One thing I learned, living in an independent senior living community, is how to smile and say hello to people and make friends. Older, rich people are a separate class from the rest of us. They are very, very friendly to everyone. They make eye contact with everyone they meet, they smile and say hello to everyone and everyone is their friend. And for the three years I was living amongst them, I learned how to be like them.
Now, I live in a regular apartment complex, which is nice, but, the people who live here are far younger and poorer. And they are sooooo unsociable. They don’t make eye contact and they don’t smile at you or say hello when you pass them. I force the issue and when I see someone coming along here I purposely say hello to them, make eye contact and ask them how they are doing. It makes my days go sweeter.
I have lived in my complex for two years. Out of the 50 flats I have probably only spoken to one person when I first moved in and that’s about it. If you said hello to me I would do it back!
I notice that at the independent home where I volunteer. Everyone is super nice and always smiles and says “hi”. It’s a very nice environment. It’s also a ritzy one. I would like to go there when I’m in need of a little extra care. As far as other communities go, I’m blessed to live in a nice one where people are friendlier than average.
I am from the South and I am used to friendly people. We call it Southern Hospitality but I learned it’s not everywhere.
I moved to an apartment complex in Southern California and it was a high dollar complex in Orange County. I saw a young woman carrying a baby on her hip and grocery bags and offered my help to bring in her groceries. From the look on her face it was like I had asked her for sex or something. It was weird. I was just being friendly and I don’t think people in California are used to that sort of thing.
See what I mean? At my senior living community, I was either a friend or a good acquaintance with all 200 residents who lived there. That’s how friendly everyone was there.
Sounds like a positive environment to live in. I wish I lived somewhere like that. I probably am one of those people you describe though, as I don’t say hello. I have tried to make eye contact with a few people and smile but that doesn’t seem to work. Not sure if I am doing it right or not.
I’ve noticed that people under a certain income bracket or under a certain age bracket, like under age 70, are not very friendly or polite. This is just what I’ve noticed. That is, in my area of the country, the Midwest of the U.S.A. I’ve noticed that working people are nowhere near as friendly as wealthy retired people. Just my observation.
Some poor people feeling cheated. I get friendly phone calls all the time and all they want is money, the message they are getting is friendly people want my money. There is fraud and con everywhere.
In a way living in this apartment building in the inner part of the city took off the wool from me. I had been living with my Mom in the richer part of town and people expected things of me I couldn’t live up to. Now everybody knows I’m low class too even if they don’t know it’s circumstantial.
I completely agree with you, @anon84157300 . Everyone is suspicious nowadays of friendly people. There are so many con artists and frauds out there that it is hard not to be wary and suspicious.
The eye contact is a definite. When I’m out delivering papers I have to take my sunglasses off when I talk to people. Otherwise they just don’t see you as genuine… Regardless of how cheery you are.
It’s pretty elitist to assume poor people are less friendly or sociable. Many are tired from working a lot of hours or perhaps annoyed from those that make assumptions.
I grew up dirt poor and learned my manners along with how to be friendly. I’m still very low income and look everyone in the eye when walking around town and say hi.
It is culture from location to location, not income based, race based, or age based. It’s also the perception of those who take nothing and turn it into something. We all do it, it’s a part of schizophrenia.
Once I saw a homeless and we looked at each other. I started being friendly as I was in a happy mood as usual. He asked me for money and I had less than he got. A REST
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