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Old 01-20-2011, 12:09 PM
 
2,656 posts, read 510,955 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Knax View Post
Ughhhh, this has nothing to do with being rude or anything. It's simply a DIFFERENT culture. Americans do it, some do not. That dosen't mean they are rude or not as polite. It's simply not deemed necessary in their culture. Just because Americans do it, dosen't mean we are "better". It's just what people do.
Japanese greet each other often by bowing ( or small head nod). We don't. Does this make them friendlier and us more rude? No. Again, it's just the way they do it. You can not base it on those kind of things. It's like them calling us incredibly rude just because we don't follow their customs. Would you agree with them if they said this? I don't think so. Germans/Americans/British is my choice. I prefer real friendliness over our ( often ) fake friendliness.
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I can appreciate this to an extent. I understand that different societies have different cultural traits and habits and swiftly categorizing them as "rude" or "unfriendly" or "impolite" may be an unfair representation. However, if I were in Japan as you referenced, where they greet by bowing, if someone greeted me that way, I would do the same. Its only polite to do so. If I didn't, I'm sure they would label me as just the same way as I labelled those English people, rude, impolite and unfriendly.
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Old 01-21-2011, 12:39 AM
 
Location: EU
985 posts, read 1,845,537 times
Reputation: 1679
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caribman1787 View Post
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I can appreciate this to an extent. I understand that different societies have different cultural traits and habits and swiftly categorizing them as "rude" or "unfriendly" or "impolite" may be an unfair representation. However, if I were in Japan as you referenced, where they greet by bowing, if someone greeted me that way, I would do the same. Its only polite to do so. If I didn't, I'm sure they would label me as just the same way as I labelled those English people, rude, impolite and unfriendly.
Would you then bow to Japanese people if they greeted you by bowing in your home country (USA?)? Or would you rather require them to adapt to the customs of your country?
As I understand you were in England and you kept greeting people which obviously was not the custom there as they ignored your greeting.
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Old 01-21-2011, 06:31 AM
 
2,656 posts, read 510,955 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Geggo View Post
Would you then bow to Japanese people if they greeted you by bowing in your home country (USA?)? Or would you rather require them to adapt to the customs of your country?
As I understand you were in England and you kept greeting people which obviously was not the custom there as they ignored your greeting.
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If thats how they chose to greet me then I most definitely would. It doesn't matter if they bowed, waved, said "hello", etc. It would only be polite to do so. No harm can be done by a friendly greeting. But I guess thats the difference, some cultures are just friendlier than others.
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Old 01-21-2011, 07:27 AM
 
13,498 posts, read 18,111,490 times
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Approachability, ease of casual contact: Americans, English and then Germans.

Friendliness/ease of making friends with: Americans and Germans tied for #1, and English after.

Living in the U.S. I came into repeated contact with only a small number of English people and ditto Germans, most of my contacts with foreign born people or foreign visitors were with Latin Americans.

However, based on those few contacts, which became acquaintanceships, if not friendships: The English were initially easier to get to know and talk to, but I found with few exceptions that I ran into a glass wall relatively soon and the development of a friendly relationship stayed stalled in one place. With the Germans it was a bit slow going at first, which perhaps was due to their being in a totally English-speaking environment, even though they all spoke English quite well. But I found that the warmth of these relationships and the openness of these Germans increased rapidly with more contacts. Therefore, I came to the verdict that Germans were really more friendly even before ever setting foot on the Continent.

I have lived in two European countries over the past eleven years, and in both I had many, many contacts with English and Germans expatriates. My experience has been that the Germans I've met, while a bit stiff at first, are far easier to get to know and have personal relationships with. I have found the opposite with many English, initial cordiality followed by more and more lines drawn and glass walls, and taboo areas.

Thus, while my best friends are a Portuguese/English couple, all the rest of my socializing revolves around Germans and Portuguese. I know many English people, some for years, none of these relationships have developed into the warm, casual, unguarded relationships I have with many Germans.
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Old 01-21-2011, 08:27 AM
 
10 posts, read 29,099 times
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I would say it is Americans, as I never came across Germans or English online or face to face..
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Old 01-22-2011, 11:39 AM
 
2,656 posts, read 510,955 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Knax View Post
Huh? You're the one who went to Japan... so yeah, of course. You're the one going to Germany, England etc., so you will have to be the one adjusting to their customs. People need to quit complaining about cultural differences.
Huh?? This thread was about who was friendlier (Germans vs English vs Americans) and based on my perception Americans are much friendlier. I think it has a lot to do with their culture that makes them that way.
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Old 01-22-2011, 02:11 PM
 
Location: N. Colorado
345 posts, read 911,177 times
Reputation: 286
I was in England last Summer and I did not find them to be rude at all. Very nice if you asked them for directions and a few told me they love "my" accent, lol. For here in the States I have no accent at all.

Germans vacation alot in Crete and I have run into them many times while visiting my family there and I have found them to be fairly rude. I have known a few personally and they are friendlier once you get to know them but casually /on the street not very friendly.

Here in America it depends on where you go. Larger cities with harried people rushing to get from point A to point B will not be very nice. I will take fake nice, over in your face rude.

LoL I loved the Bless his little heart comment, so true Sort of like, "He is such a lively child!" Is code for "damn your kid is one hyper pest!"
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Old 01-22-2011, 07:07 PM
 
241 posts, read 741,248 times
Reputation: 195
(Tokyo) Japanese may be among the most superficially polite in the world, but far from the most open or friendly. I see the same clerks at local shops for 2 years now and despite multiple attempts to be friendly, they go through the same routine expressions. I've made countless "friends" but they forget you in a heartbeat and take forever to arrange plans with. Too many people who are too busy. Many come from outside and don't feel rooted in the area.

I think Canadians and Australians actually win among native English speaking countries. America is too varied to say most Americans are this. So many big cities with different cultures. Also large number of people who identify too strongly with political parties and religious beliefs and treat Outsiders harshly. Of course this is less of an issue in big cities, but then the problem there is similar to the problem in Tokyo, though not as severe.
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Old 01-24-2011, 02:31 AM
 
5,802 posts, read 11,835,435 times
Reputation: 4661
Overall people were much nicer 25/30 years ago.
The turning point was the end of Cold War around 1990.
Now there is only one system, capitalism/globalization, no alternative
left to the rat race, so people react accordingly.
Less time for culture in the Smartphone addicted young generations in Europe and America too, and the result is dire : more emptiness, void in people.
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Old 01-28-2011, 09:17 PM
 
5,976 posts, read 15,207,693 times
Reputation: 6709
Default Hmmm....

^^^ You don't own a cache of guns, do you?
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