Why Western & Eastern Cultures Are So Different ?

[The Lone Wolf]

Culture is Culture and may be affected by many various reasons for sure but there are some strange differences between East and West.

Which is for example, Western people really care about courtesy rules, East(Asia, Arabic, Balcans) also does that but Westerns say "Hi/How are you ?" then move on

since in East even if 2 people are stranger to eachother they speak about (wheather, news, magazine, etc...) like friends. This a bit shocked me

when I started to work at a Hotel as a guide and translator, an English greeted me at dawn of morning and willy nilly I started have a little chat with him. (Well at least I tried to) Then he told me that "When we say hi/how are you ? That doesn't mean we want to talk to you. It means I only want to know how you are feeling today. That's all." I don't know but is Western Culture is entirely like this cold or people at West don't want to be bothered by other people ? If so is there any reason, I mean backstory of it ?

I am only curious.

[RDETalus]

I don't think your specific example is a difference in eastern and western culture, because in chinese we have the exact same thing here with the "how are you? / I'm fine / good" exchange that just means "hi" and isn't necessarily a prompt for you to talk. It's most likely just a regional thing, you're possibly dealing with people who grew up in cities where people might be less patient with personal interactions.

[roadworx]

that's not at all the case, people are cold af to each other in russia

 

english is just like that, it's an unspoken rule that you just say fine or good when they ask that. don't ask why cuz i think it's dumb too

[Jello]

Well yeah, it doesn't mean that they mean you ill will. It's just that they're returning a polite hello to acknowledge your presence and they don't mean to be a total bastard. But more than likely, they really don't "care" how you're doing, or how your morning as been. It's a just a nice courtesy. I can't imagine it being different in Asia really, everyone has business they want to attend to, they don't have time to chat with every single person they meet.

 

If I go into a store to buy something, I will say "Hey, how's it going?" "Oh not bad, you?" "Oh doing alright" and then I'll hand them my money, and walk out with the goods. I'll say something like "Take it easy" or "Have a good day" and get the response "Thanks, you too!". That's about the extent of conversation if I've never met someone before, and I don't want to get into the details of their life, or become fast friends who know everything about the other persons day or life. I have things to do, they do as well. Maybe a joke or two, it's lightened up my day when I've been on the service side of a transaction when someone jokes with me, and I'll joke with cashiers until the transaction is over. But for the most part it's just a quick laugh, not a conversation.

 

Now there are some people that I've gotten to know really well at stores, simply because I run into them on a regular basis, and we will have nice casual conversations. But I am well aware that they have work they need to do, and there may be customers waiting behind me, and I have things to do, so it doesn't go on for that long. I always try to be polite, and I can be downright friendly when I want. Despite my best efforts, I have been told I am a "People Person". I don't believe it, but I get along with people.

 

I always kind of assumed Asians were more curt in their mannerisms, simply because they have to deal with so many people every day. Maybe polite, but still just trying to go about their business, much like Westerners. Not everyone you meet wants to be your friend and stop to have a chat. A "Hello, how are you?" or a wave of recognition has always seemed fine. In fact that's downright polite everywhere I've been. If I'm out walking and I meet someone walking the other way a simple "Hello" or "How's it going" is both polite, and breaks any tension. I know I could possibly be construed as someone who is going to assault you, especially if you're a woman out walking alone, just based on my physical appearance. "Trust me, I'm just going for a walk." So it seems to just put some people at ease.

 

Now if it's someone you know that you just kind of blow off, that's different. But a random person? They don't want to chat, and I can't imagine most people anywhere in the world want to just sit down and chat with a random stranger. It's nothing personal.

 

 

[Chezza]

If someone wants to start a conversation they will proceed to ask you more questions, usually open ended ones. If you want to continue the conversation you respond the same way. If one person just gives small 1 to 2 worded responses that's usually a signal they aren't engaged.

 

I might find it annoying if a stranger wants to interrupt my current activities to start a random chat if I'm not in a social environment like a party etc.

 

I'd be surprised if Eastern and Western cultures differ that much in those regards. Which Eastern cultures are you referring to anyway?

[The Lone Wolf]

The reason I divided it by 2 categories is that's the 2nd time I am doing this job. Whenever I do that, mostly Russian and Western Europian people does that. Also, I am not pushing them to have chat with me like a weirdo of course, I know it will be strange (I mean like this "person says: Hello" "Then I start to tell my life story"). But for example Asians, Balcanians seems like more friendlier to me. I have never been in foreign countries or such so what I am saying here is limited by my experiences

with foreigners. Yes, it still cold to me,so maybe it's because I live in countryside and I sometimes visit city center. So as some sort of habit this is, when people say "hello" I start a conversation with them then they stop me there. At least they don't end bad, people still smile and laugh at me sincerely and then move on. Maybe I am a too friendly person.

