People are not really anti-social these days because of phones.

Paco Dennis

Paco Dennis

SF VIP
Location
Mid-Missouri
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Remember the dentist/doctors office with all the magazines.? Have
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Remember those dentist/doctor offices with all the magazines that everyone grabbed and read.?
 

Paco Dennis said:
453177080_1975382382915249_4428963435479733783_n.jpg


Remember the dentist/doctors office with all the magazines.? Have
453042638_1975382396248581_6712248198777374435_n.jpg

452849679_1975382369581917_362166093588003055_n.jpg


Remember those dentist/doctor offices with all the magazines that everyone grabbed and read.?
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some dentists and doctors didn't have magazines, so people would chat. I remember getting taken to the doctor as a child and my mum and someone else in the waiting room would be discussing my symptoms.

Today in my doctors waiting room there are no magazines at all.. and by the same token there's a sign telling people to switch their phones off. Many just ignore it.. . I sometimes look at my phone in waiting rooms, but I am a northerner born and raised and living in the south.. In the Uk it's exactly the opposite to the USA... Southerners are not friendly to strangers by and large ..

Northerners in the UK are very friendly to strangers, and I'll often start up a conversation with someone in the waiting room.. and you should see the look of terror in their faces. ..as tho' the devil himself has appeared in front of them and is demanding their first born...yikes.. this alien, this devil is talking... what do I do now, I can see them desperately thinking..so those that do reply to me reply in a really patronising manner, like they're talking down a mass murderer...
 
hollydolly said:
some dentists and doctors didn't have magazines, so people would chat. I remember getting taken to the doctor as a child and my mum and someone else in the waiting room would be discussing my symptoms.

Today in my doctors waiting room there are no magazines at all.. and by the same token there's a sign telling people to switch their phones off. Many just ignore it.. . I sometimes look at my phone in waiting rooms, but I am a northerner born and raised and living in the south.. In the Uk it's exactly the opposite to the USA... Southerners are not friendly to strangers by and large ..

Northerners in the UK are very friendly to strangers, and I'll often start up a conversation with someone in the waiting room.. and you should see the look of terror in their faces. ..as tho' the devil himself has appeared in front of them and is demanding their first born...yikes.. this alien, this devil is talking... what do I do now, I can see them desperately thinking..so those that do reply to me reply in a really patronising manner, like they're talking down a mass murderer...
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That is wonderful that you start up conversations. I do that also. You find that "small" talk, simple conversations can feel quite comfortable and even normal. I wish we all started saying something to each other. Even at the risk of having a smirky reply.
 

Several generations of young people have been conditioned not to speak to strangers so it’s no surprise that most people seem to be self absorbed or antisocial.

My grandmother had a knack for striking up conversations and finding common ground with strangers.

Over the years she developed many long distance friendships with people that she met on trains in restaurants, etc…

I try to speak to everyone I meet when I’m on my morning walks and it’s interesting to me how people respond.

Some people absolutely refuse to speak and those folks become a challenge to me. 😉🤭😂

Some young people give me a surprised mumble and after a few meets actually seem to look forward to exchanging a pleasant word.

Many of the bottle and can collectors that I meet on trash day seem surprised and pleased that I notice them and speak to them.

It’s not much but IMO it helps to create a little stronger sense of community among the people I meet.
 
I had a good experience a few days ago, while waiting for an EKG. There was a young girl sitting in the waiting area, wearing a lab coat. I wondered why such a young girl was there; she looked to be about 16. I figured it might have been a school related thing, like bring your kid to work, or something. She looked miserable sitting there, and I got the impression that she was forbidden to be on her phone.

The tech person was asking me questions before performing the EKG, and when she asked if I had been in the military (I had) the kid looked up and said, Wow, you were in the army? I answered in the affirmative, then the tech asked if I was retired; I said yes. The kid spoke up again and asked what was it like to be retired? Soon we were having a very nice chat. Most kids in that age group can't give me the time of day, or look uncomfortable if I do speak to them, so it was a pleasant change. She shared her interest in books and I told her I was fond of creative writing.

When I left for my test, the girl said, "It was nice talking to you." It warmed my heart.
 
I have some kind of phobia when we walk on "Katy trail" as strangers come by. I never know if I should say something. But then if they do, I am quick to answer. and then sometimes I just say something. It is weird. I think it goes back to my Junior High days. When I was all thumbs and wanted to be liked so bad, especially by the girls.
 
if you wind up waiting somewhere it is likely I will try to spark a conversation. I very much enjoy these odd chances to meet people. I also think it a habit I picked up from my Mom who was very friendly when out and about.
 
I am rather shy and tend to be an introvert so the phone is just a "coping" mechanism for me when I am at a place such as a waiting room. Before it was a book or a magazine or I would sit away from the others. I am better dealing with it now and can see how some in such instances might have thought I was "standoffish" but I really wasn't. Just insecure some.
 
MarkinPhx said:
I am rather shy and tend to be an introvert so the phone is just a "coping" mechanism for me when I am at a place such as a waiting room. Before it was a book or a magazine or I would sit away from the others. I am better dealing with it now and can see how some in such instances might have thought I was "standoffish" but I really wasn't. Just insecure some.
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I think it is because of our genes.
 
I 'm used to maybe someone my age starting chit chat somewhere or saying hello. However, I was walking home one day and a young fellow (teenager I think maybe older) asked me if I needed help with my grocery bags. I smiled and said, no thank you, but honestly I wasn't sure if he was going to help me or steal my bags. He might have honestly been wanting to help, but it was so unusual, I was suspicious.
 

People are not really anti-social these days because of phones, we are anti-social because society dictates it so.​

 
I find something interesting about every person I meet. If not, I make up an excuse to talk to that person if I choose to.
 
About a year ago, I read an online review of a mobile home park here in town, a park that a few people I know live in and talk about how much they like it because most of the residents are friendly and the online review said it was a terrible place because “you can’t even walk outside without someone saying ‘good morning’, ugh!”
 
I'm communicative and have no problems to start a conversation with strangers. My wife sometimes chuckles because of my behavior.
 

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