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> It would be extremely weird, not to mention distracting to say high to everyone when I walk to my desk. All you have to do is attempt to make eye contact and

> It would be extremely weird, not to mention distracting to say high to everyone when I walk to my desk. All you have to do is attempt to make eye contact and smile.

zeroonetwothree 2y ago
That’s not easy for everyone
- lukan 2y ago
  True, but we are not talking about developers on the spectrum, but traders, who are usually more social by nature.
  - bluefirebrand 2y ago
    If developers are on the spectrum then traders are sociopaths, no?
sublinear 2y ago
I'm pretty sure nobody cares about receiving a smile unless they're the socially awkward ones or are there for the wrong reasons (narcissists). High quality work and facilitating the same in others is a far more courteous gesture than any awkward smiles.
- throwup238 2y ago
  > I'm pretty sure nobody cares about receiving a smile unless they're the socially awkward ones or are there for the wrong reasons (narcissists). Are you autistic? The vast majority of people appreciate a little eye contact and a smile which is literally the least you can do to acknowledge that they're human and not a piece of furniture.
  - sublinear 2y ago
    Would you feel appreciated by a coworker who does sloppy work that you have to pick up slack for, yet smiles at you every morning? Didn't think so. It would likely make it worse in some ways, wouldn't it? You might feel pity and guilt, not happiness. But I think most would still try to work with them to improve in good faith because that's work. The smile is irrelevant. The happiness comes when you've helped train them up. Then the smile actually means something. On the flip side, would you feel appreciated or intimidated by a coworker who smiles at you yet carries all that soft power of deep knowledge and skills nobody else at that workplace has? Smiles can mean a lot more than shallow acknowledgement especially in the workplace. At a social gathering though, sure the smile is just friendly.
    - throwup238 2y ago
      > Would you feel appreciated by a coworker who does sloppy work that you have to pick up slack for, yet smiles at you every morning? Didn't think so. It would likely make it worse in some ways, wouldn't it? You might feel pity and guilt, not happiness. >But I think most would still try to work with them to improve in good faith because that's work. The smile is irrelevant. The OP mentioned walking past a hundred peoples' desks. Do you really need to feel appreciated by a hundred random coworkers to act like a decent human being?
      - sublinear 2y ago
        > Do you really need to feel appreciated by a hundred random coworkers to act like a decent human being? No... ? Where did you get this impression? Anyway I think we're approaching a learning moment in work culture differences. Anyone who does heads down work expresses appreciation through competence and willingness to help. When you're in a tight spot and need a solution, getting that help is better than all the smiles in the world. That's teamwork. You can genuinely smile after. I'm not against smiles. I'm just saying they don't mean anything in and of themselves. Maybe you rubbed a raw nerve because you made me think of those cheesy appreciation e-cards I remember from a previous job a while back. That's about as soulless as it gets. Smiling usually doesn't, and shouldn't, get you anywhere.

> It would be extremely weird, not to mention distracting to say high to everyone when I walk to my desk. All you have to do is attempt to make eye contact and smile.

zeroonetwothree 2y ago

That’s not easy for everyone

lukan 2y ago
True, but we are not talking about developers on the spectrum, but traders, who are usually more social by nature.
- bluefirebrand 2y ago
  If developers are on the spectrum then traders are sociopaths, no?

sublinear 2y ago

I'm pretty sure nobody cares about receiving a smile unless they're the socially awkward ones or are there for the wrong reasons (narcissists). High quality work and facilitating the same in others is a far more courteous gesture than any awkward smiles.

throwup238 2y ago
> I'm pretty sure nobody cares about receiving a smile unless they're the socially awkward ones or are there for the wrong reasons (narcissists). Are you autistic? The vast majority of people appreciate a little eye contact and a smile which is literally the least you can do to acknowledge that they're human and not a piece of furniture.
- sublinear 2y ago
  Would you feel appreciated by a coworker who does sloppy work that you have to pick up slack for, yet smiles at you every morning? Didn't think so. It would likely make it worse in some ways, wouldn't it? You might feel pity and guilt, not happiness. But I think most would still try to work with them to improve in good faith because that's work. The smile is irrelevant. The happiness comes when you've helped train them up. Then the smile actually means something. On the flip side, would you feel appreciated or intimidated by a coworker who smiles at you yet carries all that soft power of deep knowledge and skills nobody else at that workplace has? Smiles can mean a lot more than shallow acknowledgement especially in the workplace. At a social gathering though, sure the smile is just friendly.
  - throwup238 2y ago
    > Would you feel appreciated by a coworker who does sloppy work that you have to pick up slack for, yet smiles at you every morning? Didn't think so. It would likely make it worse in some ways, wouldn't it? You might feel pity and guilt, not happiness. >But I think most would still try to work with them to improve in good faith because that's work. The smile is irrelevant. The OP mentioned walking past a hundred peoples' desks. Do you really need to feel appreciated by a hundred random coworkers to act like a decent human being?
    - sublinear 2y ago
      > Do you really need to feel appreciated by a hundred random coworkers to act like a decent human being? No... ? Where did you get this impression? Anyway I think we're approaching a learning moment in work culture differences. Anyone who does heads down work expresses appreciation through competence and willingness to help. When you're in a tight spot and need a solution, getting that help is better than all the smiles in the world. That's teamwork. You can genuinely smile after. I'm not against smiles. I'm just saying they don't mean anything in and of themselves. Maybe you rubbed a raw nerve because you made me think of those cheesy appreciation e-cards I remember from a previous job a while back. That's about as soulless as it gets. Smiling usually doesn't, and shouldn't, get you anywhere.