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Yes, because the world is a big Disney movie wherein we all love one another and chatty strangers in tourist spots never have ulterior motives.
Smile at the world, even if you dont feel like it. It's of the utmost importance to please everyone!!!
I feel sorry for you and sorry for the world. People with your kind of attitude bring others down, too. (Certainly not everyone, but some.) I would rather feel like I was making more of a positive difference in the world than a negative one. Plus -- and, yes, this is selfish -- it feels good to me when I smile at others and they smile back.
And, again, no one is suggesting that you act like a stranger is a friend, but a smile or nod is NOT too much to expect or to give, imo, in most situations.
My wife is not too friendly to strangers. People approach her on a regular basis and make small talk to her just to be friendly or to pass the time. She does not respond.
It bugs me how coldly she treats these people and I ask her about it and she says, "I didn't ask those people to speak to me, they have no business with me, they are just destroying my privacy!"
These could be people who are in a grocery line, or the grocery check out cashier, someone pumping gas next to her, the mailman, security guards, handymen who do work around the house, etc. They seem to be speaking to her in a nice way and are not crazy or homeless or using her to try to sell something.
To me, if someone speaks to me and asks a question or makes some type of comment they are owed some type of response. Exactly how long to keep the conversation engaged is the question.
What do you think?
It's just common courtesy. It seems as if your wife is not the friendly type.
I do this with strangers in line or looking at stuff in a store. Most people respond. If you wife doesn't, well, you married a cold one.
I feel sorry for you and sorry for the world. People with your kind of attitude bring others down, too. (Certainly not everyone, but some.) I would rather feel like I was making more of a positive difference in the world than a negative one. Plus -- and, yes, this is selfish -- it feels good to me when I smile at others and they smile back.
And, again, no one is suggesting that you act like a stranger is a friend, but a smile or nod is NOT too much to expect or to give, imo, in most situations.
I feel sorry for you and the happy go lucky attitude. Actually no, I laugh at it.
Really, have you had a bad experience of being mugged or robbed? You have such a negative, almost frightened view of the people around us.
No, I just don't see a need to accept every random stranger who approaches me with a motive, good or bad. I don't know you, you don't know me. Being too welcoming has landed many a kind hearted person into a world of hurt. Some people seek approval and validation by trying to be 'saints'--then making sure we all know about it. Lol.
Do you. Don't worry about what I do, you go on throughout life being Mr. Goodguy. Hopefully someone takes notes and you get that warm fuzzy recognition you seem to need.
*pats you on the back, which comforts you IMMENSELY*
Your wife is rude not to respond to a simple hello. No-one is owed a response, but basic civilities are nice. The exception would, of course, be if someone is harassing her.
No, I just don't see a need to accept every random stranger who approaches me with a motive, good or bad. I don't know you, you don't know me. Being too welcoming has landed many a kind hearted person into a world of hurt. Some people seek approval and validation by trying to be 'saints'--then making sure we all know about it. Lol.
Do you. Don't worry about what I do, you go on throughout life being Mr. Goodguy. Hopefully someone takes notes and you get that warm fuzzy recognition you seem to need.
*pats you on the back, which comforts you IMMENSELY*
In between A ('I wub teh whole wurld!') and Z ('I hate everyone!') is an entire alphabet of available human responses, which you do not seem to recognize.
In between A ('I wub teh whole wurld!') and Z ('I hate everyone!') is an entire alphabet of available human responses, which you do not seem to recognize.
Make sure you kiss up to the next random you encounter and then go home obsessing over whether they liked you or not. You seem like the type.
I'm not a small talk fan, but I will generally acknowledge the remark with a nod/smile or some short meaningless small talk reply. Sometimes it is just friendly banter, nbd, other times it's people looking for an audience for some grievance/viewpoint/rambling. Once I figure out who I'm dealing with I take it from there.
It would certainly have been kinder if you had simply said in a pleasant voice that you “were exhausted and couldn’t talk right now.”
What is so hard about being kind.
Have you ever been to NOLA? We've been 4 times. EVERY time we've been, we've been hit up by panhandlers and scammers.
Now...sure, I suppose if I weren't so tired, hot, and prickly feeling, I could've mustered a smile and said something along the lines of "I'd love to chat, but I'm just exhausted. I just don't have it in me." BUT I've had some experience...and in NOLA, a LOT of experience, with perfect strangers (to me) trying to scam us or want money for this, that, and the other. IMO, these 2 guys were trying to get a feel for the crowd, and I didn't feel like entertaining them.
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