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The PNW is terrible for community building. I recently moved to the deep south and the overall vibe is much different, much more focused on community.
by jriot 7y ago
The PNW is terrible for community building. I recently moved to the deep south and the overall vibe is much different, much more focused on community.
- rb808 7y agoYeah I know people that moved N-West from the East coast and they all had trouble making friends. Maybe just the culture is too different.
- ctrl-j 7y agoSeattle itself has a reputation for this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Freeze https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Freeze
- jriot 7y agoWhile the culture is different, the difference I see, is that people in the NW want to keep to themselves, where other places people want to share.
- yellow_postit 7y agoMy experience has been in any place with a high concentration of transplants (Seattle, London) many are expecting third parties like Meetups to form the community when the hard part is the actually asking people to spend time together and then following up, even if the interest starts asymmetric. It is akin to dating.
- p7hwfizeONj 7y agoThe Wikipedia article on "Seattle Freeze" suggests there might be something to Washington's introversion. > While some residents dispute the existence of the Seattle Freeze, a 2008 peer-reviewed study published in Perspectives on Psychological Science found that among all 50 states, Washington residents ranked 48th in the personality trait extraversion. In 2014 a similar report by the Seattle CityClub ranked the population 48th out of 50 similarly-sized cities in activities such as "talking with neighbors frequently". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Freeze https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Freeze
- jriot 7y agoInteresting. I lived in the PNW for 15, maybe more years of my life - AK, WA, and ID. Washington was certainly unique in attempting meeting people.
- StacyRoberts 7y agoI live in the pnw and have lots of really good friends. Only moved here a few years ago but have found more acceptance and deep connections here than the south. It's taken those years to break through the shells but people repeatedly tell me they like hanging out with me because I listen. I empathize. I'm genuine. I'm authentic. You have to be real. Be committed to your fellow human beings. There's a dearth of that up here. A lot of judgemental people. Closed minds. Antagonism. But if you are patient and keep letting people show you who they are and be who they are they'll cine to love you. We need more people like that up here. They are here. Keep the good ones close and more will collect. I am so happy I found my place. The weather is gross right now. People are staying inside shivering and will be until May next year. Try the library. Ask people questions. I hear the same things repeatedly. No one says hi. No one smiles. No one approaches me. Do those things. People long for that. As much as you want people to do that for you, they want it too. Be kind. reach out. Continue with the responsive ones. Would you like to get coffee sometime? One on one works well with introverts.
- jriot 7y agoWhile I would love to get coffee, I live in New Orleans now. You mention weather right now being gross up there, which I remember clearly. Today it will be 72 and sunny here. I wonder if the weather causes social issues, unknowingly?
- StacyRoberts 7y agoIt certainly does. The sun on your skin makes vitamin d which has all kinds of happy effects on us.
- traveler1234 7y ago