Should it be THIS bad

In my current shop, the newsroom is soo unfriendly. I just had a lady walk by my desk just to put two faxes in my mailbox. She then walked back by my desk to return to her seat.
Shit like that happens all the time with everyone. Nobody seems to want to say normal things like "hi," "good morning," or any of that shit. There's no socialization.
I realize I've been fortunate in a lot of the newsrooms I've worked at, where it was more like a family. Everyone was friends, we might get a brew after work.
Guess I'm just wondering if this is the norm for most of you, or a sign that I made a bad choice in working here.

 

Did you say "Good morning" or "Thanks" to her?

 

Normally I say good morning to everyone I come across. But most people don't even do that much. I see people walk into the office and they just look grumpy.
But to answer your question, I said good morning to her when I came in, but didn't say thank you about putting the item in my mailbox because I didn't want to come off as a smartass, since she walked by my desk twice to put it there.

 

Riddick, I've been there. The last place I worked, the night shift, which crossed over with the day shift for about two hours a day, called the newsroom The Morgue.

It was horrible.

 

I asked because from your original post, it sounded like she didn't exchange pleasantries with you, but you made no mention of your behavior. Just wanted to clarify.

and, for the record, my office is like Cheers. I walk in and everyone shouts "Idaho!!!!" Then a cold Diet Coke comes sliding across the desk.

 

Most of my friends here are in the newsroom in a variety of sections ... which is why I really struggle to get work done here sometimes.

 

My current shop is like a morgue, a somewhat friendly morgue, but still a morgue. Before that, I was at a trade paper and the bosses dealt with each other like they were The Kramdens. My best times as far as shop climate was in college when I worked as a clerk in the sports department of a 7-day 100,000 daily. The place was separate from the newsroom and it was lively and friendly.

 

Well, every shop I worked at in the past, it was a very friendly environment. I stay in touch with a couple of people from each gig.
Here, I just don't see that happening. People quit, and there isn't any type of going away lunch. I'm not at a big shop or anything, but the last two people who quit in the newsroom, i didn't even know their names until they left.
I know when I leave here, I won't talk to any of these people again. And for some reason, that just seems weird.

 

That's nothing. My last shop. I didn't get a tour. Wasn't introduced to ANYONE - I mean NO ONE. My SE showed me where the bathroom and kitchen was. That was my tour of the place.

If that's how new hires are brought on board, it's no wonder no one ever talked.

 

What's going down, Mr. Peterson?

Let's talk about what's going IN Mr. Peterson.

one of the greatest lines ever.

 

This is absolutely the case around my shop.
Not to this extreme, maybe, but a real kind of un-newsroom quiet.

 

I was hired as an SE at a small paper. One where everyone should know everyone. I saw my publisher only twice during my first three months on the job and she never really bothered to introduce herself to me until the annual company picnic 10 months after I had taken the job. And then it was only to ask my wife for some free medical advice.