Do you think that it's rude to talk to people you don't know?

[EzraIsShy76028]

So this situation came up relatively recently. I was at a line in the grocery store. I had music in on my earbuds, and apparently this middle aged guy was trying to say something to me for a long time, and I wasn't hearing it. I only "heard" it when he tapped me pretty hard on the shoulder.

He started saying some random shit really fast which I didn't understand, so I just quietly and politely told him, hoping to teach him a valuable life lesson: "I'm sorry, but sir, that's not cool, you shouldn't talk to people you don't know like that."

And then he replied: "Stop telling me what you do! I'm not gonna take orders from a little brat like you! I'm old enough to be your father, kid!"

And I replied: "But I never once told you what to do."

And he replied: "Yes you did, you told me don't talk to people you don't know! Well I'll talk to whoever the fuck I wanna know! You don't order me around! You're not God!"

And then a store employee had to tell him to calm down or get out of the store, and he chose to get out of the store.

And to me it was just like, why talk to someone you don't know? You don't know anything about the person or their personality, why talk to them? Especially if you're gonna be so rude and confrontational like that.

[HelpfulWoman]

ehhh i think its more of context matters... such as the fact you had headphones in/didn't respond to him showing that you didn't want to talk to them. that's all there needs to be known about it.

[EzraIsShy76028]

Hmmm yeah. I think you're probably right. Lol.

[purplepoppy]

No it's perfectly natural to talk to strangers. It's something countless people do daily without any issues.

[EzraIsShy76028]

I can mostly agree with what you're saying. It only becomes an issue if you get confrontational with a stranger. When around strangers you should show some restraint no matter how angry you are. Piss off the wrong person and there could be a lot of trouble.