Review of Portland, Oregon


Disappointed
Star Rating - 3/7/2012
Well after 5 years of living here, I find myself disappointed by the people I meet. I've lived in other states and do not have trouble making friends. At first I thought the people here were just unique or 'eccentric'. Now I see that that is just a nice word for callous and unfriendly. I keep encountering people who claim to be liberal and for human rights etc, but are so cold and undependable in how they treat their friends or acquaintances! I don't get it! They're not just cautious, but suspicious of anyone who just says hi on the street, like you must be a serial killer if you acknowledge others. I'm not just talking a few times, this is a daily/weekly occurence for me and I'm pretty friendly and 'normal'. Perhaps too normal for this town. Go ahead and "keep Portland weird", but I'm heading for the south and some southern hospitality (and sunshine wouldn't hurt either). I guess I can only conclude it must be the 9 months of darkness that keeps people in their shell.
cj | Portland, OR
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4 Replies


I could not agree more. People are ridiculously suspicious of anything or anyone unfamiliar to them or that doesn't fit into their very narrow view of the world and how it should be. I've been here for six years and plan to get out as soon as possible. I am absolutely fed up with the attitudes around here. It seems like the more friendly you are, the more people hate you. It's a bizarre city, and not in a good way. It seems like natives think they're sitting on some secret treasure that the rest of the world wants to encroach upon and exploit. Not the case, Portland. Many other cities have gone through the popular "it" location for relocations from Cali, Texas, etc. You'll get over it. In the mean time, stop being rude. You're not preventing the influx.
Mark | Portland, OR | Report Abuse

I thought it was me!!! I moved here to hillsboro or five mil!es from Portland from NYC.. I was appalled by the rude people here! Blatant disrespect! New Yorkers get a bad rap! Believe it or not we are friendly! These people here the Portlandians look tight through you when you say hello if they even look at you! Well thank you for sharing... I feel better knowing its not blatant discrimination against my age or weight or my NYC twang!
Deb | Hillsboro, OR | Report Abuse

You are correct! The people of Portland, OR are ridiculously unfriendly even to each other. Nothing ever happens here because everyone hates each other because they cannot trust each other. I have never met a bunch of people more adept at lying, gossiping, harassing, annoying and generally being vile to other people. The TV Show Grimm has it down pat. Every other person in Portland is a monster and the other half are simply vile. To anyone thinking of relocating to Portland or, even worse, its suburbs should run fast in the opposite direction. There is true violence here. The bullying of children and adults is out of control and I would never place my children into the schools here. Portlanders, Oregonians in general, are rude because they know no other way to act. They are uneducated louts.
Ann | Portland, OR | Report Abuse

Just because people are unsocial don’t mean they are bad or unfriendly. If you want to make friends go to club. I’m from Texas and people are everywhere, I hate it. You and a million other want to do what you are doing today..not fun. BTW, I moved to TX when I was 22, I have lived there for 10 years. It’s HOT as Hell and the weather is HOT or Cold, no pretty fall autumn any where here. SO if people do not want to say hello big deal, I wouldn’t take it personal. Maybe you’re creepy? I don’t know.
angie | Waxahachie, TX | Report Abuse
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