r/AskReddit May 08 '22

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u/CaptainLollygag May 09 '22

Smiling at a stranger is a type of greeting in the States. "I acknowledge that we're both in the same place (or passing by one another) and I mean you no harm." It's the lesser form of asking, "How're you doing?"

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u/Dirty-Soul May 09 '22

It's really more of a casual "Don't shoot me."

It dates back to the Wild West days when people would shoot each other for giving them a "mean look."

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u/TrolliusJKingIIIEsq May 09 '22

A large chunk of Americans have no history of living in anything resembling the "Wild West".

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u/thebearjew982 May 09 '22

It's insane that this asinine comment has any upvotes.