I’ve lived in Portland for about 17 years. In that time, I moved for work to places like Texas and gasp, even California. Something has really stuck out in my time back in the Portland area, how fucking rude people are when you pass them by. Now, I’m not from the South or California. I’m from the middle. And, in the middle I was taught a very valuable lesson called how to be casually polite. It was taken to an entirely new level in Texas, and even existed in, gasp, California. Listen up hipsters. This one is for you. When you are walking past someone, it’s okay to make eye contact and say hello. The person you are passing will probably not bite, hit on you, or even want to be your bestie. If you are too shy or introverted, how about “mouthing” hello. No actual words need to come out of your mouth. But jesus, how hard is it to be polite. I know, I know. You came here to escape all the rule and societal constraints that you were forced by your families to have when you lived where ever you are originally from. So here, you are free to be an asshat. Yea, I get it. But, get over yourself. Saying hello to someone won’t put cooties on your fedora. Think of it as a way to but the C back in community.