Sorry Seattle, you're not special. Whether the "Seattle Freeze" is real, it is not unique. It's everywhere... (cost of, small town)

[october2007]

I lived in Seattle for almost 30 years before moving out last year. I moved to Cleveland and was struck by how nice and friendly the people are here. There is often casual talk while waiting in lines or a hello while passing in the street. This rarely if ever happened in Seattle. Sometimes if I made the mistake of addressing a stranger in public in Seattle I would most likely get a startled look and no response. Life feels more real here. There is a greater variety of ages and types of people. There is a large Black population here which contributes to the easygoing friendliness I think.

[Xpat]

Originally Posted by treuphax

Sorry Seattle, you're not special. Whether the "Seattle Freeze" is real, it is not unique. It's everywhere touched by modern hypermobility, transience, atomization and indifference.

I Bake New Neighbors Bread, And They Never Say Hello to Me Again

Sadly this is very common everywhere these days.

[LargeKingCat]

Originally Posted by october2007

I lived in Seattle for almost 30 years before moving out last year. I moved to Cleveland and was struck by how nice and friendly the people are here. There is often casual talk while waiting in lines or a hello while passing in the street. This rarely if ever happened in Seattle. Sometimes if I made the mistake of addressing a stranger in public in Seattle I would most likely get a startled look and no response. Life feels more real here. There is a greater variety of ages and types of people. There is a large Black population here which contributes to the easygoing friendliness I think.

We are getting job offers out of Seattle and I would prefer a place like Cleveland over the ones described herein about Seattle.
Seattle sounds a lot like Dallas...if you say to hi to someone you get a blank stare/ignored.
I live in Tampa now, I chat people up all the time. Everywhere I go.

I don;t care for the aloofness of some cities. Sounds like I would have a very limited social life in Seattle as a result.

[october2007]

Originally Posted by LargeKingCat

We are getting job offers out of Seattle and I would prefer a place like Cleveland over the ones described herein about Seattle.
Seattle sounds a lot like Dallas...if you say to hi to someone you get a blank stare/ignored.
I live in Tampa now, I chat people up all the time. Everywhere I go.

I don;t care for the aloofness of some cities. Sounds like I would have a very limited social life in Seattle as a result.

There is definitely a sort of introverted weird quality to the people of Seattle. Plus most are youngish and maybe more used to interacting virtually rather than in person. I would imagine Seattleites are different than the people in Dallas but maybe in both cases people just aren't that friendly.

[usamathman]

Originally Posted by october2007

There is definitely a sort of introverted weird quality to the people of Seattle. Plus most are youngish and maybe more used to interacting virtually rather than in person. I would imagine Seattleites are different than the people in Dallas but maybe in both cases people just aren't that friendly.

Definitely a mixed bag. I have met some locals that were as nice and friendly as any person I have ever met. People I would love to hang out with. Have also met locals and transplants on the other end of the spectrum that were absolute asshats. Stuck up..snotty..you get the picture.

Think it's hit or miss here. Definitely some interesting personalities.

[soldierhobo]

It is just a city thing... you don't know if that person is saying to you or his imaginary friend. Plus, you got stuff to do, if your out. The south and Midwest are just...slower. Life is more about relationships, who you know and your kin. The city.... it's more transactional and about the hustle. You really "know" less people.

Seattle isn't anymore frigid than DC, Chicago, or NYC downtown.

[october2007]

Originally Posted by soldierhobo

It is just a city thing... you don't know if that person is saying to you or his imaginary friend. Plus, you got stuff to do, if your out. The south and Midwest are just...slower. Life is more about relationships, who you know and your kin. The city.... it's more transactional and about the hustle. You really "know" less people.

Seattle isn't anymore frigid than DC, Chicago, or NYC downtown.

It is a city thing to a certain extent and people have less time for chit chat but I do have to say the people there as a whole are different than I experienced living in Boston and now Cleveland. People in Seattle seem far less interested or able to just have casual interactions in public that happened in other places I've lived.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by october2007

It is a city thing to a certain extent and people have less time for chit chat but I do have to say the people there as a whole are different than I experienced living in Boston and now Cleveland. People in Seattle seem far less interested or able to just have casual interactions in public that happened in other places I've lived.

This. I don't find that it's "a city thing" at all. The reserved nature of people in Seattle is like night and day compared to urban areas in CA. Nice try by the OP to console himself with the thought that the grass isn't greener anywhere else, though.

[october2007]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

This. I don't find that it's "a city thing" at all. The reserved nature of people in Seattle is like night and day compared to urban areas in CA. Nice try by the OP to console himself with the thought that the grass isn't greener anywhere else, though.

I think there is something to the description of the people in Seattle tending towards introversion and passive aggressiveness rather than the more direct ways of interacting you find in other areas, particularly on the east coast. It may be changing because of all the transplants but then again many are techies who tend to be nerdy and introverted (not all). I always found it strange there culturally and found myself becoming less likely to talk to people because it felt like a no-no.

[dav51lin]

Originally Posted by pikabike

Coffee klatches must've gone away when more households needed two income earners. I had heard of them a long time ago but can't say they were ever popular in my adulthood or even later childhood.

There are, however, interest-based groups that meet regularly. I knew people who participated in things such as book clubs based from the local subdivisions, or poetry groups in a small city, or similar gatherings. But no purely neighborhood groups. One of my former neighbors (this was in WA) said they used to have block parties about 20 years earlier.

People are just too busy trying to keep up financially, and long commutes don't help. Neither does the substance abuse and absorption in digital devices.

But I agree with the above two posters that an oddly high percentage of the PNW population (but definitely not everyone there) is a little "off".

so true a lot off dreary people like the weather