I think it's a bit of a stretch to point at particular cultural backgrounds, since unique individuals in all of these cultures tend to soften the boundaries we

I think it's a bit of a stretch to point at particular cultural backgrounds, since unique individuals in all of these cultures tend to soften the boundaries we like to create in our heads, but there could be some overlapping reasons. One thing I've noticed is, as the cost of living in the city has increased, the number of people who have to commute to the city has also, of course, increased. What this means is businesses close early and large areas (catering exclusively to the out-of-town work crowd) start to feel like uninhabited, pitch black ghost towns after 6pm. Areas that have no right doing that. I don't think Vancouver has ever been a particularly bustling city, but it wasn't as stifling before since there was a better chance of meeting someone who lives in the same municipality, and more people considering the area they are in to be home, or at least close to it. But at the same time, I think it has largely become a cultural thing. I catch myself doing the Vancouver-style "friendly but not your friend" thing a lot, and I hate it, and I've been trying to do better, but it's hard. "Be the change you want in the world" and all that. We can probably fix this :)