"Why are you talking to Me!?"

Yet another rant from an antisocial grocery store worker here.

Honestly, this is something I will probably never understand, so any "questions" in this thread are more just me explaining my viewpoint, but if you wish to try and explain it to me, feel free to, I won't feel offended or anything, and I hope you guys don't either.

With that said...

Sometimes I'm at work (it even happens in other places while not at work), I'm minding my own business, doing whatever it is I need to be doing at the time, whether it is working, or even shopping at another store.

No matter what I'm doing, or how intently I seem focused upon doing whatever it is I'm doing, there's always some... person .... who walks up to me, or past me, or whatever and feels the need to strike up a conversation with me, out of the blue, for no apparent reason.

Sometimes they'll ask me what I think about the weather, for some God-only-knows-why reason. Um, dude, I probably have pretty much the same thoughts as you about the weather. 'My, that's some weather we having there'.... um, hello, Captain Obvious. I needed you to tell me that, yes I did. *rolls eyes* I didn't know that it was pouring cats-and-dogs or that the snow was rolling in like a Blizzard or it was so cold that your drool freezes inside of your mouth, I somehow missed that point.

Or if I'm at work, they'll go "Working hard, eh!?". Nah, not at all! In fact, I'm standing there holding a 20lb+ box in my hands because I felt the need to start working out, you know. I didn't wanna go to a gym because their membership fees are overpriced, so I thought I'd do some volunteer work, and pump some iron... err.... boxes full of cans, etc, instead! Yeah, that's it... *grumbles* Of course I'm working, Captain Obvious. What the *bleeep* does it look like I'm doing!?

And then, there's the people who walk right up to me, stand in front of me while I'm trying to do something and they'll go "How you doing, man!?" or "Whatdya say!?" And I'm like "Oi...."

Okay, dude, I don't know you, first off. Second, I have about 10 other things on my mind right now, and chances are you probably made me forget something. Thanks. Third of all, get out of my way, can't you see I'm trying to do something!?

Honestly.

I don't really understand why people try to talk to me IRL... I'm this lone wolf guy who prefers to keep to myself, keep my own nose in my own business. Maybe if I'm bored I'll do some idle chatter or something, but really I'm not too terribly interested in it, and if I could have a day where I don't talk to a single person, I'm perfectly fine with that. I'm much better at talking online than I am RL, when I have time to choose my words carefully and when I don't have to worry about things like physical appearance and eye contact that everyone else seems to value so highly.

The bottom line is, I don't even know you people, why the heck are you trying to strike up conversations with me? If I were a woman, I'd at least understand and could find some logic in a guy trying to talk to me, but I'm a guy. Why are all these other guys trying to talk to me? Argh. It drives me nuts!

I'd prefer to just be left alone, unless there was some actual business. If I'm at work and someone walks up to me and politely asks me what aisle something is in, I'll gladly help the person. I have nothing against doing something like that, but for idle chatter, I just.... don't see the necessity in it, I guess.

Anyways, its nice to blow steam now and then...

Hope you enjoyed yet another one of my rants, lol.

Wow. Weird. Maybe you have pheremones that scream "Talk to me!" :p Or aura or whatever your belief in the matter is. Can't say as I've ever had that problem. I would get upset at that too. I don't like 'small talk'

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Originally Posted by Dhalin

Hope you enjoyed yet another one of my rants, lol.

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While I tend to have a diploma in small talk against people I (barely) know. The chances are very, very slim that I start small talk against a complete stranger...

ps... Always like to read your "little" rants. :D

I was just trolling through the new posts to see whether there was any mention of when all these Blight updates might be put onto Chaos when I was accosted by this ranter who............................................... .

Do you have cats Dhalin?

They use to go to and want hugs from especially those people who hate cats or have a cat allergy;):D

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Originally Posted by LOVWYRM

Do you have cats Dhalin?

They use to go to and want hugs from especially those people who hate cats or have a cat allergy;):D

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We have 2 cats here, and both of them normally leave me alone unless I'm eating (and even then, the female only comes around when it is one of the few specific people-foods she'll actually eat).

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I was just trolling through the new posts to see whether there was any mention of when all these Blight updates might be put onto Chaos when I was accosted by this ranter who............................................... .