[The Lone Wolf]

But I never forget that one, when I was studying at my break at noon. One of elderly French man said "Hello" when he was passing through the corridor. I looked at him, then "I am fine thanks, how was your yesterday ? Did you enjoy the tour ?" I asked one more question was it "Did the technicians fix your (I can not remember) ?"

 

He stopped

 

stared at me strangely

 

I kept look at him (for a moment I thought he was going to jump at me and beat the sh*t out of me. because he had that look on his face however.)

 

then he said "What are you doing ?"

 

I said "I am studying."

 

he replied "Good." and moved on.

[Jello]

31 minutes ago, THE IMP said:

But I never forget that one, when I was studying at my break at noon. One of elderly French man said "Hello" when he was passing through the corridor. I looked at him, then "I am fine thanks, how was your yesterday ? Did you enjoy the tour ?" I asked one more question was it "Did the technicians fix your (I can not remember) ?"

 

He stopped

 

stared at me strangely

 

I kept look at him (for a moment I thought he was going to jump at me and beat the sh*t out of me. because he had that look on his face however.)

 

then he said "What are you doing ?"

 

I said "I am studying."

 

he replied "Good." and moved on.

You know, it sounds like you have just met some assholes, bitches, and dicks. That was an improper way for that person to respond, but some people just don't want to be asked questions. And it sounds like you might be too friendly, and if you're from a rural background, you might not be used to it. That's no fault of your own, if you are a friendly, nice person, don't stop being that just because some people are jerks to you.

 

I've worked retail or customer/client service jobs for quite a few years, from sitting in an office talking on the phone to cutting and loading thousands of pounds of lumber for clients, and all sorts of things in between. One thing that I've learned is that most people are decent, but they want to get on with their lives, but they're friendly and they like a little banter. Some people are overly chatty and they want to distract you from your work because they have nobody else to talk to, and some people just want to make your life miserable; probably because their lives are miserable.

 

You can't let any of them get to you. When I have a day where I had a really bad experience with someone, like it seemed like they just wanted to make my life miserable, I think back on the good experiences of the day. That friendly person that had a friendly smile and a wave, or a funny joke, or just generally seemed appreciative of my help and thanked me. It happens a lot during life, don't stress about it. Maybe don't be "too" friendly, but that interaction with the "gentleman" seemed like anything but. Sounds like you were just asking if something was fixed and he got mad about it. So he was a dick. Don't sweat that. 

 

It's happened to me more times than I can count. Some people just want to be unpleasant, don't let it spoil your mood or your outlook. Just remember good interactions, times you've helped people and they've been genuinely appreciative.

 

I still remember the time I was working at Toys 'R Us back in 2016 around Christmas and a couple came in looking for a Ghostbusters Proton Pack for their kid for Christmas. Our back of house was a complete mess, we were short staffed. But inventory was showing we had received two that day on the truck, and I was very familiar with BOH. The truck was unloaded, but everything was still in stacks and stacks of boxes on pallets in the back. I knew the department code, I knew they should be in a box marked D8, and the color code for the box. Well, it took me about thirty minutes, but I was able to find that box buried in a pallet and get them their Proton Pack so their kid could have a happy Christmas. The smiles on their faces when I came out with it was priceless, and they were so appreciative.

 

It actually reminded me of a story a long time ago when my older brother wanted a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man for Christmas, and my parents went looking high and low for one. This would've been back in the mid 80's, and their last ditch effort was on Christmas Eve at the same Toys 'R Us I ended up working at, 65 miles from where they lived. And an employee took the time to go in the back with a ladder, and check out all the overstock bins, and he was able to find one. Made my brothers Christmas. Might have something to do with why I took the time to look for the Proton Pack.

 

Anyway, really long story short, that's going to be something I remember for the rest of my life, because I made someone's day (and their kids Christmas, and maybe that'll be a story they'll tell decades from now) by just doing my job. There have been plenty of assholes and bitches that I've encountered, but don't change who you are just because there are miserable people out there. Just remember the good interactions, and ignore the terrible people out there who just want to make your life miserable.

[Teo Slayer]

Because there are different people