What's the point of a random person telling another random person "hello"?

[beebella]

You know like when you're walking down the street or something and as you walk past this random person, they just say, "Hello" or "How are you doing?"
Are they just being friendly or is there some other reason behind it?

Some people are just that friendly

It's some people's way of shooting their shot

There could be another reason for it

I am that person

More than one poll option/Results

Updates

+1 y

The one guy at Dollar General did this today and I go there several times a week and he never says anything. Now I'm wondering if he's just in a good mood or if I'm looking good today. 🤨😂

Updates

+1 y

I could be reading too much into the situation, but I just found him to be unusually friendly.

[EmbraceThePain]

Well, there’s probably a reason behind everything we do or say, but a lot of it is not something significant. I have frequently said “hi” or “hello” to people that I’ve seen for a few seconds and will almost certainly never see again in my life. I think I do this out of habit more than anything else. I think it’s automatic in me to just be courteous and greet people despite not knowing them. Perhaps it’s a natural human thing to demonstrate your friendliness towards someone so that it’s communicated that you don’t want to harm them and they don’t want to harm you. Perhaps it’s deeply primal/evolutionary.

[EmbraceThePain]

Update: How dare you think you looked good today?

No

[beebella]

I know, how dare I? 🤦‍♀️

[dolemite89]

I agree i don’t like fake chit chat with people even. It’s annoying that people say how’s it going as just a greeting to strangers. Unless i know them enough to say how it’s actually going just say hello

[beebella]

Honestly. I'm just trying to mind my own business and now I have to respond to some random person who's feeling chatty. 🙄😂

[dolemite89]

https://youtu.be/EbmPpxoNQ-k

😂

[beebella]

Omg 😂
I'm still on season one, by the way. 😅

[dolemite89]

slacker 🙄😅

[Ez-Bri-Z]

I'm in the south in it is practically down right expected to be friendly like that. It is mostly just being social without feeling the need to be committed to engaging in small talk. A simple hello and a nod or wave is usually enough.

It is like the verbal representation of opening/holding the door for someone.

[Miah02]

We are taught it's something that could brighten someone's day.

Maybe they don't have a lot of people notice them or they had a rough day.

That small interaction could help them feel a little better.

[Lost_in_the_Woods]

Huh. . .

I'll try not to respond with the death stare so much.

[jennifer_bloom]

A lot of people like to help others but they don’t have the time or money or skills to make a difference so saying hi to people is how they contribute to the world

[OlderAndWiser]

Here in the South, it is rather normal behavior.

[humanearth]

Same here in the far north

[humanearth]

Look in my area, when we pass each other driving or in the farm feilds. We all wave to each other, tip our hats or take off the hats and wave back with the hat to make sure they see us wave back.

It all goes back to the horse and buggy days. People would wave to make sure they were okay. You didn't wave back. They would stop to make sure everything was okay and you were fine.

Here everyone says hello, tip their hat, and other nice things.

Here men still open the doors for the ladies, pull out a ladies chair, walk on the curbside when walking with a lady.

When men go in doors they take off their hats.

My area is still untouched by todays crazy city people. We are small town and family farmers

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

On my part, I'm just being friendly, See growing up me and my sister
went through having an abusive father and my late mother sort of took
on his ways, there was always drama in my life plus I had to deal with
bullies in school, in 7th grade-8th grade, stealing my books and the
school told me if I didn't find them that I would have to pay for the books
this is why to this day I treat all people very kind and some people would
think wow why does he seem so kind well it sticks with you when you
have to deal with emotional pain from verbal abusive parents I was
close to my mother, she was nicer than my father, he lives in high
rise remarried to a woman who he had affair with on my mother and
she is age 65 and he's age 80

[ohshee]

Cuz you're walking down the street and you see somebody approaching you first of all before you actually see that them clearly you can feel their energy and the closer you get the deeper the feeling can get and if your energy is compatible with their energy the moment you get up to each other I mean it's just intense there are many as I'm walking towards somebody I can see them I can feel them and I just smile and kind of say hi as I walked by. But there are moments as I walked by that that feeling is so intense you actually say hi and you want to chat with him I mean it's the same thing on here when you're answering questions every time I answer a question from you I feel you and each time I feel you deeper and deeper and the feeling gets more and more intense one of these days I will have balls enough to say Hi how are you and blank blank blank blank blank blank LOL

