I hate, hate, hate being called British. I see myself as English. Never been to Wales, N. Ireland or Scotland (thank God lol). I must say that Catherine is right. We're not nasty or particularly unfriendly, but why would you stop in the street, talk to someone you've never met and at the end of the conversation say in a really cheesy manner "Have an amazing day". If someone said that to me, I really would think they were being sarcastic. The fact that I'm from Coventry (where you are always ignored lol), might also be a factor in my " I have somewhere to be, don't stop and talk to me for no reason" attitude. Oh well, suits me just fine.
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pennia4
18 years ago
It depends were in england ur from, i maen cornish people are always nice and genrally down south, but were i am people know where there going and just wanna get there quickly. The best we get is a wave and smile, and sometimes the smile is forced. It's not that were mean its just we dont do it! I mean i was in town and a man just stopped and talked to me about school, and me and my friend just thought her was creepy and a pedo, he was probs a nice guy but it never happens.
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buffyriley
15 years ago
I think you would find the same thing in nyc....nobody says 'have an amazing day' and if you do, then most new yorkers will give you an odd look. nothing personal, we're not nasty, it's just the way it is.
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iseepinkelefants
14 years ago
I always laugh when I hear people complain about Americans being "overly friendly". It's just in America we pass people on the street or something we say "how's it going" and usually "have a nice day" or "have a nice evening". It's just common decency. If you don't feel like talking, a smile will do. Unless you're in NY where a smile will get you a "f-ck off" (but it's just a New Yorkers form of 'have a nice day').
We're not insincere, we're just brought up to be polite and if possible make polite conversation. It's not in our nature to make people uncomfortable or make them feel bad, so we try to make them feel more comfortable by engaging in polite conversation. Sometimes it's annoying but how lonely it must be to go around ignoring people and not acknowledging their existence.
Besides what's that story about the smile someone gives someone and then that person gives someone else a smile and then eventually someone's day is made better by something insignificant like a smile. Cheesy I know, but we're told that story when we're little and really who does it hurt? Better to try than to not try at all. And who knows maybe there's some truth in that cheesy little story.
If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all
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14 years ago
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iseepinkelefants
14 years ago
Well you can't be serious about Texas. I lived there 23 years and people were always friendly. Florida, Alabama, Louisianna, Arizona, even LA, everyone's friendly. I'm not really sure about up north though. I guess it just depends. I'd guess someone from Montana is a lot nicer than say someone from Philly.
If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all
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14 years ago
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iseepinkelefants
13 years ago
Nice generalization of the United States, but seeing as how the US isn't made up of just the "Northeast" it is normal behavior for people to act like that in the South, and I'm from one of the 5 largest cities in the US (actually it's pretty normal behavior for 4 out of the 10 of the largest), so it has nothing to do with rural vs. city. It's pretty safe to say that NYers are not the norm of American behavior.
If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all
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