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Squire
Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Location: Jeollanam-do
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 Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 1:31 am Post subject: |
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| murmanjake wrote: |
| Bada_Bing wrote: |
I understand it when in areas more highly populated with foreigners but it's comic when around my own area, where there seem to be relatively few foreigners, they make more of an effort to ignore rather than to just give a little nod.  |
There are quite a few folk like that round here. Korea does tend to attract plenty of really unsociable people.
Very well put. I call it Isolated Foreigner Syndrome. Sometimes the sense of isolation can make you feel mentally disengaged. Then when the opportunity to interact comes around you're just not ready. |
That's true, but I wouldn't say it's exclusive to Korea. I used to get that back home a lot too. But it's definitely more extreme here. Living alone and not having proper conversations through the week is slightly abnormal |
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mkpopcorn
Joined: 22 Apr 2011
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 6:17 am Post subject: |
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| Foreigners are a-holes here. They don't make eye contact, even if you smile. They are like F-Off. Its just the way it is. D-bags. |
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nathanrutledge
Joined: 01 May 2008
Location: Marakesh
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 8:10 am Post subject: |
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Do you talk to every foreigner back home? I hate it when I'm walking down the street in Gangnam, packed like sardines in a can and some foreign guy sees me and says "hey!" I don't know you. There are literally a thousand other people around us. You have nothing to say to me. I have nothing to say to you. Why?
Same thing back home. On some street in Chicago or New York, people everywhere, why would I take the time to acknowledge each individual person who happens to be white/male/resembles me/etc?
Now, if I'm walking down the street ANYWHERE and I'm all alone and another human being is walking towards me, I'm going to say something. I'm not a psychopath.
But really, people get so bent out of shape over this topic. If you want to say something to me, say something. You'll probably never see me again, so if I mock you to my friends later, what's it matter? |
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mkpopcorn
Joined: 22 Apr 2011
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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| nathanrutledge wrote: |
Do you talk to every foreigner back home? I hate it when I'm walking down the street in Gangnam, packed like sardines in a can and some foreign guy sees me and says "hey!" I don't know you. There are literally a thousand other people around us. You have nothing to say to me. I have nothing to say to you. Why?
Same thing back home. On some street in Chicago or New York, people everywhere, why would I take the time to acknowledge each individual person who happens to be white/male/resembles me/etc?
Now, if I'm walking down the street ANYWHERE and I'm all alone and another human being is walking towards me, I'm going to say something. I'm not a psychopath.
But really, people get so bent out of shape over this topic. If you want to say something to me, say something. You'll probably never see me again, so if I mock you to my friends later, what's it matter? |
That's the difference between the midwest and the west coast. The west coast you DO talk to random strangers on the street, its called being friendly and nice. Midwesterners and especially people from the east coast are just jerks. |
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joelove
Joined: 12 May 2011
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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| blm wrote: |
I can go a whole week with out seeing a Westerner |
Oh no, not a whole week?
Sorry, it just seems to me like a week is nothing. Some people go months without seeing a foreign face. Some even like it that way.
I think it's little wonder though that some foreigners can seem a bit odd after perhaps years of living like this. |
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nate1983
Joined: 30 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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| mkpopcorn wrote: |
That's the difference between the midwest and the west coast. The west coast you DO talk to random strangers on the street, its called being friendly and nice. Midwesterners and especially people from the east coast are just jerks. |
Don't lump the whole "east coast" together. I grew up in a small town in Virginia, and people there smile all the time at strangers on the street, and on the road we live on, if two cars pass each other the drivers always raise a couple fingers on the wheel as an acknowledgment. Never saw anything like that on the west coast...of course NYC is different and people there can be jerks (I've spent a year there), but don't lump "east coast" into one generic group especially if you're gonna be so negative. |
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Squire
Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Location: Jeollanam-do
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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| If ANYONE says hello to you in the street (or anywhere else for that matter) you should smile/nod and say hello back. If you don't you're a c*nt. |
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definitely maybe
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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Just remember that some of us are more attuned to our surroundings than others. I'm not. If someone says hello, that's one thing. I won't ignore something like that. However, if someone nods or smiles and I don't respond, it's likely that I didn't notice.
I just don't feel the need to greet every foreigner I see. I may not be doing the greeting, but I'm also not blatantly ignoring those who acknowledge me. I think this distinction is being missed in some cases. I don't think guys like Northway are disregarding pleasantries as much as not seeking them out themselves.
