakiness, passive-aggressiveness and lack of genuine response in their efforts to make new friends, find love, etc. This is far from new. If the dullards on here actually read more well-roundedly, they'd know this. Sadly, a lot of posters here are indicative of a huge subset of PNW population that has zero perspective beyond their own bubble, nice bubble though it is.

[greenlite]

no place is perfect...

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by 206traveler

I'm really bummed that I was unable to find a job in NYC and had to return to Seattle. I felt so alive and energized by the environment in NYC, and now I feel like Seattle is sucking the life out of me. Why does everyone here have to be so damn depressing and morose? My friends are recluses, no one here knows how to smile or interact with eachother, and the only time you see any life in this city is on a weekend night at the bars, when everyone is drunk... Damn alcoholics!

Can't wait for tour season to start. I really hate this place. I can't believe so many people like it.

Have you tried smiling and interacting with people? Yes, a lot of people seem withdrawn, but there are others who, like yourself, wish it were otherwise, and do go around trying to interact with people. It's a matter of finding those gems.

For your next sortie, try the San Fran Bay Area for employment. People are pretty friendly.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by X.G.

Wow. Guy leaves Seattle for NYC, comes back having failed and is unhappy to be back, especially because he's feeling alienated here -and (most of) you pricks only reaffirm his point: the Seattle freeze is alive and prosperous! Listen, the guy is down. You've never been down? As one who grew up in NY and moved here over 7 years ago, I think I can speak to the pros and cons of both places. Yes, Seattle is cleaner, greener, more civil and safe. However, the entire Northwest social scene and way of socializing is crap compared to the forwardness of people in NY (city and state), Montréal and wide swaths of New England/Atlantic Canada. A lot, lot, lot of people here ARE reclusive and/or drunkenly. So, stop being what we Nor'easters would call 'dickwads', k? Portland has its trite arrogance mocked accurately on "Portlandia". Seattle doesn't need the same. BE what you say Seattle is, not the opposite nastiness that only proves 206travelers point. Anything less is hypocritical.

THIS is one great post!

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by X.G.

Wow. Guy leaves Seattle for NYC, comes back having failed and is unhappy to be back, especially because he's feeling alienated here -and (most of) you pricks only reaffirm his point: the Seattle freeze is alive and prosperous! Listen, the guy is down. You've never been down? As one who grew up in NY and moved here over 7 years ago, I think I can speak to the pros and cons of both places. Yes, Seattle is cleaner, greener, more civil and safe. However, the entire Northwest social scene and way of socializing is crap compared to the forwardness of people in NY (city and state), Montréal and wide swaths of New England/Atlantic Canada. A lot, lot, lot of people here ARE reclusive and/or drunkenly. So, stop being what we Nor'easters would call 'dickwads', k? Portland has its trite arrogance mocked accurately on "Portlandia". Seattle doesn't need the same. BE what you say Seattle is, not the opposite nastiness that only proves 206travelers point. Anything less is hypocritical.

So, the way we socialize is crap because it is different from the northeast, are pricks dick wads, drunken and recluse. Asinine, completely asinine.

[Dport7674]

Originally Posted by X.G.

Wow. Guy leaves Seattle for NYC, comes back having failed and is unhappy to be back, especially because he's feeling alienated here -and (most of) you pricks only reaffirm his point: the Seattle freeze is alive and prosperous! Listen, the guy is down. You've never been down? As one who grew up in NY and moved here over 7 years ago, I think I can speak to the pros and cons of both places. Yes, Seattle is cleaner, greener, more civil and safe. However, the entire Northwest social scene and way of socializing is crap compared to the forwardness of people in NY (city and state), Montréal and wide swaths of New England/Atlantic Canada. A lot, lot, lot of people here ARE reclusive and/or drunkenly. So, stop being what we Nor'easters would call 'dickwads', k? Portland has its trite arrogance mocked accurately on "Portlandia". Seattle doesn't need the same. BE what you say Seattle is, not the opposite nastiness that only proves 206travelers point. Anything less is hypocritical.

You have horrible reading comprehension. The people who responded in this thread were very forward. Not passive aggressive the way folks from the PNW are usually accused of.

If he had went into the NY forum saying it sucks to be back, they would have ripped him a new ass. And you would have came along and scolded them.

Lame.

[GatsbyGatz]

Originally Posted by X.G.

2) Bravo. you went out with a pack and met some people. Lot easier to do when you already have a pack. Are you a native. If so, good on ya but get some perspective, sheltered, condescending, apathetic, ignorant one ;-) Learn EMPATHY.

I moved up here from SoCal 8 months ago. It wasn't hard to create a social circle. But I suppose some people are simply socially incompetent.

Perhaps being a Californian has made me devoid of empathy. Once again, if we're going to play by sterotypes, New Yorkers would trounce on the OP. I have no reason to be sensitive to the OP when he came onto the Seattle forums badmouthing the entire region and residents. It reeks of immaturity.

[PollyGlott]

So, X.G., let me get this straight: you are preaching compassion ("learn EMPATHY") for the O.P., while simultaneously calling the folks who gave him their honest opinion the following: sheltered, condescending, apathetic, ignorant, dullards, pricks and dickwads.
Classy!

[thatguy950]

Originally Posted by seattlerain

So, the way we socialize is crap because it is different from the northeast, are pricks dick wads, drunken and recluse. Asinine, completely asinine.

Actually the way people "socialize" (or don't) here is completely different from just about everywhere, not just the NE. Sometimes I wonder if half the city has Asperger's...no joke.

[RotseCherut]

Seattle people are the most socially weird/akward/deranged that I have seen anywhere.. I am starting to see the only way to make friends in Seattle or anywhere in Washington state is to get involved in activities or groups.. Trying to meet up with people you meet randomly just is not how you make friends in the socially reclusive Northwest. Oregon, I find, you can make friendships this way, especially in Portland, more so than Seattle. The concept of "hanging out" was more common in Oregon, especially back in the 90s. However, in Seattle, everything is very business-like and people are very rigid in their social interactions.. You really need to find some type of activity where you meet other people, have good time and let down the social

I thought being Jewish, I could be apart of a religious community, sadly, I am starting to see religious groups in Seattle are even more socially rigid and pretentious. There is less feeling of community and more feeling of proving your superiority to others or showing off your family. Basically, religious groups in Seattle, that are seriously religious, conservative seem to be more centered for married families and people who grew up in the community and have lot of money. Being from a more religious and conservative background, I thought I could fit in here in Seattle, but now see I cannot. Now, I am going to have to break away and open myself to meeting people of different backgrounds, political/religious and cultural affiliations than myself.

That is why I am thinking the best means of meeting people is to find social groups, activities that stimulate social bonding and do not promote pretentiousness. That is why something like art, poet, music, etc may not be the best in a place like Seattle, where people who are not experts in a certain type of art, musical knowledge, writing style are considered genetically and spiritually inferior. It's hard for me to explain, but its best to find groups of people who are eager to meet others, engage in an activity where they want to help each other grow or improve each other's ability to grow, rather than to exert their ego and promote their own grandiosity at the expense of others.

For starters, I think hiking or physical activity groups are the least threatening, as people come together in groups like these simply to be able to enjoy nature or an activity with other people.