I dare you to say hi to 100 people everyday.

[Azariah]

It's a challenge but it's a good challenge.
How can you expect someone to reach out to you when you don't reach out to anybody?

It's simple just make eye contact say hi. If they ignore you no harm done.

Although I admit it's kinda hard during the pandemic. There's always omegle.

 

[Colster]

I have actually done things like this. You would be surprised how many positive reactions can be achieved. Although these days, the thought of having to speak to people, yet alone 100, makes me want to move to a deserted paradise island, alone!

 

[Finished]

Nice idea. But, about the most effort I'm willing to do is a reach around. Ha! ha!

 

[ewomack]

A friend of mine did something similar as part of an experiment through therapy. He was instructed to walk down the street and vocally greet every person he passed for a few days. He didn't have to count them. He was surprised at how many people said "hello" back, but maybe 30% said nothing at all. He quickly realized how situational and random it all was and this helped him with some form of social phobia. I don't remember all of the details. In any case, he didn't get beat up.

 

[U-122]

No!!!! Never!!!! I said hi to one back in September. i still have't recovered. It has turned into WW4. Never again!!!

 

[CenotaphGirl]

I wanna blow kisses to 100 people saying hi is just too much, and you know, people just assume that you are on your phone and not even talking to them now lmao.

 

[Adamridge79]

I don't even interact with half that many people. Do I go to a Wal Mart and accosted people? That seems annoying

 

[Adamridge79]

*accost

 

[TogetherAlone]

I'll wave/nod my head at/say hi/smile back to people who look at me and do any of those but that's as far as I'll go, could never seek out people or say hi to everyone I passed by,

 

[Melli12]

I don't say hi to everyone. That's too much effort, I live in a bigger city, too much ppl great anonymity.

 

[user 135671]

Wtf! Why would I wanna do that? my life's **** enough without giving random strangers an opportunity to invite themselves into it. Humbug Sir, bloody humbug!

 

[Abstamyous]

It's a small town thing, everyone says hi to everyone. I took this for granted for years. Now, I say "Hello (insert name), how are you?" If I notice a stranger is around for a few days, I will ask them their names. It started at work, and now I do it in the "streets" too.

A little eye contact and friendliness goes a long way though.

 

[Sir Joseph]

I think greeting 100 people in a day would be a monumental task for anyone and an impractical notion for most of us not making a YouTube video. But, the point is a good and valid one.

If you think about it, no one would ever smile or greet another if one person wasn't assertive enough to make the initiating move. It does help when there are fewer people around, be it a small town sidewalk, empty store aisle, cold day, or remote area. But even in a busier environment, the difference between engaging with people or being isolated starts with looking at them.

A look, more often than not, is a social invitation. It's better than nothing, since it opens up your space or willingness to engage with another person. For those who recognize their need for social interaction but are too shy to be assertive, I'd encourage them to at least look at people when passing by, standing in line, or sharing an elevator - particularly in an uncrowded setting. And don't we do the same as single guys or girls who see someone we like? We show interest by looking, thus encouraging a response.

In my experience, a look accompanied by a smile, nod, or greeting almost always encourages a positive response - like 9 out of 10 times in any situation where the contact is close. Any decent person feels compelled to respond favorably to a warm action of another directed towards them, be it opening the door for them, letting them go ahead in line, or offering a greeting of some sort. The high odds of success, unlike asking someone out on a date, justify the risk of being assertive; the question then comes down to whether you care or want to.

I'd propose that proactively engaging with strangers, even for just 2 seconds, is a win-win deal that's worth pursuing. It not only makes the world a better, more friendly, loving, safe place, but it gives self gratification to both parties - the one who initiates and the one who responds. And inevitably over the course of years doing this, one's kind gesture will hit someone at a critical moment when they desperately need it.

Initiating a friendly contact with at least one person every time we go out is not an unreasonable goal. And the more we do that, the harder it'll be to settle for just one - because it feels good.

 

[NoxApex(N/A)]

I work in retail, so I'm pretty sure I do say hi to 100 people every day.

 

[ardour]

I notice a lot of strangers saying hello in public, so either people are playing this game or society is very different from the 90s/2000s.

 

[AFrozenSoul]

No I want to be alone. My challenge is not leaving my apartment for 5+ days if possible

 

[Bratwurst0516]

In the Covid-19 climate we are in. That is next to impossible. Easy online, but next to impossible face-to-face.