"Jeßus" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 7 Jan 2017 12:35:34 -0800, "Cheri" >
> wrote:
>
>>"Jeßus" > wrote in message
. ..
>>> On Sat, 07 Jan 2017 11:40:08 -0800, sf > wrote:
>>>
>>>>On Sun, 08 Jan 2017 06:26:04 +1100, Jeßus > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, 07 Jan 2017 11:22:13 -0800, sf > wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> >On Sat, 07 Jan 2017 14:44:16 +1100, Bruce >
>>>>> >wrote:
>>>>> >
>>>>> >> On Fri, 06 Jan 2017 18:21:52 -0800, sf > wrote:
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> >On Sat, 07 Jan 2017 12:38:40 +1100, Bruce >
>>>>> >> >wrote:
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> >> Are you saying that the content of stranger chit chat is
>>>>> >> >> geographically determined?
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> >Often. Sometimes it's culturally based, but it's definitely more
>>>>> >> >common outside large urban areas. I was brought up in the country
>>>>> >> >and
>>>>> >> >have no problem striking up a conversation with the person behind
>>>>> >> >me
>>>>> >> >in line. I'm always surprised (but not offended) when someone
>>>>> >> >strikes
>>>>> >> >up a conversation with me, because it's behavior that's out of the
>>>>> >> >social norm for this particular area.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> I guess big city people are more into stranger danger.
>>>>> >
>>>>> >We live closer together and feel no need to reach out to strangers.
>>>>>
>>>>> I think it's more a westerner thing rather than anything to do with
>>>>> living closer together.
>>>>
>>>>I think you'll find other North Americans who disagree with that
>>>>up-thread. Small town and rural Americans can be quite friendly with
>>>>strangers.
>>>
>>> I would have thought so too. What I meant is westerners tend to not
>>> converse to strangers in bigger towns and cities. I found that not to
>>> be the case in Phnom Penh, for example. Very friendly people and
>>> willing to chat. Interestingly, that includes other westerners there
>>> on holidays too, come to think of it.
>>
>>I think it depends on the person in any city, if you give off a
>>stand-offish
>>air, people probably won't strike up a conversation with you, whereas
>>friendly, outgoing people probably attract the same.
>
> That's true, but a stand-offish air seems to be infectious in such
> places.
>
>> I've never been in any
>>big city where people tended not to converse.
>
> I have. That's not to say *nobody* will chat with a stranger though.

The panhandlers will chat with anybody in a lot of big cities. ;-)

Cheri