Do you live in a place where people say hello to strangers?

Or in a place where people avoid all acknowledgment of each other?

Which do you prefer?

I've lived where I was invisible walking down the street, it got a little lonely.

I had a pleasant conversation with a total stranger in the ice cream isle yesterday and it really felt good.

Sometimes I like that, and other times I don't.

It is just way too weird.



But the Ben & Jerry's was on sale. I was buying about 10 pints so I was concentrating on just the right ones.

She said she was going to be home alone for the night and although she doesn't usually eat she was looking for something very chocolaty. It's nice when you're not afraid of telling a stranger that you'll be home alone.
I suggested my favorite.

This one is my favorite:


I do wish I could be more extroverted sometimes. It can be lonely this way.

Unless Jon ate it at 2 AM. :) It's a nice surprise for everyone when there's a sale.


I really am very shy until I get to know someone but I'm pushing myself out into the world because I know I'm missing too much of life. I wouldn't be heading west if I didn't have DU friends to visit. All of my bags might be unpacked before Thanksgiving. :)

I can never seem to figure that out. I do just fine on DU where I'm anonymous, but in the real world it can just be painful at times.

The answer: Until it becomes too painful.

The only way to push_past_the_shyness is to just do_it.


I agree with you, it's often painful reaching out when you're shy. The only answer I can honestly offer you is that sometimes it's more painful to be alone than to take the risk of meeting someone new. No matter what happens you will still be who and what you are. and We will still be here for you to chat with.

but not usually.

Towns and cities are very lonely places.

Mine seems lonely now, but it didn't before.

To not say, "Buon giorno," would be considered rude. But to say, "Ciao!" to a stranger or an older person is also considered rude. I learned that the hard way. If you say, "Ciao!" to enough people who reply, "Buon giorno," you get the mesage eventually. :blush:

:hug:

What does "buon giorno" mean? Good day?

And after 5 p.m., you're supposed to say, "Buona sera." ("Good evening.") Needless to say, I had a _lot_ to learn. "Hi!" is sort of a 24/7 greeting. :rofl:

:D

Just like Bon Jour in French of Buenas Dias (sp) in Spanish.

have a lake house in Alabama, which must be the friendliest place I've ever been.

Where my parents live people say hello to everyone. It can actually be disconcerting at times. :D

In the village most people say good morning to most other people when passing.

I much prefer it - life becomes so impersonal without it.

avoid unnecessary contact. Because of that I think I've grown to prefer anonymity.

I suppose it's okay for others to dispense with the common courtesies; it only reinforces how degenerated society is becoming.

:(

and when driving on lonely country roads we raise the index finger off the steering wheel as we go past each other...that way we still keep both hands on the wheel in the curves

Or would you rather have something more familiar, or more anonymous?

invasion of privacy. We know each other is there if needed but, as it appears that everything is okay we can just go on about our way.

It's not often you can find a happy medium like that.

Once you get outside the neighborhood, not so much.

I've noticed that it can be that way in the suburbs.

We're less than five miles from the metro center, and still in the city, so not really a "burb," but it's a neighborhood with yard type of place, not "urban" landscape proper.

We all see each other out in the yard gardening, lol. :D

and strangers will stop you in the grocery store to talk about organic soy yogurt. :hi:

:hi:

Well, it does sometimes when you run into a particularly friendly person.

Maybe it's just the early morning grocery shopping crowd?

:D

People here are fairly friendly. I guess it's the Southern hospitality.

:P

we avoid acknowledgement partially because there are so many cultures represented around here, everybody is a little uncomfortable because you don't really know what is and isn't traditional. We really do not have a common reference, even the white folks are from all over the place.....

I've lived in parts of the South where cultural norms have been formed over decades so there are rules for acknowledging strangers that most of the strangers understand and I have participated.

I prefer living in places where the cultural norms are constantly in flux - you may think folks are rude, but they're probably just being respectful.

It is quite similar in Baltimore.

