The Economist reports that while Danes rank themselves on the happier end of the spectrum, immigrants to the country rank it 67th out of 67 countries surveyed in terms of ‘ease of finding friends.’ Norway didn’t fare much better at 66th. “Perhaps there is a darker side to hygge. One feature of Nordic culture popularized in recent years, hygge, has been pointed to as a potential cultural overhang that could have contributed to the Freeze. This made it very easy to replicate the way of life they’d come from, many aspects of which, like being slow to warm to new friends, have remained strong in the area. Industries were suited to their skills (logging and fishing) and winters were similar to home (long, dark, and wet). Seattle’s early history was shaped by Nordic immigrants who found a way of life similar to their home countries. Many people may not know the Freeze has been around much longer than most of us, with the earliest mentions dating back to the 1920s. But these factors ignore the darker, racist origins at play. Most residents agree three factors can be blamed for this local Freeze: our year-round gray weather, the city’s Nordic roots, and more recently, the invasion of Big Tech, which forever altered the previously relatively small city. It concludes the majority of Seattle residents as snobby, cold, unfriendly people with a fake-polite exterior.” It goes on to detail how locals relay this to transplants and newcomers, but, basically, Seattleites often don’t take to newcomers quickly, can be reluctant to make new friends, and tend to be purposely vague when making plans. There’s no official definition, but Urban Dictionary calls it “a social phenomenon commonly found in the Seattle area. First Things First: What Exactly Is the Seattle Freeze? Cultural factors are also at play, such as the city’s deep Scandinavian roots, as well as lesser-known racist origins of an ostensibly progressive city. Thanks to the booming tech industry, Seattle has become America’s fastest-growing city, a fact that is often blamed for the “Freeze.” But there’s more at play than resentment of change. the “Seattle Freeze,” can come as a surprise. If you’ve ever planned a trip (or a move) to the Emerald City, you may have been warned of the “Seattle Freeze.” The Pacific Northwest is often touted as a wonderland oasis of lush green forests, wild coasts, and mountains apt for exploring, but the often frosty reception from locals toward transplants and newcomers, a.k.a.
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