# Greeting People after starting conversations **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 16, 2022, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greeting-people-after-starting-conversations/976625 "2022-12-16T04:12:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pianodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e79b87/32.png) [@pianodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pianodave)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greeting-people-after-starting-conversations/976625/1 "2022-12-16T04:12:09Z")
Hi SD, I notice that if I start a conversation with someone for the first time in a given day, I have to greet them. If circumstances require that our first exchange is not a greeting, I will at the first opportunity greet them. Does anyone else feel this way? For example: A and B, who are friends, or colleagues, meet for the first time that day at a morning work meeting. (B walks into meeting) A: Meeting’s about to start, have the presentation ready? B: Sure do. What order am I? A: Looks like you are second. B: Cool. By the way, good morning. A: Good morning! I am wondering if anyone else feels funny starting a conversation without a formal greeting? I feel like I am doing a disservice to the person I am talking to. Or is this just me? Dave ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greeting-people-after-starting-conversations/976625/2 "2022-12-16T04:25:00Z")
I avoid greeting people or making inquisitive small talk. The way I look at it, the sooner we get down to business, the quicker we can both be done with this awkward interpersonal interaction and I can get back to building a canoe out of the conference table that ‘disappeared’ one night or practicing my bushcrafting skills with excess office supplies. The less I know about other people’s affairs, the happier I am. [I’m not interested in caring about people.](https://youtu.be/WGhcc3qFWh4&t=20s) Stranger ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greeting-people-after-starting-conversations/976625/3 "2022-12-16T04:27:26Z")
Didn’t you use to work at Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital? ---
**Author:** ![Bashorian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bashorian/32/3546_2.png) [@Bashorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bashorian)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greeting-people-after-starting-conversations/976625/5 "2022-12-16T06:27:48Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > Didn’t you use to work at Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital? This was too good. @terentii owes you a dinner at Scott’s in London. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greeting-people-after-starting-conversations/976625/6 "2022-12-16T11:01:21Z")
I have learned that in the workplace, a proper greeting is necessary, especially when interacting with members of some ethnic groups. It’s considered quite rude by some people to just launch into business with someone without a “good morning” or “how are you” type exchange. And for the purpose of easing relationships, it’s better not to have that reputation. ---
**Author:** ![pianodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e79b87/32.png) [@pianodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pianodave)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greeting-people-after-starting-conversations/976625/7 "2022-12-16T13:25:22Z")
It’s really funny, mark n\_1. I knew this was a House reference, but I actually used to work at the Hospital twenty minutes from the Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital (now called PennMed). I accompanied dance classes for people with Parkinson’s. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greeting-people-after-starting-conversations/976625/8 "2022-12-16T14:10:55Z")
I’d find the insertion of a greeting after the start of a conversation to be rather weird. If I was A and had already done greetings with the people already there and B walked in right as the meeting is about to start I might prioritize checking up on B’s preparedness over the ritual exchange of platitudes. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greeting-people-after-starting-conversations/976625/9 "2022-12-16T18:04:42Z")
> [@pianodave](#): > > I am wondering if anyone else feels funny starting a conversation without a formal greeting? I’ve done both A and B within the past month, epecially if I am coming into a dicussion which has already started. Continuing the dicussion is the priority. And when that’s done, then comes the greeting, and often an invitation for coffee.