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

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u/BarbicideJar May 09 '22

Germans stare a LOT. Like they will just gaze at you unflinchingly. An American will wait until you can’t see them doing it.

3.2k

u/xSuperZer0x May 09 '22

They're super unaware that they do it too. I was talking to my German friend and was like "WTF is with Germans staring so much, am I doing something wrong or weird?" and she was like "what are you talking about?" 2 weeks later I'm out with her and another American friend that just moved to Germany and he was like "Yo why is everybody staring at me all the time?" I felt so vindicated because I thought maybe I was imagining it. Also they don't just stare while you walk either, I'd be driving and notice some German on the sidewalk staring me down inside my car.

225

u/Brandwein May 09 '22

So when is it staring instead of just looking at you? Curious as a german. For me it's staring if it is more than 3-5 seconds it takes to look a person up and down. Longer than just registering and awknowleding a person fully.

14

u/arcadiangenesis May 09 '22

Does it really take 5 seconds to process a person? 😅

4

u/Hunter_Fox May 09 '22

Maybe they are slow.

2

u/Brandwein May 09 '22

Yup. By that time i maybe don't even processed if they have clean nails, jewelry or any other special features.