Why so many negative posts about "the DC area"?

[Anonymous]

I've seen no less than 10-15 posts today about how horrible the people and life are in this area. All the negativity gets really annoying sometimes. It's so interesting to me that the people with such negative views generally aren't from here (hence the hatred for the area) and in turn are the same ones creating the very atmosphere they're complaining about. I was born and raised in NOVA so I am very partial to this area. I know it has it's flaws, but for some reason I don't see all the rude, self centered people EVERYWHERE that everyone's always complaining about (among other things). Which leads me to believe that people will find whatever it is that they're looking for. Stop ascribing all the horrible behavior to "the DC area" as if you aren't now a part of what makes this area what it is.

[Anonymous]

I was thinking the same thing as I was raking my front steps and porch and talking to my nice neighbors whose company I enjoy.

It's a perfectly pleasant place to live. I will never figure out the posts I see here.

[Anonymous]

That's all very nice and well, but could it be that some people have had different experiences then you have through no fault of their own? Just think about it-the OP's wasn't very nice and could be considered illustrative of the very posts they object to-people from out of town who bring their bad attitudes with them? WTF?

[Anonymous]

I have never really posted anything negative about this area, and I think there are a ton of nice people here and great things about it, but I definitely get fed up with certain things and I assume other people do too. Mainly for me, it's that the many people make for crowding, lines, wait lists, traffic, etc.

And the big one for me, people can definitely be rude. I'm the first person to admit I'm oversensitive, but I've definitely had my day almost ruined (I say almost because I can usually talk myself down) by strangers being so, so blatantly rude. Not saying everyone around here is rude or even most people, just that this area (the crowding, traffic, overall anxiety) can make people having a bad day take it out on strangers, and it sucks.

In my hometown, where I grow up and go visit, it is just not like that as much.

Overall though, I love the job opportunities here, and I love that there are a lot of intelligent, ambitious people around. Especially being a WM, I don't feel weird whereas in my hometown, a lot of friends from high school did the SAHM route. Nothing wrong with that, but there are so many WMs here I don't feel out of place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's all very nice and well, but could it be that some people have had different experiences then you have through no fault of their own? Just think about it-the OP's wasn't very nice and could be considered illustrative of the very posts they object to-people from out of town who bring their bad attitudes with them? WTF?

I think you misunderstood what I was saying. There is no way I would move to another town, live there miserably, and constantly bash the people and the way of life. It's offensive, and dare I say rude, to the people that live there and call it home. I grew up here and so I know tons of people that have lived here their whole lives. They're just not as upset as the people that move here seem to think everyone is. We don't go around looking for rude, nasty people. Therefore I hardly ever see any. But this may be because I'm a huge believer in perception shaping experience. I'm guilty of it as well sometimes. I visit New Orleans several times a year and I think the people in that city are incredibly nice. So when I go down there, that's ALL I see.

I'm in no way complaining about all the people that move here from other cities and countries. They are the very reason I won't live anywhere else. I just get tired of the "only in DC" mantra. I've seen it all over DCUM today and sometimes the DC area bashing gets to me.

[Anonymous]

Do they bash you?

Not everyone thinks D.C. is the end of the rainbow. But as long as they are not talking about you, I don't see your point.

[Anonymous]

OP, I wholeheartedly agree with you about perception shaping experience. I love it here. I'm not from here, and I love my home a little bit more just because of loyalty, but this feels like home to me now too. I love our neighborhood and I see a lot of friendliness on a daily basis. Sure, some people are rude, but that's true everywhere. I think it's a great place to live.

I do think DCUM is much meaner and more negative than the actual DC population, by a large margin. It's not reflective of real life.

[Anonymous]

I think you generally find more negative, mean spirited and rude people in large metropolitan areas where there's a lot of competition and people are independent and disconnected.

[Anonymous]

People would rather shoot you the bird than say hello around here. I have been here three years and definitely think it is the rudest place I've ever lived (and I have lived many places). We've lived in two noVA locations and no one speaks to each other - it's unreal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Do they bash you?

Not everyone thinks D.C. is the end of the rainbow. But as long as they are not talking about you, I don't see your point.

Haha, that's exactly what I'm talking about. Who said everyone thinks DC is the end of the rainbow? It's offensive to move to an area an proceed to bash the hell out of the people that live there. Why do so many people here do that? And then wonder why they only see rude, mean people everywhere?

[Anonymous]

I grew up outside of the D.C. area in a nice affluent suburb...similar demographic to say Chevy Chase, DC. In 25 years of living there, my parents still don't know their neighbors. Here, I know just about everyone on our block. Some people may think D.C. residents are rude, but it can be worse elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

The other thing about the "D.C." area is that it means so many things to so many people. I've heard people refer to Dale City, Virginia as being part of the "D.C." area. I've lived in Upper NW, DC for 10 years and I have no F'ing clue where Dale City is...

Some transplants will always just prefer their home towns. Others came here for a reason, which as the PP notes is because it can be a lot worse in other places.

Personally, I love the part of D.C. where I live and I wouldn't trade it for the world...unless we could afford to just drop everything and move to Paris to live as ex-pats.

[Anonymous]

On any given day this area sucks monkey balls.

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of wonderful people here. We love our block and our neighbors. We have great friends and enjoy the beauty and experiences of this city.

But there are a lot of jerks here too. In addition to the lovely people, there are the uber-competitive parents (don't have that to nearly the same extent where I'm from) and the pseudosophisticates who look down on the rest of America. That can be hard to stomach.

On the friendly front, I think people are pretty friendly here for a city -- much friendlier than Boston, where I spent several years.

[Anonymous]

I love living in NW DC. Aside from a few rude drivers and unhelpful DC bureaucrats, the only truly annoying or inconsiderate people I encounter are on DCUM.