Seattle Freeze: Real or a myth?

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Flightoficarus87

Born and raised in the Seattle area, but I find it most refreshing when someone makes the first move to say hello.

I guess I'm not a true Seattle-ite, despite being from here!

There was someone posting here for awhile, born-and-raised Seattleite, who explained that many Seattleites consider it a violation of personal boundaries for strangers to start a chat while in line at the store, or whatever. Even at a music festival or anywhere. That made a lot of sense. But I guess you don't agree, which is fine. But she actually found it annoying when others make a move to say hello. Our Freeze threads are full of people posting, who have tried to be friendly (transplants, mostly, of course), and gotten nowhere. So that's why I made that earlier post. Good to know that not all bona-fide Seattleites are like that.

[sacite]

Originally Posted by josie13

I'm rather familiar with the wait for that ferry. From my point of view, a period of collective quietness is great. Lovely, polite peace and quiet. Being surrounded by people talking sounds hellish to me. I like the ethos of leaving people in peace to think their own thoughts, which seems the height of consideration to me.

You won't hear any chatter on the tube in London or on the train in Japan. Keeping quiet is normal etiquette. That seems sensible to me.

But then I work in a library.

I don’t know, I think we are all do separated from human contact in this busy world that it’s good to a little when we wre out and about. Or at least be around others who are. I’m not sure if it was good or bad. It was just something very different than what I am use to. And to clarify, no one in the bay is obnoxious or overbearing in these situations, for the most part. It’s just a different cultural norm.

[dav51lin]

very real