300,000,000

[Moonliner]

Ok, that's it. There are three hundred million of you out there now and I need to have a little chat with about 289,000,000 or so of you....

It is no longer 1960. Gone are the carefree days of old where you could take you own sweet time with everything ok? Now here in the O's there are people in line behind you. Always, everywhere, no matter what you are doing. At the grocery store, get your credit card out and swipe it WHILE the checker is scanning your groceries. Do NOT wait until everything is scanned and then start digging in your wallet or purse for it. On the highway, keep up with the person in front of you and for god's sake turn right on red when there is no traffic coming from your left. Also when making a left, it's OK to pull out into the intersection while waiting for traffic to clear. Remember we are all in this together and you need to step up your game. Thank you.

[scaeagles]

I was having a chat at work about cultural differences in terms of personal space and general tempo.

One guy is from NJ where you don't look at people, keep a certain amount of space between you, and if you aren't moving fast enough, everyone behind you lets you know it loud and clear.

Another guy is from the outskirts Atlanta and it is completely the opposite. Southern mentality....slow pace, ultra friendly, and if you don't greet everyone you see you are considered to be rude. No one much seems to care how long something takes. My father in law, who spent a large portion of his life in Hawaii, said it's pretty much the same there.

Yet another is from South Africa, where apparently there is not much of a concept of personal space. Think Seinfeld "close talker" episode.

It's amazing how this varies by region and country. I find myself to be more like Moonliner described (having grown up in CA).

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Yet another is from South Africa, where apparently there is not much of a concept of personal space. Think Seinfeld "close talker" episode.

Interesting - my mom is from SA and in my visit there I didn't sense this. Granted, I was 14 at the time and probably far too distracted by the racial relations down there to notice anything else.

Easy-going, slow-moving strangers that want to tell you their life stories bug the sh.t out of me. Get out of my face and get a move on!

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I was having a chat at work about cultural differences in terms of personal space and general tempo.

One guy is from NJ where you don't look at people, keep a certain amount of space between you, and if you aren't moving fast enough, everyone behind you lets you know it loud and clear.

Another guy is from the outskirts Atlanta and it is completely the opposite. Southern mentality....slow pace, ultra friendly, and if you don't greet everyone you see you are considered to be rude. No one much seems to care how long something takes. My father in law, who spent a large portion of his life in Hawaii, said it's pretty much the same there.

Yet another is from South Africa, where apparently there is not much of a concept of personal space. Think Seinfeld "close talker" episode.

It's amazing how this varies by region and country. I find myself to be more like Moonliner described (having grown up in CA).

With that in mind, stop me if you've heard this one:

An Israeli, a Russian, an Ethiopian and an American were walking down the street: A pollster stops them, saying "Excuse me, what is your opinion of the meat shortage?"

The American says, "What's a shortage?"

The Ethiopian says, "What's meat?"

The Russian says, "What's an opinion?"

The Israeli says, "What's 'Excuse me.'?"

You can probably substitute the South African for the Israeli.

[innerSpaceman]

Hahaha, to the New Yorker in me, So. Cal is about as mellow as I can handle.


Now, move it, granny ... that means you!.

[Prudence]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Hahaha, to the New Yorker in me, So. Cal is about as mellow as I can handle.

It could be worse - you could be up here in the feel-good PacNW where we're forbidden to ever make someone feel uncomfortable by asking them to respect boundaries.

Like my new cubemate, for example, who is so traumatized by her move from the lofty heights of office world to our lowly cube farm that we are not to ask her to stop humming along with her iPod All. Damn. Day. In fact, rather than inconvenience her but asking her to behave like a proper cube dweller, we will permit her to build her own little office of sorts with double-high cube walls and a "door" right in front of our shared window, thus blocking all our light and breeze (no AC). Because she wants it, and we can't say no because then she might not be our bestest friend any more!

No, conflict anywhere can not be tolerated, so whatever someone wants you have to give them. Otherwise you're infringing on their rights.

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by Prudence

It could be worse - you could be up here in the feel-good PacNW where we're forbidden to ever make someone feel uncomfortable by asking them to respect boundaries.

It's funny cuz it's true

You must spread some Mojo around before giving it to Prudence again.

[Prudence]

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

It's funny cuz it's true

Can I get an "Amen"? But not too loudly, because we wouldn't want to make any non-believers uncomfortable by forcing them to acknowledge that religious beliefs exist.

[Alex]

If you truly wanted to avoid discomfort you'd simply stop having religious beliefs.

Give me your co-workers office number. I'll call her and ask her to kindly stop humming along to her iPod. It will be untracable.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Prudence

It could be worse - you could be up here in the feel-good PacNW where we're forbidden to ever make someone feel uncomfortable by asking them to respect boundaries.

My Pacific Northwest training must have been inadequate then because I would have no problem at all telling her to knock it off.