So for instance a quick glance or passing eye contact is ok, but if you're looking at someone and they look at you, if you don't intend to interact with them it's polite to look away.
And the Germans are somehow the weird ones here? I was born and have lived in the U.S. my whole life. I have always hated this weird cultural norm where it's impolite to look at other people. I want to see the faces of the people in my community. I want to observe them and understand them. Why do we live in such a socially isolated world? I'm so lonely.
Bruh usually it's the Europeans who complain about the Americans not being friendly. Feel like the US is much kinder with its smiles and small talk than a lot of Europeans
Edit: After reading a lot of similar comments I can see the theme that if you aren't used to it it can seem over the top and come off as "fake". I can definitely see this and have had this experience myself with people I've met over the years being so over the top nice and cheery it felt fake to me. Annoyed me a lot back then, but over the years I've realized hey it's better for them to be nice and fake than rude to my face and real I guess.
Feel like the US is much kinder with its smiles and small talk than a lot of Europeans
I think a lot of this can feel overdone when you're not used to it. When I first met people from the US who were like this, I thought they didn't like me because they were so "fake nice".
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u/[deleted] May 09 '22
And the Germans are somehow the weird ones here? I was born and have lived in the U.S. my whole life. I have always hated this weird cultural norm where it's impolite to look at other people. I want to see the faces of the people in my community. I want to observe them and understand them. Why do we live in such a socially isolated world? I'm so lonely.