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Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing

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Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing

#241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Rationally, I know what you've said to be the truth. In reality, I cut my own hair because it stresses me out to go to a Greatclips.

What I learned is that it makes a huge difference to get a haircut from someone professional. Going to some cheap random mall hair place is a terrible experience. They don't care about their work, it's going to be awkward and it'll look terrible. I have been going to a fancy hair place in recent years. AUD $85 seems like a lot of money for a mens haircut, but it makes all the difference. It's a proper craft. No "what…

Counterpoint: I am much, much more comfortable at the cheapo place at the mall than at some fancy pants salon. Find what works for you.

Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing

#242
While this survey is done with neighbors, I wonder how it is in general. In a number of countries complete strangers great each other. Like in The Netherlands, though the likelihood to be greeted depends on where you are, time of day, and age of the people who greet.

In a big city people generally don't greet strangers, unless they meet very early in the morning and the occurence of a chance greeting among early risers grows. When city dwellers enter the suburbs and esp. when going into nature, they start to greet. Smaller towns and villages see a lot of greeting in the circle that one can count as beyond neighbors.

The younger people get the less they seem to participate in this old habit. Maybe they 'learn' to greet at older age, or modern society and smartphones are killing the tradition. I sometimes wonder if in modern society we are shifting more and more to a stance of distrust of the people we don't know, and this affects the greeting culture too.

Overall this casual greeting, often accompanied with a warm smile and sometimes some small talk, feels uplifting and heartwarming. Good for wellbeing I would say.

This is all anecdotal and YMMV, but I encourage to engage in the practice and reap the rewards.

Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing

#243
post #231

how disfunctional society are you living in if you need calculate the gain and loss for doing what a decent human being would do in a neighbourhood?

I was told to keep to myself as a child, not bother anyone, and not stare. That was my parents' concept of politeness, so I was never taught to greet people or initiate conversation.

Cultural difference, I suppose.

Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing

#244
post #71
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My street was full of older folks that we got to know over the years. Some moved to assisted living, some are getting there, and some passed away from unexpected diagnoses. We have new Gen Z neighbours for the last two years who seem to exist in their bubble, shutting out the immediate world and interacting only with their social circle. Barely an acknowledgement even if we’re out in the yard, shovelling snow or cutt…

> I am wondering if this is some generational divide at play where some slice of the population had been conditioned that the only valid interactions are those that happen online. I think it's likely some of that is at play, yeah. A less confrontational way to phrase this could be: perhaps people who were raised with the Internet feel they find sufficient socialization through talking with their friends online, and d…

I agree.

I'm not quite so shy, but on that same side of the spectrum for sure. The deal with me these days is that I've got a couple kids; one thing that comes along with that is quite a bit of social interaction with people you're not 100 percent at ease with. So, that energy - the same type id use to do some small talking with the neighbors - is almost always on E for me.

Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing

#245

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I learned is that it makes a huge difference to get a haircut from someone professional. Going to some cheap random mall hair place is a terrible experience. They don't care about their work, it's going to be awkward and it'll look terrible. I have been going to a fancy hair place in recent years. AUD $85 seems like a lot of money for a mens haircut, but it makes all the difference. It's a proper craft. No "what…

Counterpoint: I am much, much more comfortable at the cheapo place at the mall than at some fancy pants salon. Find what works for you.

Yep, I prefer a chain place where the staff are mildly disinterested, aren't trying to push conversation and just want to get the job done quickly.

Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing

#246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you'll find that community matters even more in rural towns. We are social animals. We can't do it all alone. That modern society has enabled us to be 'reclusive' is frankly a maladaptive outcome.

No we aren’t social animals, certainly not in rural areas. Give me a good book and a quiet afternoon in the shade of a tree with no neighbours any day.

Here's a great book recommendation for you - "The Little Book of Lykke: Secrets of the World's Happiest People" by Meik Wiking

Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing

#247

My father in law lives in Yorkshire, where people regularly say hello to each other when out and about, particularly in the morning. We live in London, where this is highly unusual. When visiting he came on our usual morning walk in the park, and said hello, good morning to someone. They were completely flabbergasted and could only muster a garbled reply through the shock.

Northerner terrifies Londoners by saying "Hello"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT0ay9u1gg4

Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing

#248

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Rationally, I know what you've said to be the truth. In reality, I cut my own hair because it stresses me out to go to a Greatclips.

What I learned is that it makes a huge difference to get a haircut from someone professional. Going to some cheap random mall hair place is a terrible experience. They don't care about their work, it's going to be awkward and it'll look terrible. I have been going to a fancy hair place in recent years. AUD $85 seems like a lot of money for a mens haircut, but it makes all the difference. It's a proper craft. No "what…

My hair is thick, curly, and I tend to let it grow long. I've found that, more often than not:

- 90% of male barbers are butchers

- clippers are for butchers

- anyone who tries to cut your hair without washing it first is probably a butcher

Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing

#249
Our buildings, cities and economic life (work) are not organized to support social cohesion and the wellbeing that flows from that condition. Actually the main motto is "there is no such thing as society".

Digital online life has been a major opportunity to partially remedy the isolation induced by designs that maximize anything else (real estate value, GDP) than emotional balance.

Somewhat predictably though, the same driving forces created the same alienating mess. People are starved for social interaction and adopted digital tools en-masse, only to be exploited and reduced to data minable products.

There does not seem to be an exit from the trap we are in the short run. Material well-being has been prioritized above everything else and that is not compatible with social well-being.

We are left we somewhat sad "tips and tricks", like greeting six neighbors. Which obviously wont hurt but are so helplessly far from achieving something tangible.

Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing

#250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I learned is that it makes a huge difference to get a haircut from someone professional. Going to some cheap random mall hair place is a terrible experience. They don't care about their work, it's going to be awkward and it'll look terrible. I have been going to a fancy hair place in recent years. AUD $85 seems like a lot of money for a mens haircut, but it makes all the difference. It's a proper craft. No "what…

My hair is thick, curly, and I tend to let it grow long. I've found that, more often than not: - 90% of male barbers are butchers - clippers are for butchers - anyone who tries to cut your hair without washing it first is probably a butcher

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