So tired of living in the DC area. So sick of it. Warning..negative VENT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My point about the news is that trying to have a discussion with my Wisconsin relatives that involves actually knowing who some of the Cabinet level officers are in the current administration results in nothing but stares. Here you can discuss policy and who's doing what at the staff level and you feel right at home.

See now, THIS is exactly that kind of pompous ass attitude that makes this area depressing. And it's generational. What are you, PP, about 28? You work on the Hill or the Admin, right? And no one is as smart as you are, or as exceptional, except maybe the 31 yr old Chief of Staff who hired you and whose job you're vying for when she moves on to a private lobbying shop next April.

The thing that never occurs to this insufferable DC archetype is that it actually does not make you a better, a smarter, or -- brace yourself -- a more interesting person to know the inside baseball machinations of committee rewrites. It doesn't. It makes you different from your lowly Hapless Wisconsin Relatives, but not better. Worry not, some of them privately pity you precisely because of your douchenozzle superiority persona.

Knowledge of arcane policy points and loving Leinenkugel and cheese curds are not mutually exclusive. What's more, some persons who cannot name all nine Supreme Court justices actually have value. Really! It's just not their thoughts on strict constructionism, probably. When you are older and less self-enamored, you will realize this.

Thank you. You said, much more eloquently than I ever could, exactly what I was thinking about the PP and all others like her. This "I'm an insider and privy to something the peasantry isn't, thus, more intelligent, important and interesting" mentality makes me sick, too.

[Anonymous]

Love you, 12:27! You hit the nail on the head.

[Anonymous]

Here you can discuss policy and who's doing what at the staff level and you feel right at home.


The PP's tone was such that anyone who couldn't discuss policy "at the staff level" is a hillbilly of the worst sort. Talking about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is basic government. Other than knowing how your Representative is voting on the issue, lengthy discourse about the negotiations between Obama, and House Republicans is policy wonk stuff, not a demonstration of education or ignorance.

Exactly. Good distinction. There is a D.C. sort who can't get past that and who thinks everyone is "uninformed" and uninteresting if Grampa can't or won't engage in discourse on all the iterations of the bill that finally passed after being reconciled in committee.

Newsbreak: you are a tool. Grampa is too wise and too kind to say so. But I'll say it.

[Anonymous]

12:58, your family must think you're a pompous ass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:20:55 - honest reply, thank you. DH's family is Army. When people ask them where they are from, they (not so convincingly) declare "everywhere". You can tell they don't really believe it. It occurred to me that "nowhere" would logically make more sense. I think their perception ultimately bothers them. But they have other issues, too, like asocial tendencies. They have often come to encompass all that I hate about this area, so I try to see around them as much as possible. I never understood the passive aggressive (and sometimes not so much) pissing contest that is D.C.

It seems to me that if some people had anything to be happy about, they wouldn't be such a**holes. Such a shame. Life is too short!

I don't get it. First you stated (rather derisively) that they're from "nowhere" because they're Army. Then you stated that you don't like them because they (I guess) live here now. Then finally you just say that they are asocial. Is it just because they're your inlaws and plain and simple, you don't care for them?

FWIW, I grew up Army too and "everywhere" is more apt. Third culture kids know how to be resilient and bloom where they're planted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My impression of this thread:

Blah blah blah (suburban person from even smaller community complaining that DC is impersonal) followed by person from small community who recognizes that such places are provincial crapholes punctuated by occasional sensible comments pointing out that truly world-class cities are usually busier and often less personal than DC but that the preponderance of self-important one-track policy/politico wonks can be kinda' dull.

Cue outraged response from poster who cries out that Denver is hardly Mayberry (except that compared to the cultural capitals of the world it sort of is) and even she feels alienated here...

I lived in a REAL ACTUAL world-class city (Tokyo) and it was way nicer than DC. Sure, it has problems, but it was overall great. So is London (only lived there for a year, though, Jp for 10 years). DC is a little shithole fake city that I'm currently tolerating, but I agree 100% with OP. It sucks and everyone here is the worst. People are aggressively mean in a way I've never seen before.

