[k__]

I usually avoid strangers, because those who talk to you are usually weirdos.

Thing is, if normal people don't talk to strangers anymore, then only the weirdos are left, reinforcing the idea that only weirdos talk to strangers...

[mattlondon]

+1 In any major city it's probably 90% chance they're either a crook trying to scam you out of something or mentally not quite right. The remaining 10% will be tourists or people from outside of the major city.

[majormajor]

You're confusing "asking people for something" with "talking to people."

Nobody wants randos coming up to them and asking for something.

Most people would be less lonely if everyone had more practice at making non-transactional conversation.

Actively avoiding conversation still qualifies as "weirdo" behavior to most people.

[nzeid]

On public transit or a street, maybe. But only maybe.

Are you willfully ignoring people at bars, night clubs, supermarkets, etc?

It's obvious 99% of the time whether or not the conversation is in the wrong place and wrong time.

[barbs]

In my experience that's not true at all, but I think a lot of people have that perception, which is sad.

[hluska]

Or they have social skills?

[hluska]

In my experience, only weirdos never speak to strangers. Social skills are easy, conversations are easy and strangers are just people you don’t know yet.

I still can’t understand the point of this. Do you get a charge telling social anxious people they’ll be weird if they do their homework? That’s precisely what you did. Why?

[mh2266]

I live in NYC. Maybe this is different in the suburbs. Nearly 100% of the people that approach me are trying to get something from me. Scam me, get me to sign something I don't want to sign, get me to donate my money to save the dogs/children/etc.

If someone on the street tries to talk to me, I try to avoid even looking at them or acknowledging them. They'll use that as an opening. Just keep walking.

[boca_honey]

Well, that's your experience. Some people live in places where most strangers that talk to you are wierdos. Some of us live in places where most strangers on the street are actually dangerous (and I'm not talking about NYC or any place in America, I'm talking about actual criminal hotspots, which is the reality of a huge portion of humanity you probably don't think about).