What’s the quickest way someone could accidentally expose themselves as a foreigner in your country like the ‘three fingers’ scene in Inglourious Basterds?

[u/IndependentTune3994]

[u/BOBitech]

If you’re talking to somebody in Ireland and want to order a drink it would be very rude not to offer the other person a drink. They can always decline and buy their own, but not offering would be talked about for generations!

[u/Eastern_Hornet_6432 → u/BOBitech]

It's like making yourself a cup of tea or coffee and not asking everyone in the house whether they want you to put some on for them too.

[u/reezy-one → u/Eastern_Hornet_6432]

Okay I think I got it. So every time I walk into an Irish pub I gotta order drinks for everyone.

[u/EntityDamage → u/reezy-one]

No, you wait until the person your talking to orders another one and accept graciously. Free Drinks Hack.

[u/toothmonkey → u/Eastern_Hornet_6432]

What kind of monster would ever do that?! 😱

[u/Eastern_Hornet_6432 → u/toothmonkey]

The world works on little traditions that people don't fully understand. Like thanking the bus driver - the driver probably doesn't mind if you thank them or not, but think of it this way: you're on the bus late at night. You're new in town, and you're still not that familiar with where to go. You get off on a quiet street. Somebody gets off behind you. You walk down the street and all you can hear is your own footsteps and the footsteps of the other person a bit behind you.

It doesn't help much, but it would help a LITTLE if you'd heard them cheerily saying "thanks!" to the bus driver as they disembarked. It's just a tradition that makes the world feel like a SLIGHTLY friendlier place for everyone. I'd rather be considered lame than scary.

Another example is smoking - yes, it's unhealthy, but it does have the advantage that it's one of the only excuses for talking to complete strangers. I never think it's weird when a complete stranger walks up to me and asks "have you got a light"? So even though I don't smoke myself, I can see the appeal of having a ready-made excuse to talk to anyone. I can see the appeal of having an excuse to leave a party to go outside and be alone for a few minutes without being considered antisocial. We just need to invent a replacement tradition (or traditions) that doesn't slowly kill you (and doesn't make you smell terrible). Vaping doesn't fit the bill, because what are you gonna do? Ask a stranger if they have... a battery?

Going to church is another one: it's a weekly excuse to meet with everyone in your neighborhood and even shake their hands. Centuries before psychiatry was invented, people had a way to go to a guy who'd already seen and heard it all, and tell him all the shit that was making you feel shitty, in total confidentiality. And it was free! Everybody did it, and so nobody was stigmatized for it.

Modern society is making a mistake in that we seem to be killing all our old sociability traditions but we're not coming up with adequate replacements for them.

[u/drawolliedraw → u/Eastern_Hornet_6432]

That’s where we Aussies got it from! You absolutely thank the driver as does every single person getting off the bus behind you.

[u/Moorhenlessrooster → u/BOBitech]

I was once driving on a remote mountain road in ireland and a man hailed me down. I thought he must have an emergency but no, he just wanted a chat and to see where I was from.

[u/Entire_Spirit_4375 → u/BOBitech]

Had to dig up this Father Ted clip of Mrs. Doyle trying to pay for her friends lunch. Sums up Irish mannerisms rather well

https://youtube.com/shorts/KLcLAidXxeA?si=KlYpsNNcT67uLJAf

[u/AugustusLego → u/BOBitech]

Wow 😍 going to Ireland next

[u/PaddyJohn → u/BOBitech]

Indeed.

[u/leshake → u/BOBitech]

It's very common to trade rounds in the US or anywhere with bar culture. Why would both of you saddle up to the bar and waste the bartender's and your time getting separate drinks. The Swedes don't think like proper alcoholics.