• WideningGyro [any]@hexbear.net
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    3 months ago

    Wait, you can like “hold” a door open? What, with your hand? I’m European and I’ve literally never heard about that. I thought slamming doors straight in other people’s faces was a universal thing. Learn a new thing every day.

    I kid, of course. But for real, what makes you think of door-holding as a uniquely American thing?

    • Alaskaball [comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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      3 months ago

      Out of the ten foreign countries I’ve been to in both Asia and Europe, me seeing instances of people holding the door open became as rare as me finding hyper-processed u.s.a-grade slop over the pond in either direction.

      Stateside it was universally common in all eighteen states I’ve visited. It’s just a form of the peculiarly distinct friendliness we exhibit here.

      • anarchoilluminati [comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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        3 months ago

        I don’t see it enough.

        I get resentful that I’m always holding doors and hardly anyone else does for me.

        People say Americans are friendly but I don’t get it. I’m not White, though.

        • gueybana [any]@hexbear.net
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          3 months ago

          People say Americans are friendly but I don’t get it. I’m not White, though.

          I genuinely think this is key, and probably why people don’t even acknowledge. Also part of why I get so pissed when they don’t.

      • WideningGyro [any]@hexbear.net
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        3 months ago

        Where I’m from in Europe I think most people sort of think of it as just basic common courtesy, especially for older/disabled/people carrying stuff. At least, that’s what’s taught, but I wouldn’t speculate on how often it actually happens here vs. the US. I did also once have a colleague from the US who was extremely (almost performatively, I would say) friendly about those kinds of small, polite gestures. So what do I know.