1. their sexual preference

2 .their leanings politically

Can or should you be able to ask these to a stranger since all the new attitudes going on, or use that as a excuse to ask?

And do you or would you

You can always ask, just sometimes its best done with tact is all

ask if they think the female news anchors on FOX are sexy

It would be nice if everyone could be open, but we're not there yet.

I suppose with sexuality, people want to come out, otherwise people just assume that like most folk, they are hetro. Mind you, I think there's a time and a place. I have been on E at clubs and parties and come away from a chat with people knowing their life stories.

You'rer American, I hear you guys are more open than us Brits tend to be? My mum and dad always told me you don't ask comment and pry into other people's political beliefs, or their finances. Those should only be discussed if the other person starts the conversation. I have always followed this approach unless rather drunk. What do you reckon to this approach Rick?

No, I wouldn't generally be asking a stranger those things, personally.

They don't know me, so how do they know whether I'm interested in them, or looking for something 'damning' to gossip about them over.

If someone I'd never met before started asking me about my sexual leanings & political or religious beliefs - any of those subjects that a lot of people have strong views about - I'd tell them to mind their own business probably. Or maybe I'd assume they were looking for dirt, and give them wild answers, just for sport.

Ahh, so you were brought up the same Gilly.

Actually, you could probably just ask people on Facebook or over the internet. That's more acceptable than doing it in RL.

Gilly wrote:
They would be volatile questions in a more rural area, probably not so much in a liberal big city or club atmosphere , we should be able to at least ask without someone thinking wrong, but society is to backward and tense.

I don't actually remember being told it was rude to pry about those things, but I remember my dad making a fuss when I was a bridesmaid at the age of 6, and the gifts given to bridesmaids were little gold crucifix pendants. He confiscated mine because he said that if you display anything like that (even though, actually I wasn't raised as a Christian) people automatically make judgments about you.

*Edit* Well that's just a difference of opinion I reckon, Rick. I don't think it's backward or tense to refrain from opening up to a stranger. Sometimes strangers turn out to be bunny boilers.

Gilly wrote:
Of course you are correct, and I especially don't open up with personal questions around strangers,but if their trying to hope and have more tolerance people will have to at least feel safe asking about these topics you would think.

I didn't have much suppression growing up as far as the church like some of my friends did, and I full understand the incident with the cross you spoke of.

Gilly, similar to you. I was also bought up to not mention people's financial situation, pass comment or ask how much money they earn. It's rude to do so.

My dad would have had a similar reaction to being given a gold crucifix pendant. How old are you, am I allowed to ask that? I just wont to know if that was just the way things were back in the good old days.

Rick, Gilly makes a good point. People can be sensitive about these things. Maybe it's better to let other people bring it up first or wait until you think it's a good time.

49 - for another month.

Maybe work up to those questions gradually after going through the usual preliminary queries such as ...

Will to tell that dog to stfu!?
Is there anyone else in the house!?
Where's the f@cking safe?
What's the combination?!
etc

Once you've established a rapport you may approach the more socially awkward topics.
Take your time, no-one wants to be considered rude, do they?


Here to help.

feather wrote:

Yea you can say all kind of stuff to people, except the question who or what do you like to screw

@ Gilly, I'm 35, soon to be 36. Near to your birthday. I think a lot ofo this is very "English", although Rick is American. You are aren't you Rick??

You can ask us Rick, we probably don't mind answering.

Rick wrote: Unless I had suspicions they perhaps had designs upon me, one of my family or one of my pets I pretty much consider it none of my business tbh.

Politics is a harder one to definitive about as most people have a range of opinions on a range of subjects and rarely have a tight fit within a political stereotype.

Those that do perfectly match the stereotype templates never had opinions in the first place.
Just busy inboxes delivering them.

btw Rick, I was being my usual irreverent and flippant self in my original reply.

batou wrote:
Yea, I guess that would work in a kill 2 birds with one stone type way.

LesleyPumpshaft wrote:
Friend of mine is taking psy class I have a related post on Dif.
No questions about anyone here just want some input on the subject.

And yes it's a extremely touchy subject here in the USA for the most part you damn near have to be drunk to ask them about their sex life

I''m american and thought everyone knew that by my lazy Englsh lol

I'd wonder why a stranger would ask. If a bloke at the bus stop said to me, "so... what side's your bread buttered on matey?" I'd think he was a gay chap trying to pick me up If a girl asked, I'd probably think she might fancy me, or I'd get paranoid "do I look gay?"

As for the other question, I'd just say "politicians are wankers. Self serving, spineless little turds. A legal organised crime syndicate" etc. Maybe they'd slap the handcuffs on then "you're under arrest for unorthodoxy!"

When a stranger talks to me (rarely) I get a bit anyway. We live in a paranoid and suspicious society, and that's the way tptb like it.

I think I'll stick to "Lovely day today isn't it?" "yeah haha "

irrepressible wrote:
I think many more people than you would think want to swing both ways, and that sex and the drive controls most people even above rational thinking

It can control above rational thinking, I've had decisions made for me by my trouser brain in the past