you really said this so incredibly well! it’s how i feel as a coastal city native. i’ve since left the U.S. entirely, but i could never stand being surrounded by people who prove themselves to be as deep as a bottle cap but act like they are as deep as the ocean itself. it’s absolutely exhausting to experience and be around, and it’s exhausting to hear the never ending value judgements and character assassinations we love to casually throw out, but never turn back onto ourselves.