Has the pandemic made seattlites less friendly (Seattle, Issaquah: house, living)

[rjshae]

There is a related story today based on a study in the PLOS One journal:

Pandemic stress may have had a lasting impact on our personalities

In the later period of the pandemic, the researchers noted significant declines in the traits that help us navigate social situations, trust others, think creatively, and act responsibly. These changes were especially pronounced among young adults.

Sutin hypothesizes that personality traits may have changed as public sentiment about the pandemic shifted. "The first year [of the pandemic] there was this real coming together," Sutin says. "But in the second year, with all of that support falling away and then the open hostility and social upheaval around restrictions ... all the collective good will that we had, we lost, and that might have been very significant for personality."

Sounds suspiciously like it's related to the political divide. Can't we all just get along?

[yaya97]

I am from Seattle and will always consider it home, but the Seattle freeze is not a myth at all.
I realized how bad when I was forced to leave (job loss-Covid). In spite of the freeze, Seattle is first in my heart.

[jabogitlu]

I would suggest that folks from here experience the Seattle Freeze moreso because they are part of the Freeze themselves. Being from Tennessee, I talk loudly and forcefully to born and raised Seattleites and eventually they warm up to me.

[Sockeye66]

Originally Posted by rjshae

There is a related story today based on a study in the PLOS One journal:

Pandemic stress may have had a lasting impact on our personalities



Sounds suspiciously like it's related to the political divide. Can't we all just get along?

I agree that the political divide was responsible for some but I don't think as much so in the greater Seattle area.

I was responsible for keeping 7 manufacturing locations working, the Pres referred to me as "Commander COVID", I was the "expert" and organized policies, practices, vaxxing and boosters.

It broke me.

So many people dealing with the additional stress, especially parents. I've an assistant with a special needs daughter, education has been a tragic failure.

[AADAD]

Originally Posted by Sockeye66

I agree that the political divide was responsible for some but I don't think as much so in the greater Seattle area.

I was responsible for keeping 7 manufacturing locations working, the Pres referred to me as "Commander COVID", I was the "expert" and organized policies, practices, vaxxing and boosters.

It broke me.

So many people dealing with the additional stress, especially parents. I've an assistant with a special needs daughter, education has been a tragic failure.

Mask off to you!! I am grateful to you.

The pandemic functioned as a hammer and chisel to societal norms and many relationships. We came through it. Millions did not and millions more suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. The PTSD of the pandemic functions on many levels and diverges with each person.

I know that I am still in shock. And I had studied the spillover events for years before it hit. I was prepared much better than most. But I know I have a part of me now that is numb. No vacations for years. Relationships crumbled. Everyone pulled in. If that is a freeze I don't call it that.

We survived. Gratitude and Compassion are my tools.

[Sockeye66]

Originally Posted by AADAD

Mask off to you!! I am grateful to you.

The pandemic functioned as a hammer and chisel to societal norms and many relationships. We came through it. Millions did not and millions more suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. The PTSD of the pandemic functions on many levels and diverges with each person.

I know that I am still in shock. And I had studied the spillover events for years before it hit. I was prepared much better than most. But I know I have a part of me now that is numb. No vacations for years. Relationships crumbled. Everyone pulled in. If that is a freeze I don't call it that.

We survived. Gratitude and Compassion are my tools.

Thank you for defining my path through this.

Lets share those tools with others.

[uniquetraveler]

Seattle has been good to me--especially the people. The pandemic hasn't really changed that. Maybe that's because I am a south Asian American and the community size is decent, and the greater population is also familiar with us. Lived quite a few years in Texas and Georgia and never found the southern hospitality everyone keeps talking about, in fact, the Scandinavian origin reserved folks here have been many times more welcoming and accepting.

The friendliness of a place depends on someone's background. For example, rural areas of southern states are great for European Americans with a traditional Christian background, but not really that conducive to immigrants. Whereas the Boroughs of New York City are the opposite. For the misfits and outcasts (nerds, techies, ultra-liberals, etc.), the heart of Seattle and cities like Portland, and San Fran are good escape pods. For African Americans, Metro Atlanta is the place to be at, and for Latino/Cuban-origin Americans it's Miami.

[usernametaken]

Record catalytic converter and car thefts. Record drug addict deaths. Record rock-onto-car throwers. Record shopping cart thieves. Record homeless. Record retail shoplifters. And already 49 homicides this year after two terrible years by Seattle standards.

On the positive side, we can't decline much further unless there is a major recession.

[uniquetraveler]

^^^

Not very surprising, in recorded human history, we never had a global pandemic with such far-reaching impact, there were unprecedented lockdowns for months not just in the US but in Europe, China, Japan, and elsewhere that impacted the supply chain and had a cascading impact on the economy (Spanish flu and other pandemic were much more localized).

At a local level, this drastic change resulted in a drop in foot traffic in the city center by 70-80% over a period of 1-2 years before things started opening up. Such isolation resulted in increased crimes, mental health problems, homelessness, etc. It's going to take a few years to go back to normal, even now most offices in Seattle only have employees 2-3 times a week due to the hybrid work style.

Couple of examples of increased crime in other cities outside of Seattle:

Dallas
https://www.cbsnews.com/dfw/news/dal...olice-efforts/

Houston
https://abc13.com/one-safe-houston-p...p-in/12113466/

With businesses opening up, there should be a reduction in crime and encampments over the next couple of years (not just Seattle but other cities as well). In fact even now, the situation is much better than it was in October 2021. There were many tents at Cal Anderson Park, Denny Park, Greenlake park, Woodland Zoo, City Hall Park, Pioneer Square, and WestLake center, but they have all been cleaned up.

[Cinema Cat]

Originally Posted by Returning2USA

I have Sigma male tendencies, IMO.

I have read there is no such thing as a Sigma.

A Sigma is merely a Gamma who refuses to admit it.

A Gamma who says, "I'm like this by choice, so I'm really a Sigma."

Well, that's what I read. Don't shoot the messenger.