Personal Space

For some reason, it seems to be unpopular to have the opinion of wanting personal space. I do very much miss the days when it was illegal to come within 6 feet of anyone else and I would like the earth to go back to that because what the hell is everyone on nowadays?

Let's begin with a bit of a story. At one of my old jobs I had a coworker who was a close-talker and that was about as much as I could handle. There is no reason why you would need to be five inches from my face to talk to me, what is wrong with you? I did say this to him and he seemed a bit taken aback by it. His response was that he was 6 foot tall and I was brushing 5 foot 2 and thus, he would need to make sure I heard him. My brother is the same height as him and has never close-talked - I explained this as well. It's like people just don't realise they are being strangely close when I tend to explain to people a lot 'we aren't that close in our relations, stop this nonsense'.

I have noticed in shopping centres and supermarkets there seems to be a lack of self-awareness amongst the general population in which they now think it is acceptable to stand so close to someone that you can feel each other's breath. Did we learn nothing from COVID? Also, what happened to saying 'excuse me please?' or perhaps even waiting for the other person to move from the way and not standing unnecessarily close? The lack of understanding of personal space can often be put down to a lack of manners and care for others.

Examples I have encountered recently include: women who think it is appropriate to stand arm-to-arm with you when looking at products, people who think it is appropriate to sit at the table you are sitting at despite not knowing you or asking permission to sit with you (to which I have promptly made them feel uncomfortable enough to move somewhere else. If you are going to disrupt my comfort then I will disrupt yours) and people who stand so close to you in a queue that they may as well be in the back of your shoes. Again, that last one is where I also make others feel uncomfortable about it. Is there no awareness of others or dangers? I never stand so close to anyone because I don't know what kind of danger they pose and the fact that standing so close to someone as to not respect their personal space is a sign of low intelligence.

Not only this but what happened to stranger danger? Why is it that you want to stand so close to someone whom you do not know? There's nothing that annoys me more than people complaining about strangers who are a danger to them and then standing three centimetres from someone in a queue that they don't know. That's why it is a sign of low intelligence. Where is the critical thinking?

I understand that because I am a woman (and a fairly small one at that), people find it more comfortable to stand close to me as a form of social bonding. But I will hold your hand dear stranger who stood so close they were touching me in a clothes shop once, when I tell you this: I don't want to socially bond with you and I am not a woman's woman in that sense. I've been told quite a few times that I have a look of utter disgust on my face when I see someone approaching me or standing close to me and this is usually why. I don't mean to look like I'm not a nice person, but those of you who lack personal space awareness have forced my hand. I will look at you as if you have utterly grossed me out.

Of course, this doesn't go for children. When a child or teen stands close to an adult they are possibly looking for safety or, they are so small that they haven't got a clue about personal space yet. I am mostly talking to adults and I am especially talking to women who are in my age range - for this seems to be a thing with you guys the most. I am going to make this loud and clear to anyone who thinks this behaviour is appropriate: please don't be surprised when you stand too close to the wrong woman and she turns around and does something you perhaps don't like. Many people don't seem to like it when words are had and so, I can imagine that many won't like it even more when words turn into physical acts of aggression.