talk radio opinions- SF Friendliness
I’m driving a long haul in a feeble car. To distract myself, perhaps, I start getting really engrossed in this talk radio show. The DJ asks: “If SF is supposedly so diverse, why won’t anyone look me in the eye?” Having done some research, I think it’s this show: John & Jeff. The time slot says it should be Tom & Brad, but I remember the DJ’s name as John. I don’t know what diversity has to do with it- from the responses everyone seems to think he asked simply if SF was friendly. He works at Sansome & Broadway (CBS radio station, I believe.)
Call in responses after the jump.
First lady that I hear, responded (paraphrased): “SF is weird. We’re all strange, and it’s tribal. It’s segregated- you’ll only talk to those people who are from your neighborhood.”
Second guy- paraphrased too: “I’m from SF and I think the Dot-Commers ruined it. They’re all computer people and because they’re online, they forgot how to smile at people, shake hands, say hi, etc.”
Third guy (love this one): “It’s liberal condescension. They don’t want you to hold the door for them because they wanted to hold it for you and look down on you. It’s a kind of social striving to give the most charitable donations, but treat real people like shit.”
Believe it or not, the third guy was rated the “best response so far” by the host/DJ!
Ah, one of those huge generalizing questions with open-ended answers. It says so much about the folks who called in!
1st lady- Ex-boyfriend told her never to visit Lower Haight again, and to consider it “his territory.”
2nd guy- Can’t figure out how to view an attachment.
3rd guy- His application to the Olympic club was rejected due to an overwhelming admittance of Peace Corps alumni
DJ: Has a crush on a barista in the Starbucks downstairs but she won’t give him the time of day.
Irony:
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Third guy (love this one): “It’s liberal condescension. They don’t want you to hold the door for them because they wanted to hold it for you and look down on you. It’s a kind of social striving to give the most charitable donations, but treat real people like shit.”
Believe it or not, the third guy was rated the “best response so far” by the host/DJ!
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I’m afraid your sentence–believe it or not–exemplified “liberal condescension.” :P
As far as the topic of their conversation, “Why will anyone not look me in the eye?”
I think people are afraid that some coked out white junkie–or basically any black guy–might beat them down if eye contact is made.
I missed the part where the question asker defined him/herself as being either coked out, or black. But I don’t know the talk show hosts, I guess.
And I’m white (well, half) and people rarely look me in the eye either. Of course, if they did, I’d probably beat them down.
Okay, seriously, my philosophy is that the more densely packed in people are, the more they rely on emotional distancing – not making eye contact, not touching, not enaging – to define their ‘space’. I’ve had the same experience in NYC, Chicago, Frankfurt, even Savannah, where ‘southern hospitality’ is put on a back burner when you’re in the ‘deep urban’.
I’m currently on a trip to Boston and I have been absolutely floored by how friendly people are here. I haven’t been to any big cities other than SF (except Honolulu and LA, which dont really count). What the hell is up with SF? In Boston people dont honk at jaywalkers and people say excuse me when they bump into you, to name a couple of things. Its like being on a different planet!
Well I think Sep. 11 fucked all of our mentalities I don’t care what anybody says.
This is weird- I walked by a guy yesterday at Sansome & Broadway, and because I knew it was near Live 106, I tried to get his eye to say “Hi”. It was extremely hard and basically I wasn’t able to do it. Then, as he turned away, I saw his shirt… LIve 106. There. So they’ve either givenup on being friendly, or they weren’t friendly to begin with. If someone from Live 106 is reading this- I was the girl in the red sweatshirt yesterday around 6pm.
I also think that it differs based upon WHERE you are in the city. Financial District? No eye contact. Noe Valley? Smiles and hellos. Castro at midnight on a Saturday? Street corner french kissing. (Maybe that last one is just my experience…)
For the commenter in Boston – that is a total party town! Pour 6-7 colleges into a tight maze of restaurants and bars, and you’ll get a LOT of eye-contact (esp. of the wink-wink variety!) Add in the holiday season, and PRESTO! uber friendly city!