Can't wait to move on myself! (Hopefully to Shanghai or Hong Kong next...).

Fortunately, when you move, DC will be much nicer.

[Anonymous]

To 12:27, you couldn't be more wrong!

"See now, THIS is exactly that kind of pompous ass attitude that makes this area depressing. And it's generational. What are you, PP, about 28? You work on the Hill or the Admin, right? And no one is as smart as you are, or as exceptional, except maybe the 31 yr old Chief of Staff who hired you and whose job you're vying for when she moves on to a private lobbying shop next April."

Wrong, I'm almost 50 and I've never worked on the Hill or for this or any other presidential administration. I just love policy. Of course my cousin who does sales and marketing for a small company has value. However, her conversation consists generally of talking about who the Packers are playing or who has a sale on petites. Nice, but not very stimulating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My point about the news is that trying to have a discussion with my Wisconsin relatives that involves actually knowing who some of the Cabinet level officers are in the current administration results in nothing but stares. Here you can discuss policy and who's doing what at the staff level and you feel right at home.

See now, THIS is exactly that kind of pompous ass attitude that makes this area depressing. And it's generational. What are you, PP, about 28? You work on the Hill or the Admin, right? And no one is as smart as you are, or as exceptional, except maybe the 31 yr old Chief of Staff who hired you and whose job you're vying for when she moves on to a private lobbying shop next April.

The thing that never occurs to this insufferable DC archetype is that it actually does not make you a better, a smarter, or -- brace yourself -- a more interesting person to know the inside baseball machinations of committee rewrites. It doesn't. It makes you different from your lowly Hapless Wisconsin Relatives, but not better. Worry not, some of them privately pity you precisely because of your douchenozzle superiority persona.

Knowledge of arcane policy points and loving Leinenkugel and cheese curds are not mutually exclusive. What's more, some persons who cannot name all nine Supreme Court justices actually have value. Really! It's just not their thoughts on strict constructionism, probably. When you are older and less self-enamored, you will realize this.

Yep. DC is a policy-wonk circle-jerk. They just can't see that, outside their bubble, people consider policy to be god-awfully boring.

Tell you what, wonks, why don't you improve the economy/education/infrastructure, and then I'll get interested in policy again, like I was when I was a naive fresh-faced girl who thought policy discussion meant, y'know, something would HAPPEN.

What are YOU interested in? Reality TV? I'm serious. I am a proud policy wonk. I consider most of popular culture "god-awfully boring" and superficial and meaningless to boot.

[Anonymous]

12:50, so what do you do - let your DH's dislike of traffic prevent you from going downtown? Take the metro with the kids!

"At the same time, it's refreshing to NOT have every dinner table conversation be about the implications of the south Sudan referendum for the rest of Africa and the MidEast. "

What do you talk about when you visit your relatives?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Here you can discuss policy and who's doing what at the staff level and you feel right at home.


The PP's tone was such that anyone who couldn't discuss policy "at the staff level" is a hillbilly of the worst sort. Talking about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is basic government. Other than knowing how your Representative is voting on the issue, lengthy discourse about the negotiations between Obama, and House Republicans is policy wonk stuff, not a demonstration of education or ignorance.

Exactly. Good distinction. There is a D.C. sort who can't get past that and who thinks everyone is "uninformed" and uninteresting if Grampa can't or won't engage in discourse on all the iterations of the bill that finally passed after being reconciled in committee.

Newsbreak: you are a tool. Grampa is too wise and too kind to say so. But I'll say it.