Last edited by definitely maybe on Thu Jul 21, 2011 6:02 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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| nate1983 wrote: |
| Don't lump the whole "east coast" together. I grew up in a small town in Virginia, and people there smile all the time at strangers on the street, and on the road we live on, if two cars pass each other the drivers always raise a couple fingers on the wheel as an acknowledgment. Never saw anything like that on the west coast...of course NYC is different and people there can be jerks (I've spent a year there), but don't lump "east coast" into one generic group especially if you're gonna be so negative. |
I'm from Hampton Roads myself. In suburban areas there's plenty of friendliness going on, in cars, walking, whatever. In urban areas, if eye contact is made with someone while walking, a small nod is a standard affair. Maybe a brief "sup" or "yo" or something.
| Quote: |
| Do you talk to every foreigner back home? I hate it when I'm walking down the street in Gangnam, packed like sardines in a can and some foreign guy sees me and says "hey!" I don't know you. There are literally a thousand other people around us. You have nothing to say to me. I have nothing to say to you. Why? |
I couldn't agree more.
| Quote: |
| Now, if I'm walking down the street ANYWHERE and I'm all alone and another human being is walking towards me, I'm going to say something. I'm not a psychopath. |
Why would not saying anything being psychopathic? I don't get where it was established that verbally acknowledging the existence of other people on the street was ever required. |
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cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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When I lived in a small city with relatively few foreigners, I always smiled, said hello and sometimes initiated conversation. Why not? It could be weeks before I saw another foreigner.
Now I live in central Seoul where there is no shortage of foreigners, I don't bother. However, if someone says hello, or stops me to ask about something then I'll give the time. It can't hurt. |
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sirius black
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Modernist wrote: |
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| Its all about me basically |
Gosh, really?! And here you always seemed so down to earth. I guess it must be terribly exhausting fighting off the hordes desperate to be 'cool enough' to merit an acknowledgement of their presence by YOU. I suppose if they're really lucky you might even speak to them?
Seriously, get over yourself. If you're teaching English in Korea for a living, you are already way down the ladder in terms of 'social acceptability' relative to anyone for whom such foolishness actually matters. |
You misunderstand the gist of my post. We all do that, you do, I do, we all do, whether we think we are losers or not.
You're just as up your own azz as the rest of us. That's my point. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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| definitely maybe wrote: |
Just remember that some of us are more attuned to our surroundings than others. I'm not. If someone says hello, that's one thing. I won't ignore something like that. However, if someone nods or smiles and I don't respond, it's likely that I didn't notice.
I just don't feel the need to greet every foreigner I see. I may not be doing the greeting, but I'm also not blatantly ignoring those who acknowledge me. I think this distinction is being missed in some cases. I don't think guys like Northway are disregarding pleasantries as much as not seeking them out themselves. |
This. I won't ignore someone...but I won't initiate pleasantries. |
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Patrick Bateman
Joined: 21 Apr 2009
Location: Lost in Translation
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 10:00 pm Post subject: |
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I grew up in Chicago and spent a lot of time walking around and riding the subways.
Back home, if a stranger talked to you (or at least me) 19/20 times they wanted something or were a little crazy.
If I make eye-contact with someone, Korean/black/white/etc, I'll give them a smile and/or nod.
I've never really been a fan of small talk. I really don't want to talk about the weather unless I ask a question or it's in someway germane to the situation.
I don't know why I should be nicer to someone just because they are also a foreigner. I'd rather just treat everyone I don't know with what I'd call a "Kind indifference." |
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PastorYoon
Joined: 25 Jun 2010
Location: Sea of Japan
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| Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 12:31 am Post subject: |
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| Squire wrote: |
| If ANYONE says hello to you in the street (or anywhere else for that matter) you should smile/nod and say hello back. If you don't you're a c*nt. |
This is true. Unless, of course, the person saying 'hello' to you is one of the million Korean kids who actually scream it, trying desperately to get your attention and laugh in your face. I give them a nice big 'Ni hao'. They hate it.  |
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mkpopcorn
Joined: 22 Apr 2011
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 5:45 am Post subject: |
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| Squire wrote: |
| If ANYONE says hello to you in the street (or anywhere else for that matter) you should smile/nod and say hello back. If you don't you're a c*nt. |
Agreed. But, 9/10 of foreigners I have seen, after smiling and saying hi, will mutter back, look away or glare. Its like they are angry that...gasp...another foreigner wants to be friendly. And that's when I want to say f**k you, get off your high horse. Most foreigners here are d**ks...thats all there is to it. |
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