Being a military "brat" at a very early age where I moved around with my parents, then enjoying my father's retirement years in a small rural town and now moving around with my husband who is a service member, I feel I've experienced a wide range of urbanization in the United States.
I have to agree that the closer you get to the bigger cities, the less likely people are to interact with each other, strangers that is, face to face. I've lived in this area for seven years and I still have a difficult time excusing what I feel is rudeness, when someone walks around me in an aisle in the store and doesn't say "excuse me" or "hi, how's it going?". In the less populated areas, everywhere I've lived, people will make more eye contact, smile more and even say small phrases like, "How's it going?" I wish it weren't this way. I think those who are trying to create space around them, in the more densely populated areas, are actually pushing people away.
It does sound that you have experienced a wide range of urbanization in the United States. I agree with what you said. I live in a very small town and I think it is rude as well when people do not say "excuse me" when walking by. I guess this is something I get used to in my small town. When I travel to larger cities the people seem so rude but I suppose they grew up their and are not used to the "ritual" in a small city.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you both Michelle and Savannah. Being from another country I was at first confused when I found colleagues at work let alone strangers sometimes pass by and look through you completely without even a smile or a nod. I also found it very rude and often wondered whether I had done anything to wrong them. But then at times these very same people would sit with you and have long converstions. It was only later that I found out that this is just "urban life". However I still think it is very rude and always make sure my children and me watch out manners.
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