People who dont smile at you when you smile

[PeterandSandy]

Most people smile if you smile at them when out.

The other day i did and the person looked away without smiling.

Wonder what that was about?

@PeterandSandy

Most people smile if you smile at them when out.

The other day i did and the person looked away without smiling.

Wonder what that was about?

Fecking hell.

Is this the first time this has ever happened to you??

Yes OP

You should DEFINITELY tell the next person you see to "cheer up. It might never happen"

Definitely

Then come back and tell us how that went

Maybe they think you look like a mad axe murderer and do not want to encourage you.

People have lost the art of being polite and sociable. I live outside the UK, and where I live it is not acceptable to walk around with a face like a slapped backside. Whenever I come home I am amazed to see the moody, temperamental, generally unpleasant people walking around. Of course, not all, but those who are like this stand out.
For those suffering genuine hardship, bereavements, illness, etc, they have my full sympathy. However, I don't believe tat this is the case for everyone, and many are just plain rude.

I'm sight impaired - probably wouldn't see your smile plus I'm concentrating on looking at as much as I can of my surroundings so I don't trip or walk into things.

Are you male or female? Young or old? Covered in tattoos with purple hair or dressed conservatively? Are you smiling, grinning like a loon or smirking? Is the street empty, busy or crowded? Was it sunny or pissing with rain? Rural or urban? Night or day?

All those things make a difference to how strangers react to being smiled at.

But expecting to be owed a smile when you smile at strangers and taking it personally if they don't, that's the weird thing.

@Mariposista

People have lost the art of being polite and sociable. I live outside the UK, and where I live it is not acceptable to walk around with a face like a slapped backside. Whenever I come home I am amazed to see the moody, temperamental, generally unpleasant people walking around. Of course, not all, but those who are like this stand out. For those suffering genuine hardship, bereavements, illness, etc, they have my full sympathy. However, I don't believe tat this is the case for everyone, and many are just plain rude.

How do you decide which is which with total strangers though?

Smiling's great, sometimes I just don't feel like doing it though

I’ve got a terrible memory for faces and names. If you smiled I’d assume I must know you and be embarrassed I couldn’t remember where from.

Do you also tell strangers on buses your life story?
Oh gosh, I tend to! That must make me really weird 😳

Bloody hell some people are so miserable. Instead of smiling try saying Good Morning/Afternoon etc. I do this every day to everyone I meet on my dog walk. Most are strangers, most acknowledge and answer. I don't believe those that don't answer are all grief stricken and no nobody owes anyone a smile or a good morning but manners make the world a little bit nicer IMHO.

I don't think there's anything wrong with smiling at strangers, as long as you're ok with people not reciprocating for whatever reason.
I'd far rather people did that, than told me to smile it might never happen, cheer up luv and so on.

@saveforthat

Bloody hell some people are so miserable. Instead of smiling try saying Good Morning/Afternoon etc. I do this every day to everyone I meet on my dog walk. Most are strangers, most acknowledge and answer. I don't believe those that don't answer are all grief stricken and no nobody owes anyone a smile or a good morning but manners make the world a little bit nicer IMHO.

@saveforthat

Yeah 'cheer up luv!'

Fuck me this place sometimes!

As has been said, no-one is owed a bloody SMILE, or a hello. Why do you think you have the authority to say people need to 'try saying good morning' to people.

Nobody has to say good morning- OR smile at you - no matter how cross it makes you that they don't!!!

@PeterandSandy - normally I'm a smiley "hello" type person

But there have been times when I am not - Friend dying suddenly, being told DSIS had stage 4 cancer while she was in a coma from the emergency surgery that had saved her life but pretty much ruined it at the same time, having to take DF into the pysch ward as he was having yet another nervous breakdown.

Each of these times some twat person brightly told me to "cheer up love" or "smile, it make you look better" or some other such crap
"FUCK OFF!" - is what each of those brainless, empathy deficient idiots were told.

If someone looks like they are having a bad day, MAYBE THEY ARE HAVING A BAD DAY FGS!

@JudgeJ how did you get from “smile” to “leer”?

OP I am also a smiler. And a chatter. I was brought up to try and remember that many people don’t have any fried for human interaction on a daily basis and might appreciate a smile or a good morning or an isn’t it a lovely day.

If they don’t reciprocate it’s no biggie. But if they do I feel it’s brightened both our days. Win win.

I am a northerner and find people in the south, where I’ve lived for 30+ years much less likely to return a smile or a good morning. I think the friendly northerner trope might actually be true.

If I see you smile at me tomorrow I will smile back and throw in a wave for good measure

I'm a smiler too, OP. Sometimes people smile back, sometimes they don't. I don't think twice about it. There are multitude of reasons why people don't smile back nor are they required to.

I've also noticed when I'm out, that the ones who start telling you their life story, and moan about all their ailments, ask you fuck all about yourself anyway, as they only interested in themselves, and the sound of their own voice...

The very idea that someone is a miserable curmudgeon because they don't go around simpering, and smiling back at some random person grinning at them (and trying to engage with them,) is pathetic, embarrassing, insulting and misogynistic. And it IS misogynistic, Because it's always WOMEN who are expected to smile and be courteous and look pretty and delicate. Fuck that!

Imagine telling a MAN he needs to smile more and engage more with random nobodies. Most men would laugh in your face or tell you to fuck off.

@Chocolateteabag nobody here has advocated saying “cheer up” or “smile”. The op just smiled at someone.

@MurmuratingStarling smile love, it might never happen

[quote BitOutOfPractice]@Chocolateteabag nobody here has advocated saying “cheer up” or “smile”. The op just smiled at someone.[/quote]
Yes they have! @saveforthat said as well as smile more - we need to say 'good morning' and 'good afternoon' more. Ergo CHEER UP LUV! Errr, how about NO! Such misogynistic patronising rot.

[quote BitOutOfPractice]@MurmuratingStarling smile love, it might never happen [/quote]

^

That better?

Am I being a good girl now? Smiling - and being nice - like a good iccle wumman?

[quote Chocolateteabag]@PeterandSandy - normally I'm a smiley "hello" type person

But there have been times when I am not - Friend dying suddenly, being told DSIS had stage 4 cancer while she was in a coma from the emergency surgery that had saved her life but pretty much ruined it at the same time, having to take DF into the pysch ward as he was having yet another nervous breakdown.

Each of these times some twat person brightly told me to "cheer up love" or "smile, it make you look better" or some other such crap
"FUCK OFF!" - is what each of those brainless, empathy deficient idiots were told.

If someone looks like they are having a bad day, MAYBE THEY ARE HAVING A BAD DAY FGS![/quote]
100% this. ^

I was out a couple of weeks back sitting quietly in a local park.

A lady walked past and smiled, I didn't smile back, and she told me to cheer up.

Shes lucky I didn't tell her to fuck off, it was the anniversary of my daughters death and I had 1 hour to myself and I just wanted to sit outside in peace without strangers placing expectations on me because they chose to do something.

Smile away, at anyone you like, but don't expect others to do the same.

When someone smiles at me it brightens my day. Its nice to know so has noticed me and took the time to make a nice gesture in smiling.

I don't smile back to anyone. It's how chuggars and sales people draw you in.
Or worse, it's a random person who really thinks you give a shit about their live.
There was also some weird smilers a few years ago who then went on to hug people