The majority of conversations in Western culture start with, “Hello, how are you?” which is more often than not followed by, “Fine thanks and you?” Did you know that this pleasantry we so regularly exchange is called a phatic expression? These expressions are unwritten rules in our society which make social interactions easier, maintain communication, and actually serve to uphold our social reality. Although they are seemingly innocuous strings of words, phatic expressions can become points of contention due to intergenerational changes to the rules, or variations between phatic expressions used in different countries around the world. If you (like many others) think that the French are rude, you may just not understand “bonjour culture,” interrupting is not a universally impolite action, and some people consider, “No problem,” a dismissive statement. You’ll also hear about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our interactions, and how robots are taking on more and more human qualities. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Sidewalk psychology differs from state to state, and country and country.
• Adjusting to a move away from Southern hospitality. 
• Possible factors which influence what is known as the “Seattle Freeze.”
• How Nordic communities view small talk.
• The experience of saying goodbye in the Midwest. 
• Power that lies in eye-contact, or a lack thereof. 
• What we can quickly learn from following the unwritten rule of greeting. 
• The definition of phatic expression. 
• Examples of phatic expressions which we commonly use. 
• Benefits of phatic expressions.
• How rules around phatic expressions have changed over time. 
• Making use of phatic expressions through social media. 
• What social reality is, and how it is upheld by phatic expressions.
• Types of phatic expressions that exist in other cultures.
• Ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has altered our use of phatic expressions. 
• The artifice of hiring people as greeters.
• Other unwritten rules which govern our interactions with people, and how these are being transferred to robots. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Bonjour Effect

Them’s the Rule on Twitter

Twiplomacy

Check out the Them's the Rules website!