But I chose to be a "tool" and not be interested in cattle futures and whatever pro sports team is playing tonight. I choose to live somewhere where rush hour isn't over at 5:30. Besides, Grampa is a racist chauvinist pig who doesn't know whether to be embarrassed or proud that I make a lot of money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My point about the news is that trying to have a discussion with my Wisconsin relatives that involves actually knowing who some of the Cabinet level officers are in the current administration results in nothing but stares. Here you can discuss policy and who's doing what at the staff level and you feel right at home.

See now, THIS is exactly that kind of pompous ass attitude that makes this area depressing. And it's generational. What are you, PP, about 28? You work on the Hill or the Admin, right? And no one is as smart as you are, or as exceptional, except maybe the 31 yr old Chief of Staff who hired you and whose job you're vying for when she moves on to a private lobbying shop next April.

The thing that never occurs to this insufferable DC archetype is that it actually does not make you a better, a smarter, or -- brace yourself -- a more interesting person to know the inside baseball machinations of committee rewrites. It doesn't. It makes you different from your lowly Hapless Wisconsin Relatives, but not better. Worry not, some of them privately pity you precisely because of your douchenozzle superiority persona.

Knowledge of arcane policy points and loving Leinenkugel and cheese curds are not mutually exclusive. What's more, some persons who cannot name all nine Supreme Court justices actually have value. Really! It's just not their thoughts on strict constructionism, probably. When you are older and less self-enamored, you will realize this.

Yep. DC is a policy-wonk circle-jerk. They just can't see that, outside their bubble, people consider policy to be god-awfully boring.

Tell you what, wonks, why don't you improve the economy/education/infrastructure, and then I'll get interested in policy again, like I was when I was a naive fresh-faced girl who thought policy discussion meant, y'know, something would HAPPEN.

What are YOU interested in? Reality TV? I'm serious. I am a proud policy wonk. I consider most of popular culture "god-awfully boring" and superficial and meaningless to boot.

Not the PP you are addressing, but another who earlier mentioned her distaste for discussing policy. I am interested in science (physics and special relativity in particular), philosophy, and ancient history (my family and I have big debates on things like string theory and the Babylonians when I visit my hometown).

I think it's sad you assume all that don't enjoy policy are interested in banal garbage like reality TV. That is exactly the sort of attitude that others find insufferable, though, so you may want to examine your superiority complex with regards to your interest area and your automatic response based on the assumption of others' interests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But I chose to be a "tool" and not be interested in cattle futures and whatever pro sports team is playing tonight. I choose to live somewhere where rush hour isn't over at 5:30. Besides, Grampa is a racist chauvinist pig who doesn't know whether to be embarrassed or proud that I make a lot of money.

Sorry you have such personality and family issues. Seriously, sorry. You seem like a miserable person who has to defend to the last even the crappiest parts of her existence (who "chooses" a bad rush hour?).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12:50, so what do you do - let your DH's dislike of traffic prevent you from going downtown? Take the metro with the kids!

"At the same time, it's refreshing to NOT have every dinner table conversation be about the implications of the south Sudan referendum for the rest of Africa and the MidEast. "

What do you talk about when you visit your relatives?

Technology and medicine. Things you actually have to have an education to discuss (unlike politics).

[Anonymous]

It's really a shame that those of you who like to discuss science, technology and medicine need to live in DC and deal with all the negatives when you could be intellectually stimlulated living in Omaha, without the traffic and rude people. I hope for your sakes you can get out of DC very soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But I chose to be a "tool" and not be interested in cattle futures and whatever pro sports team is playing tonight. I choose to live somewhere where rush hour isn't over at 5:30. Besides, Grampa is a racist chauvinist pig who doesn't know whether to be embarrassed or proud that I make a lot of money.

Sorry you have such personality and family issues. Seriously, sorry. You seem like a miserable person who has to defend to the last even the crappiest parts of her existence (who "chooses" a bad rush hour?).

No, I'm not a miserable person, and I'm way too smart to sit in traffic for two hours every day just to commute to my job. I was using the "rush hour ends at 5:30" as an illustration of a place where not much is happening. Sorry I wasn't clear on that.