There are several expressions in our house, one, "If we didn't have weird friends, we wouldn't have any friends at all." Another expression, "What constitutes normal anyway?" and "We birds of a feather . . "
So, in the warm, sunny, South, people commonly strike up conversations with strangers - about any and everything. This is such a drastic change from the cold, clammy Northern states where conversations with strangers are limited to business. When these societies mix, conversation is awkward. Someone tries to be sociable and friendly, and the other is taken aback and offended. Both retreat to their abodes reflecting on the attitude of the other wondering why.
The simple reason is that societies fail to accept change and adapt to new things. Wars are fought - big ones involving many states or nations, and little ones like road rage and shopping cart bashing or a fist fight on the corner after school.
What do we do? Learn to accept all people for who they are, their differences of opinion, and their underlying, (or unseen) psychological or physiological abilities. Remember that people are offended by cold shoulders as much as others are by cold remarks. It is our duty to the human race to try to get along with each other.
In a forum, such as this, we feel safe speaking our opinion because we don't really know each other. Would we be as bold if we were in city park where our voices could be heard by strangers?
Let this be a motto for all of us, "I live in a glass house, and will not cast stones."