It's OK Not to Talk

[mikebird]

The Tube (Underground)

Nobody talks. Everyone avoids eye contact. Look anywhere - overhead ads, floor, around the carriage... pretending to be asleep. Reading books.. There is no way to avoid the anxiety. People get on / off.

Worst is when bunches get on and all talk together - foreigners, kids. People hate chatters

Who wants to start a chat with a stranger? Nobody

 

[JosephG]

Hmm I definitely think that's an over-generalization. I see lot's of people talking on buses and at bus stops etc - strangers just making small talk (especially old people).
However I do feel that people are not as open to making conversation with strangers as much as people may have used to in the past. I think that may be because of the advances in technology and the amount of distractions available to people. It is so much easier now to read a paper on the train, listen to your ipod, play games on your phone, text etc than making conversation with a stranger.
I think it's bad really - I imagine in the past there was probably a greater sense of community and openness...