[benilov]

> Holding someone else to your own arbitrary standards of acceptability is exactly what I'm referring to when I say these sort of complaints usually ignore the possibility that someone else's life is different than one's own.

I agree with the spirit with what you're saying, this is indeed all opinion.

I see it like this; if you're walking along and say "hi" to your neighbour, he doesn't have to say "hi" back, but it's nice, 'sall :)

[JangoSteve]

I agree. I certainly don't feel like we're arguing, just adding more pieces to both sides of the puzzle.

I guess what I'm saying is, if the neighbor doesn't say "hi" back, it might be for reasons you haven't considered, and it might not be as simple as asking them to just say "hi" back.

[mrgoldenbrown]

Context and scale are extremely relevant here. I can say "hi" to every stranger I pass while hiking on a remote forest trail. However, I cannot say "hi" to everyone I pass walking down the street in Manhattan. Snubbing the passerby in the forest would feel rude. Ignoring the passerby in the city is normal.