I think what you're seeing is more a function of self-selection and the internet than Arlington. Raging moderates don't tend to post as much and certainly not with as much hyperbole. That's true just about everywhere, not just on Arlnow.  Furthermore the internet brings out the worst in people, especially places that allow anonymous posting. (Anonymous posting has a lot of value but alas it does give people license to be assholes.)

So please don't take what you see here as all representative of Arlington. I've lived in lots of places in several different states and I love it here. 

Reasonable post.

I know people who only read the articles and skip the snark.  That is healthy but sometimes there is good stuff in there.

Keyboards are the danger.  People hide behind them.  This online forum isn't all that different than others.  Think of the bell curve — only the ends of the bell curve tend to routinely post here.

It would appear that some people also make posts just to incite others.  Sometimes even for good reason.

Arlington is the best place in the world.  Enjoy it.

First of all, welcome to Arlington.  It's an interesting place to live, with lots and lots to offer, and I hope you enjoy your stay here no matter how long it is.  I've lived here for more than 30 years, and although I never intended to stay here this long, it's now home to me and my family.

You asked a long question, and deserve a long (and hopefully thoughtful) response.  John Kennedy once described Washington as a "city of southern efficiency and northern charm."  You may be running into some of that charm here in this forum.  I tend to agree with yequalsy — that there is a self-selection at work here, and that raging moderates tend not to post; or if they do, that their posts aren't quite as lively (read vitriolic) as some of the others.

With that being said, for better or for worse, a large part of our identity in Arlington is our proximity to Washington, which implicates politics.  We're the home of Congressmen and Senators; one of your neighbors may be writing the legislation to extend the payroll tax holiday for the House Ways and Means Committee or the Senate Finance Committee.  Others may serve in the Foreign Service, or hold a position in one of the cabinet departments or independent agencies in the government.  In some respects it's hard to separate Arlington from Washington; and in fact, until the passage of the Retrocession Act of 1846, Arlington was part of the original District of Columbia.  And because of our proximity to, and association with, Washington, we probably have a disproportionate number of people here who are interested in, and perhaps involved with, politics.

But in addition to the political types, there are plenty of other smart, interesting people who live here.  I remember back when one of my kids was on one of our many soccer teams, and among the parents were two professional economists.  I was standing with them on the sidelines during a game, listening as they held an informed discussion about the economic problems in Argentina, and I thought to myself just how remarkable this was, and how lucky we are, to have such people as friends and neighbors.  Had we been on a sideline in any other part of the country, what are the chances that two of my son's team mates had fathers who were trained economists, and interested enough in international economics to have this conversation?

And although some of the posters bring an attitude to this site, I've noticed on more than one occasion the same kind of thing here — that there are a remarkable number of posts that are well-written; that are informed; and that are civil too.  I tend to avoid reading, and certainly don't respond to, the more provocative posts — I'm not going to change anyone's mind, and why get into an argument on the Internet?  But if you separate the wheat from the chaff there is often some good stuff posted here.  You'll recognize soon enough which posters have something meaningful to contribute and which are the Internet arsonists with a ready supply of gasoline.

So welcome to Arlington!  It's a great place to live, and if you tire of what the immediate area has to offer there is plenty more around us — the beach is only a couple of hours away; same thing for the mountains; Civil War battlegrounds; Broadway — whatever floats your boat.  Hope you enjoy your stay here, whether it's measured in years, decades, or however long you're with us.

courthound said:

Maybe it's something about the political client or the election season. It's not just here but several places around the country people are less tolerant of others.

Call them what you want but there are going to be a-holes, d-bags and jerks in every bunch. They eventually become laughable.

Welcome to Arlington. It is a great place to live. So much so my wife and I moved away and pined every day to move back, which we finally did.

Have a nice long stroll on our bike paths then some chicken at El Pollo Rico, a Monday night 1/2 price burger at Whitlows, a beer at Galaxy Hut, stop by District Taco and enjoy some good music at Iota. There's a lot to love about this county; don't let a few jerks make you think the entire county is as polarized as these message boards.

Very good points made here. I would also add (this is for you, ARLnew) that you are living in an area where people tend to be in a rushed, impatient state of mind. With that, people will often forget about (or completely disregard) being polite and even-headed as they instead focus solely on their end goal (drivers/cyclists/pedestrians getting to/from work, customers waiting in line, commuters getting to the Metro station, anyone on the sidewalk, the list goes on). You should be aware of that and be patient, anticipate when someone is going to be rude, and be able to speak up or be proactive should there be a problem so that you are not taken advantage of (or in short: be patient, conscious, and assertive).

As a lifetime (minus a few years in college) resident, I can attest that you will find areas (bars, cafes, parks, etc.) where people are polite. You just won't be able to hear them as much because being loud can be rude

redstang423 said:

DSS10 said:

2) Washington is a southern town and in southern culture there is a saying "right church, wrong pew." Everything from from where you work to where you live is ranked, evaluated, and judged by others. You just don't see this in the west and northeast as much as it is ingrained in Washing culture.

Is this a southern thing, or a city thing? I grew up in the north, a little over an hour away from Boston. I didn't see the ranking/judging in my area for the most part, but you go in Boston and sure seemed to. Same thing with NYC, Philly, and LA. I haven't spent enough time in other cities, especially in the south, to have any other points of comparison.

I worked in New York, Stamford Ct, and had an Office in Boston. Yes there is some ranking/rating but I yet to see it as prevalent and pervasive as it is here. If you ever worked in the financial world you will know that there is a wide variety of people who work in the industry some blue collar and very liberal and some very blue blood and Conservative and at the end of the day its the person who took the most risk and made the most reward who wins. I don't see that here, instead its people asking where I went to school and where I live…..