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*Grins* There's a difference here, though.

IRL, some guy walking up to me and talking to me is unavoidable. I have to listen to him (to God I wished I had an internal switch I could use to manually switch my hearing off like a pair of speakers), and people expect responses (and sometimes get rude when one isn't given) and if I'm at work, I can't just ignore the guy; a complaint could get me yelled at or punished, or if it happened enough times, fired.

Here on the boards, you don't have to click each link. You were looking for Blight update information, and this is clearly not it, so.... *grins*

Good try though. It was entertaining.

I'd think it is still better to keep being soft in these cases, unless the person is becoming rude... imagine world in which nobody even notice anybody but close friends...

Don't move to the Southern US then.

Down here that's not being rude - its being polite. If you don't respond, then you're being rude.

And frankly, I kinda like it that way. Its so much of a difference to even go up "north" to say Cincinnati Ohio when people would spit at you so much as look at you. And then back down here, where ifyou say Hello at least someone smiles and nods back.

And I Know Northerns who prefer it that way too. It really does make for a little bit nicer populace in general, even if the daily "who are you, leave me alone" sometimes effects one's mood.

But hey -I also believe in teaching children manners like Please, Thank you, and Yes'mam.

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Originally Posted by Frith-Rae

But hey -I also believe in teaching children manners like Please, Thank you, and Yes'mam.

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Dun get me wrong; manners are a good thing, and I generally say those myself.

But, saying 'thanks' or 'please' have nothing to do with walking up to some random stranger that you don't know and trying to strike up a small-talk conversation, though.

I do my best to just smile and nod, but inside I'm thinking 'err, who are you and why are you trying to talk to me, again?' even though I try to keep a friendly face, though I tend to be fairly short (but polite) with replies. I rarely if ever actually totally ignore someone.

Ha! I have that happen to me all the time too. I dont really mind it too much if they do it when Im helping them, but it is really annoying when some random stranger appears out of nowhere and starts talking at you.
The ones I hate the most are the life's story people. You know the kind that start at birth and go through all 87 years in excruciating detail, including medical history and personal details that even your best friend would keep private from you (Ok maybe its a slight exaggeration, but you get the picture). I dont get them often face to face, but on the phone... I once had a lady call and it took her the better part of 15 mins just to ask if we sold toilet paper -_-.

I have this happen too, I have the same mind set,are we related ?

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But, saying 'thanks' or 'please' have nothing to do with walking up to some random stranger that you don't know and trying to strike up a small-talk conversation, though.

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And my point was that "Down here" in the Southern US - they ARE the same thing.

Striking up small-talk conversation is considered polite manners. Not necessarily that you are EXPECTED to talk to every stranger you see or you are being rude (not at all). But more the idea that if you'r estanding in line and someone mentions something to you that its not really viewed as odd, unusual, or offensive/rude. It would be rude to ignore them though, and not at least return with a "how are you" back or "yes it is" Or whatever lol.

I know when my "Northerner" Husband first moved down here, he too was struck by how "rude" and "wierd" it was that strangers said hey to him randomly, or wished him a good day, or started talking about the weather or their kids or grocery lists. He'd be like "Wtf..uhh..go away" expression on his face. But when he realized that these people were actually trying to be NICE and FRIENDLY to him, he kinda changed how he perceived it and now he thinks its hilarious and fun. And he definitley notices the differences in overall populace attitude when he goes home (so do I) and noone even looks at you sideways. It did take him a few months, but now he's grown to like the little foible.

So who knows, that person who walked up to you and randomly started talking come be from a part of the world where that is common practice and not viewed as strange or rude. They may have no idea that you perceive that as rude and invasive. Not because they are ignorant or mean, but they were "raised different" so to speak. They may actually think they're brightening your day by letting you know that yes, a complete stranger, gives a crap :).

But then empathy has no place in a rant - and it was a good rant. I just saw you living where I live and climbing a clock tower...lol ;).

hmm- if I read all your comments-

allow me a question: Isen`t life a mmmorpg too?

I seldom regreted if I gave some of my precious time to a stranger.
Nobody is an Island, wise (wo)men say.;)