Quote:
Originally Posted by Stitchawl
I regret to say that those 'common courtesies' are only common in certain parts of the world.... In fact, holding a door open for an older person (not one with infirmities though) can get you a tongue-lashing of "I'm not too old to open my own door!" I've had that happen to me on several occasions.
In countries that follow Confucian societal models, strangers on the street simply do not even exist, so why would one hold a door open? On the other hand, they WILL hold a door for a friend or relative, or someone that they have already been introduced to. Crowds behave more like a giant game of Bumper Pool, with people bouncing off other people at crowded intersections. They just aren't aware that there are others around...
Really bizarre from a western perspective...
Stitchawl
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Yes, that's also reflected in the length of time that eye contact is tolerated. A stranger on the street, only one or two hundred milliseconds; but for someone you’ve met, a second or two is acceptable.
In Hawaii, the blending of cultures can create untenable situations. Maintaining eye contact for too long can result in:
“Hey wot? You give me stink eye?” (translate, your staring at me!)
“You like beef, bruddah?” (translate, I’m gonna whup you’re a$$)