Everyone waves to everyone, says hello, etc. We get a lot of cyclists up here and tourists wanting to see the quaint mountain towns. It's really nice, and a big change of pace from the large cities I've lived in. Went riding on a mountain bike trail yesterday and every cyclist we met said hello.

We're in a residential neighborhood in small town Connecticut. People are fairly friendly, but folks don't go out of their way to be friendly... everybody waves when they drive by, or whatnot.

My wife & I aren't home enough to get out & meet all the neighbors, though.

there's only about 10 seperate suites in my block, but the people who I've run into in the halls, on the way to the laundry room, etc, have all smiled and said hello to me.

it's refreshing. :)

Every once in a while, I run into a friendly person, usually elderly, who talks to people. For the most part, though, I feel anonymous. It is a fairly small town, but I am an outsider. Most people have lived here or within a a 30 mile radius their entire lives.
I have anxiety problems so it is probably better that way, but I'd sort of like to be part of a community.

NO they don't. In fact I had to learn to stop smiling when I walk around town because guys thought I was flirting with them. No one in California ever thought I was trying to get picked up when I would just generally smile. Let alone saying hello to people, gawd forbid.

I do smile at old people and small children though.

I think it goes somewhat with being a tourist destination.

I thought they wanted something. That's what happens when your city is full of de-institutionalized schizophrenics...

But contrary to all popular opinion, people in Philadelphia do talk to one another all the time - you just have to be in a situation where people know you're not crazy/scamming them. People at the ballpark get into conversations, or people in stores. I always chat with other people in the elevator of our building, even though I don't know or recognize any of them (big building - 26 floors - each a different company or companies)

NYC: I like that people leave each other alone. So does my bf.

Sometimes, if we're in central park and playing catch, we'll run into some cool people and we'll talk. But I'm not real big on talking to strangers out of formalities; if something catches my eye, I'll bring it up and have a good conversation.

In Boston, people just plain won't make eye contact. Honestly, it doesn't bother me. I'm too much of an urbanite.

There are so many people you're forced to ignore most that you pass by. I like how friendly small towns are where the old guys always wave, even if you've never been to town before.

=0

;)

Its an old E.S.T. thing..

Of course in the country here(Iowa) I wave at everybody in the passing cars and they usually wave back.. But not in other states though, very strange..

but not people cutting through. Yeah, it's suburban.

I prefer medium-sized cities, where I can ignore people I am just passing by, but where it's not so socially cold and distant that it would be strange to talk to someone waiting in line at the coffee shop. That's the dotted line down the center of my comfort zone.

I find strangers often speak to each other here. Not a long conservation but a friendly hello or good morning is common. Some people in line at a store will carry on a conversation with strangers. In fact we can usually recognize the out of area people because they look at us like we are freaks when we do it. :rofl:

If you're on a country road, almost every driver will nod their head or wave in greeting. My relatives from the east once remarked that I sure knew a lot of people, everyone we passed on the road had waved at me. When in town we will wave a thank you to drivers who let us in traffic when exiting parking lots.

I know a lot of people here bash Oklahoma but I find Okies to be genuinely friendly, for the most part. I wouldn't want to live in a place where strangers ignored each other. It would seem so cold to me.

It freaked me out at first, but I really like it now.

"Minnesota Nice" in action.

the street that I live on...very few people know their neighbours...or even acknowledge them. :(

Sometimes in grocery store lineups, in parks, etc people will talk to each other. It's a mixed bag, and it all depends who you bump into. I talk to strangers, store clerks, etc.

But in a city this size, almost everyone is a stranger...

Seriously.

One of the reasons I don't really want to leave the South, despite all the bubbas. :)

I have real conversations with total strangers at least three times a day.

Thanks everyone. :hi:

It's nothing unusual to speak to people you don't know here.

We were still living in FL when we came here to visit. Mr 'pede had never been here before. I went into a store while hubby, who was still smoking at the time and is originally from Queens, stayed outside for a cig break. He said a cowboy (well a guy with a cowboy hat and boots) came out, tipped his hat and said "afternoon, sir." When I came out hubby told me about it and said he'd like to had a heart attack.