why a place like Edinburgh is socially better than a place like London

[gusl]

The reason why a place like Edinburgh is socially better than a place like London:

If you live in London, you need to belong to some sort of club, or be friends with your colleagues from work. Otherwise you need to make an effort to meet new people and keep in touch with the people you meet. Unless a friendship develops rightaway (very rare), it's a big effort to meet up with people. This also creates a pressure about asking people out.

If you live in Edinburgh, you are very likely to live in the center. You're more likely to bump into the same people again and again, and it's much easier to invite someone to lunch, and to keep in touch with them even if you make no effort at all. You get to be familiar with the whole city quickly, and feel at home more easily. Edinburgh must be more like my Bucknell experience, but with a much bigger and more adult population.

Also, Edinburgh has a strong demographic filter towards highly-educated people, especially in the sciences.

This is a bit counterintuitive to me, especially if you think that London has a greater total number of interesting people.

Comments

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

Also, the English in Oxford don't make eye contact with most people walking down the street. I could always spot the foreigners based on that alone.

I wonder if this cultural trait translates into low social self-esteem when the English go live elsewhere. Likewise for their humility: if English people never boast, how do they function among Italians?

I also wonder how it develops. Do they oppress their children?

[radiantsun.livejournal.com]

I noticed in Oxford that the English I got along with best had been to America.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

what were you doing there, btw?

did you notice the snobbishness people talk about?

[radiantsun.livejournal.com]

Incredible snobbishness. I was there in 99 for 4 months on a study abroad program.

Basically it seems like there is this really old fued between the uni people and the town people and if you aren't already accepted by one group, they both shun you and the group you're not a part of.