there was a scene in fight club where edward norton said most social situations are shallow bullshit.......damn right. A lot of foreigners dont like AMERICAN FRIENDLINESS because it isnt real friendship.
shareA majority of social situations are just networking for promotions and jobs.
shareIt's true that many social situations are largely about an outward display of friendliness, manners, if you will. A set script of things we're expected to say and do just to keep things smooth, pretty much.
I actually don't have any objections to the superficial "American friendliness" because as long as you know you're not necessarily dealing with sincerity but simply the American concept of what are good manners or hospitality, you can't feel offended or disappointed or whatever. I even kind of like it, at least it's not cold.
I prefer the good cheer of that kind of social convention. I find it more off-putting for someone to have no manners, no warmth or effort to make you feel welcomed or greeted or whatever the case may be. Brits are thought to be the most polite people but there's nothing polite about a grunt and a sullen stare at the checkout.
I second all of this Prelude, except to say I've never been to the UK so I couldn't say if they are rude there or not
shareThe service is pretty crap here - minimum wage, minimum effort.
shareSPOILED AND ENTITLED.
shareHE'S NOT WRONG ABOUT CRAPPY WAGES EQUALING CRAPPY SERVICE THOUGH!!!
AND WHY ARE WE YELLING???
I KNOW YOU FROM THE BEFORE TIME.CAPS AND SUCH.
THE IMPLICATION OF WORKING ONLY TO THE LEVEL OF YOUR COMPENSATION...VERY ENTITLED.THE IMPLICATION OF EXPECTING "GOOD SERVICE"...VERY SPOILED.
ON A SIDE NOTE...SNOOCHIE BOOCHIES!
THE BEFORE TIME IS OVER, THE NOW TIME IS HAPPENING AND THE END TIME IS NOT 'TIL LIKE NEXT TUESDAY OR SOMETHING!
AARRGGHH!!!
SERIOUSLY, WHO BUT FORREST GUMP IS ENTHUSED TO BUST THEIR ASS FOR NO RESPECT AND LOW WAGES?
I QUITE EXPECT LOW WAGE WORKERS TO BE ENTIRELY HEEDLESS AT THEIR WORK...I GO IN KNOWING IT AND RARELY EVEN BOTHER WITH THEM, SCREW IT, I'LL FIND THE PLUMBING SECTION MYSELF!!!
I QUITE ENJOY OUR SHOUTING CONVERSATIONS AND SMOOCHIE BOOCHIES BACK AT YOU!!!
BLERGBLERGBERG!!!!!!
That seems to be a universal rule
Ask a clerk where the plumbing section is at the Home Depot and you wind up in Guam every damned time:(
I've always found the service in America to be second no none. Honestly, the UK (and I'm saddened to say, England in particular) is the USA's polar opposite when it comes to service.
shareInteresting
I wonder why
Andy, I totally agree with you.
I've lived in the US and the UK, and even the most minimum-wage workers in the US are expected to give polite and friendly customer service, and yes even scripted somewhat.
Over there it's just considered to be part of the job. It doesn't matter about pay level. it's just widely understood that even if you are getting minimum wage and you hate your job, you keep up a front of politeness to customers.
I don't see anything wrong with that, and I know something about it -- I WAS one of those minimum wage retail workers!
Contrast this with the UK - nobody is expected to act a certain way, managers don't even expect staff to have manners toward customers or even say a few standard words, and in my opinion that makes for a worse experience all around. I don't care how much you hate your job or how little you're being paid or how rude SOME customers are, you owe it to your own dignity and to the company you work for, not to be rude yourself.
I say this AS someone who worked horrible retail jobs, dealing with rude customers and being paid pennies.
it's got nothing to to with entitlement for a customer to expect at least a show of politeness. I think UK retail workers and managers need to learn a hell of a lot from US ones.
Customer service is appalling in the UK. Sullen assholes.
It’s nice to be nice.
shareNot when you're nice right off the bat but are met with sullenness and rudeness.
I'm nice to every shop worker I encounter. I used to work retail too. I know it's a shitty job. But I made it my job to be polite to all.
As a customer I do the same. Only to be "greeted" (read: not) by British assholes who are not even trained nor encouraged by their asshole managers to be anything but assholes to their customers.
I think my previous comment was more directed at the ‘I can’t be bovered’ generation.
shareWhen I was in Australia, this German guy said "The Americans were too nice" - which he deducted from his 2 visits at some clothing store. He said "It seemed fake and money oriented" while he just wanted to look.
I hate phoniness, but I'll take fake nice over an asshole. It might just be a few minutes of your life, so someone being fake is of no consequence, as opposed to someone being cold.
Yep, that's how I feel. I'll take fake good cheer and politeness over someone taking their bad mood out on me any day.
shareI've worked more than a few customer service jobs in my life time, and my politeness was hardly ever "fake" or just because I'm at work. When I'm out in public I still smile at other people and say "Hi. How are you?" When people come a place that I'm employed I honestly hope they feel like they are appreciated.
shareeven better
shareThe excellent performances of Norton and Pitt made Fight Club a reasonably entertaining movie despite being filled with insufferable faux profundity like this.
share