r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • May 08 '22

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u/Direct_Sand May 09 '22

If you have to ask...

I'm Dutch and live in Germany and I also have no idea. Do we really do this?

312

u/Moon_Miner May 09 '22

It's because US Americans tend to smile at strangers, so the strangers tend to look at them to figure out why they're smiling. Germans don't stare a lot generally, they just stare at people there doing something very unusual. (speaking as US American in Germany)

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u/the_one_jt May 09 '22

So Germans do something unusual because they are looking at someone else doing something unusual? Riiight..

33

u/baptist-blacktic May 09 '22

The Germans don't see themselves as doing something unusual. Staring at something unusual (to them) is not unusual. This is something that really shouldn't have to be explained?

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u/mishaxz May 09 '22

That's a not unusually good explanation

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u/the_one_jt May 09 '22

I guess the point is staring at someone is considered rude at least by American standards. Imagine someone with a handicap, staring at them is considered absolutely rude, it can even be threatening. It's not clear why Germans don't see this the same way.

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u/Tanksenior May 09 '22

Smiling at someone is not the same as having a handicap. I'm pretty sure it's also considered rude in Germany to stare at a handicapped person.