So with one crazy weather phenomena after another, Seattlelites are getting a little dull. It's getting so all anyone wants to talk about any more is the weather. First there was the endless snow. Then there was snow again (though I guess only briefly). Now there is the incessant torrential downpour and wind.
I went and got my hair done today and literally, every hairdresser/client combo had a weather/what I did during the snow conversation. And I will certainly include myself in that frenzy. I had the same conversation with my lady. And when I over heard others having the conversation, I was just about ready to jump on in with my own, rather boring, addition to the what I did in the snow story.
I know this isn't merely a Seattle experience. How many times have you been around someone and spoken about the weather, just to be talking. I remember one time I was speaking to a work friend and she had just gotten back from Ireland. Somehow the only thing I could manage to question her about in the minute I had before the elevator arrived was to ask after the weather. She went to a foreign country, there has to be more to talk about than the weather. Combine our usual weather small talk with real extreme weather, and certainly what else could on even think about.
So is this an American thing, thing endless weather obsession? Or a universal human experience? Maybe from way back in the day the weather has had (and still does have to some extent) such a huge impact on our daily lives and lively hood, that we are programed to discuss it. Or maybe some evolutionary track has made it more successful for those who excel at small talk. They move to the top of the evolutionary chain. (I could see that, those better at small talk are more successful in society and more likely to be helped or saved if there are issues???).
Anyhow I'm moving a bit far afield, but perhaps I'm just explaining why my blog, like the rest of this city has gotten stuck on the weather. Anyhow, I must go now, I'm off to pair up the animals for the ark.
1 comment:
I too have become a weather talker. Sometimes one just can't help it, we all live in the weather, right? Lately, I even try to participate cheerfully in the incredulously-intoned "Did you ride your bike today?!??!" question that I get every day. Working with 1,500 people allows for one person per day to see me in the elevator, for the first time in weeks, and ask me about my commute. Now here's the funny part. If I'm bored in the elevator trying to pass the time until floor five, I'll start talking about why I did or didn't ride my bike. Of my own volition! Yes, it's what we do to get along.
Although I will add that I've lost sense of when people think the weather is or isn't good--it can be sunny and 32 and a beautiful ride, and someone will still act like it's a terrible weather day.
I like your potential economic theories here. Something for the Freakonomics blog, for sure.
Suzanne
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