273 upvotes, 9 direct replies (showing 9)
View submission: What’s the weirdest “unwritten rule” everyone just follows?
The head nod is so weirdly accurate. Nod down for strangers. Nod up for acquaintance and friends.
Comment by Mornar at 03/12/2024 at 07:05 UTC
118 upvotes, 3 direct replies
If I remember properly how I've seen this behavior explained is that nod down makes you smaller and protects your throat, so on a primal level it displays that you're not a threat - a sign of respect. Nod up makes you bigger and exposes your throat, so it shows that you're not threatened by someone, either because of familiarity and friendship, or becasue you feel you have the upper hand in adversarial relationship, as a taunt. Note that nod up makes sense among rivals and enemies, too.
Comment by BubbhaJebus at 03/12/2024 at 09:51 UTC
11 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I don't think I've ever up-nodded anyone.
Comment by Billy_TheMumblefish at 03/12/2024 at 10:28 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Jimeoin and eyebrows... 😃 https://youtu.be/ZaO-llc_E64?si=qshmVPrUuiL7Uapg
Comment by CafeTeo at 03/12/2024 at 17:59 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Odd. I have always nodded up only. Never knew there was a nod down.
I do not recall anyone ever nodding down to me either, but I was not watching for it. I will pay better attention now and see what happens.
Comment by SpecialComplex5249 at 04/12/2024 at 03:33 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
In Greece, nodding down means no and lifting the head up and back means yes. (To make it extra confusing to foreigners, the word for “yes” is pronounced“neh”.)
Comment by Nathanater125 at 06/12/2024 at 00:55 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Some people just nod up always. Hilarious moment when I walked past a guy once (stranger); I nodded down a millisecond before he nodded up. He changed his nod from up to down right after. It looked like he was nodding his head "yes" so that someone a hundred yards away could see
Comment by stealthdawg at 07/12/2024 at 16:39 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Up exposes the neck, can't just be out there doin' that for strangers
source: I made it up
Comment by OkManufacturer767 at 08/12/2024 at 03:01 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
But isn't this one written? I see it all of the time. And I don't follow it all of the time.
Comment by palmtreee23 at 03/12/2024 at 15:30 UTC
0 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Also interesting how the up nod is almost exclusively a male thing