Strange social customs differences.

[SkyDream 315]

Someone on an instant messenger service that I don't particularly know at all (and only have one friend in common with) just sent me a message consisting entirely of "hi" - Followed by about a minute of silence.

 

This wouldn't ordinarily be an issue, though you never know what sort of tomfoolery and scammisciousness might be going on. Could be some sort of robot or virus-transmission event. Who knows. Better careful than sorry.

 

Eventually I reply "Can I help you?" and he just says "nothing really" - "just saying hi" and that was it. I bid him farewell and went my separate way.

 

So I have essentially been interrupted from what I was doing for no good reason. I don't know this person, they don't need anything from me, and has no reason to actually contact me.

 

If I walked up to your door, rang the bell, and when it opened, I simply said "hi" and stood there like an idiot, what would your reaction be? Really.

 

Nobody wants to be a jerk, but nobody wants to be disturbed for no good reason.

 

So, the point is, is there actually some social rule that says that anyone like that needs to be entertained? Like if they come barging through to your doorstep, their mere presence has attained some sort of holy status? Some would call that trespassing, even though, in terms of internet technology you're marked as online. Being marked as online doesn't mean there's a sign "Come bother me." It means I'm not offline.

 

So who agrees with me, and who thinks I'm suddenly a giant arse? It's quite alright to have either opinion, or possibly both.

[Malinter 3,064]

I do that all the time.

 

i just send a "hi" out of politeness and also to let them know i'm on and vise-versa.

 

I'd be more worried as how they contacted you without you adding them, unless of course you've put your contact address where someone could see it (like in a sig for example).