[AndrewMG]

Because they might be in the Euro final tomorrow and have no idea how to react to the fact?
I'm sorry my answers are going to be even worse than ever for the next 24 hours... blame alcohol, blame the Euro final, blame not being able to cope with disappointment lol... all of those points are relevant... I'm usually a nice guy lol

[AndrewMG]

In reply to the update I'm sure you look good everyday, so you either miss the signals or random guy needs to improve his hello game!!! lol

[beebella]

😂😂

[TommyMountainFigure]

A smile and a hello to random people. Blokes, women, old grannies. I'm not fussed and I have no ulterior motive to it either.

Merely being friendly. Sometimes you get a smile or hello back, other times you get an evil stare, or they look right through you...

That's just who i am. I like being me and I'm not going to change.

[IDontBelieveIt]

Yes what's their problem, you smile or say hello and you get daggers, whatever issues they have don't take my joy.

[Lliam]

People often do that when they recognize someone, even if they don't know the person. It's just being polite and friendly.
People often say that to a stranger if they happen to make eye contact. A smile and a friendly acknowledgement is better than ignoring people. Acknowledging people's existence can cheer them up.

[TadCurious]

Isabel I voted that some people are just that friendly. I've never been to New York City but I've heard of Southerners who've visited there and said "How y'all doin'?" and totally freaking out the native New Yorkers. So to some extent it's a regional/cultural thing. But I guess there could be other explanations for why people do it.

[MCheetah]

To both acknowledge their existence, and to make the speaker feel good. I'm not much of a talker unless I know someone (I hate small talk at my job), but I get why other people like it. Makes them feel good, especially if they're extroverts and just like talking to people. I voted option C.

[Anpu23]

I missed the "I am that person." I don't know about you, but this attitude of "ignore everyone" just tears down our society. Saying 'hello' stepping out of people's way, being polite it builds stronger communities. You never know if someone is having a bad day, and if you can just make it a little better... it's really no effort... say hi, smile tip your hat and move on. Simple enough.

[WowwGirl]

Yesss baby yessss

[Jamie05rhs]

There have been occasions when I have said "hello" to a random person when passing them if I'm in a really good mood.
But this usually never happens, because 1) I'm an introvert, 2) I'm antisocial, 3) I have anxiety, 4) I have depression, and 5) I'm insecure.

As far the "point," there's actually no point. It's just being polite and friendly and trying to foster a sense of community.

[Ghostykill3r]

There's really no telling, he may have just been having a good day and wanted to say hi to people, you may have been looking extra good that day, it may have been a combination or neither one. There are a lot of people who say hi just to be friendly, usually you find it in smaller towns but not always. There are also those who say it to strike up a conversation because they think the other person is attractive and they're trying to shoot their shot.

[naraku]

I wonder this myself.

Clearly I have had time's when someone has just said hi as we pass each other and it's a friendly gesture.
Other time's, I can't work out of it's friendly or something else to it especially when I am waiting for my train. Nothing recently, so I guess if it was something more then I missed it.

[45Fstraight]

I am that person (usually). I'll wave to you if you're walking when I drive by too. Yes, people are that friendly! I'm not always the first to smile and say hi.

[Smoke-n-Growls]

It might be because I'm Canadian, but greeting others is quite common. It's become less common as more people become unfriendly, but it's still 7-8/10 (depending on the weather).

Impromptu friendly conversations are also common.

[Lionman95]

I don´t why other people do it by I do it when I´m in good mood to give other people the feeling they are recognized and seen. I´m sometimes too much in a rush to do it but I try to do it everytime I see someone else.

[SheerKiss3]

We are too used to not be polite and nice with strangers. That when we meet someone so nice and friendly we are like..: What is wrong with that person?

[loves2learn]

I am a friendly, smiley, bubbly person. I do this a lot. Would it rub you the wrong way?

[hughmathews]

i do it all the time, its just my way of being friendly to a stranger! if theyre trying to shoot their shot, chances are theyre catcalling you like an asshole