I trudged into the dimly lit gin mill on Capitol Hill and peered around apprehensively , hop to find a few smiling faces . The long , wooden tables were packed with a mélange of people . Most of them were millennials , but a few older multitude were peppered in amongst the ocean of gabardine shirt and spring beer . I was about to wager trivia with penis of the Seattle Anti - Freezers , a 9,000 - somebody mathematical group that host events for those trying to ticktock the legendary Seattle Freeze . And although I came to wreak trivium , I had an ulterior need . I needed to find out a couple of thing .
1 . What just is the Seattle Freeze?2 . Is it really that bad ?
The Seattle Freeze is a complicated issue , and one that impart up a cascade of emotions from raw occupier and diehard Seattleites alike . The musical theme behind the term is that starter to the urban center often experience difficulty making friends and maintaining relationship because of a general want of interestingness from others . masses are frigid , standoffish , and flaky . And if you ’ve been in Seattle for more than a week , you ’ve get wind the term thrown around at the position or a corner bar more than once . There ’s no abnegate it , the Seattle Freeze is at least comprehend to be a tangible affair . So why is Seattle different than New York City or Los Angeles when it issue forth to creating new relationships , you ask ? Is every stranger just a disinterested human , frozen solid in their Patagonia jacket and courier bags ?
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What we did n’t share in experience was made up for by one thing : we all agreed that the Seattle Freeze is incontrovertibly real .
The first table I draw close was full . Was I being frozen out of this anti - freeze effect ? I eventually stop up at a mesa with five other strangers , and we quickly named our team “ Quiz in my Pants . ” Good , right ? We were a divers chemical group of someone – one guy worked at Amazon , there was a student , a freelance videographer , and a consultant , and each of us had last in Seattle for different lengths of time . What we did n’t share in experiences was made up for by one thing : we all agreed that the Seattle Freeze is incontrovertibly genuine .
I ask each person what they thought about the phenomenon . A man cite Rick share a news report about how his across - the - hall neighbor move out without saying a news even though they ’d nonchalantly known each other for a year . Another one of my teammates said he ’s been going to the same yoga social class for eight class and he ’s never interact with anyone other than with an episodic “ Have a nice daytime . ” Around the board I cash in one’s chips , person after soul , and everyone had a exchangeable story of feel the pall .
Interestingly enough , there ’s data to back up the mind that Seattle is n’t the friendliest city . A 2014 report from the Seattle CityClub showed that Seattle range 48 out of 50 likewise sized cities for “ talking with neighbor frequently , ” and 37 in “ give or receiving favour with neighbor often . ” The oldest consultation that I could find online about the Seattle Freeze fare from a 2005Seattle Timesarticle . But as KUOW head out , a musical composition from 1946 in theSeattle Daily Timesspoke of the ice cold reception newcomers welcome :
“ It was revealed what we had indeed suspect – that newcomers do not always find us altogether perfect ; that we sometimes are neglectful of the alien in our midst ; that we seem unduly preoccupied with our own local worry . ”
So there you have it . The Seattle Freeze , circa 1946 .
Being nice ( or at leastactingnice ) is an arithmetic mean when you develop up in Texas like I did . There ’s a bless - your - heart mentality that you simply ca n’t get out . People open doorway , ask round you to the local potluck dinner , and you ca n’t make it a few feet at the high school football game game without break into someone you know . And while this good sense of residential area is refreshing at times , it can be downright tiring for anyone remotely introverted . I had heard of the Seattle Freeze during my inquiry before moving here a couple years ago , and I was untrusting of what I might find . But when I get here – if I ’m being completely good – I do it it .
The pressure sensation to make modest talk on the bus or answer to that Facebook effect was completely go . I could come out in my headphones , go to piece of work , follow home , and not feel guilty about not grab deglutition with my coworkers at the end of the day . They had their busy liveliness and I had mine , so there was an sympathy . We were n’t being rude to each other ; we were just being selective about our social interactions . you’re able to be indisputable that if you make a booster in Seattle , they are a true Quaker . The fake justness are proceed , and if they ’re hang out with you , it is because they really require to .
And is n’t that the great affair about the Seattle Freeze ? After a few month , I was able to work a penny-pinching Seattle family – a Quaker group that I know assess me for who I am , and not because of a social computer code . They had the opportunity to immobilize me , but they did n’t . And that ’s just the direction it is .
As for my unexampled trivia friends ? They postulate me , as I leave for my base on balls home , if I ’d ever be back . I thought about it for a second and joked that it would be a proficient direction to end this adventure by never seeing them again .
So that ’s exactly what I did . They ’ll empathise .
