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Comment by haberman | Hacker News Reader

> Vancouver is a real city.

That's not very nice.

> Seattle is provincial, passive-aggressive, unfriendly to outsiders, and segregated. A hick town with skyscrapers as I've often called it.

Sorry you didn't enjoy it here. Every city has its ups and downs, but a lot of people (myself included) love it. It's beautiful, we are surrounded by nature, we have the best summers of anywhere I've ever been, I find the people friendly (if a bit passive), there's a great classical music scene (this is how I spend my time), a great university in the middle of the city, lots of tech employment opportunities, a housing market that isn't insane.

I like SF and New York (and Vancouver!) a lot, but they have their own problems too.

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I've always gotten the impression that about 40% of the people you meet or see in Seattle are at that exact moment contemplating suicide. That's just the general tone of the city.

Jesus there are a lot of haters in this thread.

Haters gonna hate. Potatoes gonna potate.

Seattleites gonna ... seat?

I lived in Seattle for six years and I totally agree with Vonguard. It doesn't have anything to do with being a "hater." You just need to be good at observing people, specifically their body language.

I must say I had a wonderful time in Seattle. I found the people a ton more friendly, approachable and varied than in the Bay Area, where everyone is just interested in 'networking' with you rather than befriending you. Plus Seattle has absolutely stunning nature. I didn't stay because of the grey skis. Couldn't take it.

Then buy skis that are a different color ;)

Just kidding. But I understand your sentiment. The grey skies wouldn't bother me at all, but my wife would not be able to stand it. We live in a sunny climate, and every day that is overcast she tells me how depressed it makes her feel... Some people just need sunshine!

I've been away from the Bay Area a long time. I don't doubt it is now how you describe it, but it wasn't that way before hi-tech startup culture started taking over. Seattle is slowly getting more friendly and less provincial. Maybe one day it will be better than the Bay Area, but unlikely because the same forces that are messing with the Bay Area are messing with Seattle (and New York) too.

New York has closed itself off to the young and the struggling. But there are other cities. Detroit. Poughkeepsie. New York City has been taken away from you. So my advice is: Find a new city. – Patti Smith on whether New York is still good for artists.

Do you realize that you didn't refute or deny any of his criticisms?

I'm not sure what you're expecting when the criticisms were vague jabs like "not a real city," "provincial," "hick town."

Also I did say that I find the people friendly, which is the opposite of unfriendly. Yes Seattle people tend to be passive, but that is not the same as unfriendly.

"provincial, passive-aggressive, unfriendly to outsiders, and segregated" are not vague jabs.

I note that the parent is mainly talking about the people, and you're mainly talking about other things, except to admit that the people are 'a bit' (I would say profoundly) passive. Believe me, I love the scenery and the sushi too, but goddamn this place lonely.

In 7 years in Seattle, I've amassed a mess of friends and playmates. If you are lonely, expand your social horizons, initiate (lunches, coffees, games, dinners, whatever), rinse, repeat. I'm not excessively charming, so that's about the only thing I can attribute my not-remotely-loneliness to... I just worked at not being lonely.

Given how itinerant Seattle's population is, it seems strange to think that the people here are massively different in behavior cities of similar size.

I must suck at socializing a lot worse than I thought I did.

It's a skill, so you might suck. But it's possible you're just not doing the work. Be the guy who calls, hosts dinners, etc. If you DO suck, this will help with that too. :-)

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