Middle East country is friendliest

[radhead]

I was reading a story earlier about how the Middle East has the friendliest people. Sorry, I didn't read the entire story.

But I sort of feel this way. I've always thought that these people were surprisingly friendly. Quite different from the far east. What do you think?

 

[Lange]

Heyya,

Somewhat...I mean, when I was there, the average people were nice and quite friendly (in fact, one of the interpurters would bring use this amazing flatbread and lamb).

As far as the farther East, I don't know, but I've heard stories like Asian people not liking to touch (a lady might set the change on the counter instead of handing it to someone).

I think a lot of it is our perspective vs. their culture.

- Regards​

 

[radhead]

Actually, I take that back. I have met quite a few friendly Asian-Americans as well.

 

[Ukrainia]

Hmm, I know pretty much no one from the Middle East. I know a few people of asian descent who are definitely great people, but they're pretty Americanized and have spent much of there lives here.

I've heard the Chinese have a more friendly culture than the Japanese, but that was just one person's opinion who had been to each country multiple times, but had never lived in either place so take that with a grain of salt.

 

[Crosscheck]

The Islamic concept of hospitality is fairly strict, and not that different from what you'd have seen in the west until modern times. Westerners just developed a me, me, me attitude that doesn't give a lot of place to the concept of real hospitality.

I can't say for all Asian cultures, but I know that in Korea it is considered rude to put money in, or take it out, of someone's hand. Played an expo game in Japan once, everyone one seemed quite friendly. They seemed very focused on what they were doing, and I can see how some people might take that as rude. I don't think that's the intent though. I do have to say, seeing a vending machine that sold used panties was a bit creepy. If it is possible to sell something out of a vending machine somewhere in Japan it is being sold that way.

 

[smacarena]

I think friendliness depends more on the individual, not the culture.

 

[Qyöt27]

I do have to say, seeing a vending machine that sold used panties was a bit creepy. If it is possible to sell something out of a vending machine somewhere in Japan it is being sold that way.

Never thought someone would bring that up here, to be honest. Yeah, there are some rather bizarre fetishes that have public attention over there. On the more positive side, the view of people that actually use vending machines like that is decidedly close to seeing them as pariah and/or creepy perverts. Won't stop the businesses from trying to make a buck, though.

Honestly, I always thought there'd be a correlation between the happiest country and the friendliest, in which case it'd be what, the Netherlands or Sweden? I mean, people are more naturally friendly when they're happy, right?

Of course, there is no way to account for cultures having rigid codes of conduct regarding hospitality, as mentioned.

 

[Sketcher]

Given what I've heard from people in the mission field over there, as well as what I've experienced from Lybian immigrants, I have to agree with that sentiment.

 

[traingosorry]

I was reading a story earlier about how the Middle East has the friendliest people. Sorry, I didn't read the entire story.

But I sort of feel this way. I've always thought that these people were surprisingly friendly. Quite different from the far east. What do you think?

When I was in the UAE I found the residents to be either totally indifferent to me or downright unfriendly.

 

[Gym]

I found most of the people in the middle east to be quite friendly to me when I lived there. I would say the vast majority of my experiences while living in the country were positive. The only thing is when people refer to shows they used to watch nowadays, nobody except me says 'little mohammad goes to Mecca'...

 

[Wren]

I haven't been to the Mid-East or met many people here from that area, but the couple from Iran that I knew (worked with the wife) were really rude and abrupt with me. She was nice to some other people at work, though, so maybe it was just me

 

[Crosscheck]

Never thought someone would bring that up here, to be honest. Yeah, there are some rather bizarre fetishes that have public attention over there. On the more positive side, the view of people that actually use vending machines like that is decidedly close to seeing them as pariah and/or creepy perverts. Won't stop the businesses from trying to make a buck, though.

Honestly, I always thought there'd be a correlation between the happiest country and the friendliest, in which case it'd be what, the Netherlands or Sweden? I mean, people are more naturally friendly when they're happy, right?

Of course, there is no way to account for cultures having rigid codes of conduct regarding hospitality, as mentioned.

It is a cultural thing. While I can't help but find it strange, objectively I can't see how those vending machines are any worse than all the porn stores down by the airport. Though I gotta say, I can't figure out exactly what you'd get out of owning another individual's used underwear.

 

[Qyöt27]

It is a cultural thing. While I can't help but find it strange, objectively I can't see how those vending machines are any worse than all the porn stores down by the airport. Though I gotta say, I can't figure out exactly what you'd get out of owning another individual's used underwear.

Without going into gross detail of the portions of otaku or otherwise-obsessive subculture those machines cater to, I'll just settle for saying it's not considered a 'normal' interest, even if the machines are readily found. The underlying point is that of essentially 'Rule 34 (or 36), mass-market style'. Porn in vending machines is decidedly less fringe in comparison.

 

[E.C.]

In my experience, any person that allows themselves to fall into the "me me me" attitude of American culture tends to be very rude.

The Palestinians, Russians, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Romanians, Serbs, Greeks, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans and Bulgarians I have met that did not allow that "me me me" bit to become part of them have been among the friendliest people I've met.

Yet the rudest non-WASP Americans that I have encountered were the Cuban-Americans of Southeast Florida. A few Arabs and Slavs I've met have also been as rude.

What's the point I'm trying to make? Here in America we have a very inhospitable culture and when any immigrant allows that culture to become their own, especially the "me me me", than what we think of the rest of the world become highly distorted.

 

[GQ Chris]

I think friendliness depends more on the individual, not the culture.

^ this right here. Nice people and jerks come in all different cultures.

 

[Gym]

In my experience, any person that allows themselves to fall into the "me me me" attitude of American culture tends to be very rude.

The Palestinians, Russians, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Romanians, Serbs, Greeks, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans and Bulgarians I have met that did not allow that "me me me" bit to become part of them have been among the friendliest people I've met.