Food for thought

[ryuu_xi]

I must be a pretty weird specimen of a Singaporean

Comments

[reaperangelique]

Hmm...the only people who ask me for help with things like that are foreigners, usually. The British don't ask unless they really, really need to. The Welsh are a little better about it than the English though. As for just offering help, I do it occasionally if someone looks like they need it, but I probably wouldn't randomly go up to some guy on the street. If I'm right next to someone and they look like they need help, sure. If I was abroad and a local offered help without being asked I'd be very grateful ^^; People in this country are polite(ish) and will help if you ask, but no one really likes asking or being asked, so...on the other hand, I think attitudes are really different among teenagers, as long as they're not drunk or violent they'll probably be more helpful than adults XD

[ryuu_xi]

(I saw your Welsh vs English thing coming through... ;D)

What propels people in your country to like, not ask? Is it, say, out of pride, that you think it would be embarrassing to have to ask for help, or that you just don't want to bother people? I mean, it could be a personality thing, but I'm just interested in the genral reason for it.

Brits are known to be pretty cold and arrogant. Does that conform to only the English (from your POV) or does it extend to the Welsh?

Are teenagers in your country usually drunk or violent!? xD

Sorry about being so damn nosy, but thanks for answering~ :D

[reaperangelique]

(Be thankful I'm not Scottish, or I'd really have something to say about y Saeson. >u

[ryuu_xi]

Taking into consideration the whole thing you mentioned about Celts and Saxons... Damn I really need to research more on that.

That was interesting. Hmm... okay. I think I mostly see the picture now.

LOL. Wait till you hear about the things that happen here... xD

Thank you!~~~

[aoi_aka]

I feel torn between helping and not helping. For example, last Friday I was at a restaurant that has a side entrance. After you order your food at the counter, you get a number to put up on a stick so the waiter brings the food to the right table. This couple sat at a table opposite from us and I could see them. He grabbed a menu and they were looking around. I wondered to myself if they'd never been to the place and were expecting a waiter to go to them and take their order. I debated with myself and finally gave in. I asked them if they were new to the place and they said yes, so I told them they needed to place their order around the corner from where we were sitting at the counter. They said they were waiting for their friends. I felt accomplished and stupid at the same time. Even now the feeling of stupid wins over the feeling of accomplished

[ryuu_xi]

I can understand that. I overheard a bunch of students (from an elite school, famed for being snobbish. :/) wondering why everyone was getting off the bus once, so before I got off I told them that there was a train station nearby, and that they should probably do so now. And then they just stared at me blankly and went, "... oh."
Of course, I felt like an idiot afterwards too. It probably seemed like some wierd stranger just butted into their conversation, but I don't quite particularly regret. After all, it's their loss if they choose not to listen to me. xD

So let's say that you're like, lost in a foreign country, and no one came up to you, would you go up and ask someone for directions? (Assuming that you do speak their language.)

[aoi_aka]

Snobs are in a different category. And people who don't want to help themselves and always rely on others. That happens to me at work almost every day. I used to like that co-workers would come to ask me questions and help but after I have told them several times how to do something, I get very sick of "helping" them.

I would have a map and a guidebook. If after looking at both I was still lost, I would ask for help, but it would take a lot of thinking to do that. I'm introverted so me talking to strangers for help is hard.

[ryuu_xi]

Like, people who didn't bother to make an effort. A simple example of it would be people who don't even try to find out something for themselves, and instead wait around.

Lastly, how about a scenario whereby someone comes up to you and offers help?

[maikichelorrain]

Hmmm I'd say we're not really keen on going to help a foreigner on our own, except if they seem really lost and distressed/ask for help/helping them would mean being civil - like holding a luggage in a staircase or something (you'd do that for a co-citizen as well). But I guess it depends of the place as well - Paris isn't known to be really helpful (tbh the first person who helped me in a staircase in Paris was British)
So yeah, I tend to help foreigners when they ask for help, but I'm not in a very touristic place, so it mostly happens when I'm in Paris. Since I'm a tourist as well, I feel their pain.

If a random foreigner would help me... oh I'll be surprised at first, but very pleased and thankful :3

[ryuu_xi]

So in general, it's more for the sake of like, because it shows that one had manners? Oh, wow. It differs in the regions of France? So Paris would be like, pretty cold and indifferent, while the other regions would be friendlier? Or would French people in general just prefer not to take the initiative and help without asking?

(I apologise if it kind of sounded like an insult!)

I see. I think it will be nice to be helped too!

Thanks for answering!~

[maikichelorrain]

I think we're globally reserved - except if someone really seems to need help. But the coldness is more developped in Paris I guess.
More than that I can't really say, I don't live in really touristic regions, so I don't meet tourists pretty often.