"None of your business" philosophy fuels social decay.

[AW Warning]

Everyone has heard that discouraging phrase more than once in their lives, especially while in school. They ask about the well being of a classmate, like is the person okay, and such. And the reply they get is; "None of your business." In other words, you are told to have no feelings, thoughts, or anything towards another human being! You are taught literally to build your default ice barrier and live surrounded and cut off from everyone from a very young age. Even when a classmate is having a bad day because his favorite uncle passed away and wants to provide comfort to him, he/she gets penalized by the school for it in addition to the same response from school staff; "None of your business." Many times, classmates get caught chatting about personal stuff, get taken to the Principal's office (or the Dean's office), and get told to respond to such talk with "None of your business." And very often, it spills right into the workplace. Someone who does not exactly live within his/her ice barrier asks about a missing co worker or whoever or asks if that person is okay or how the person is doing and gets that same response. "None of your business." Or a co worker asks a co worker for phone number, email address, or whatever and gets that same response; "None of your business." And many times, a person goes to his favorite bar or restaurant and sees that his favorite waitress is not there. He asks if she still works there and the hint he gets from the other waitresses; "None of your business."

The philosophy of American culture itself is, quite literally; "None of your business!"

The "None of your business" philosophy put onto an already decayed social atmosphere is like a 5-gallon bucket of gasoline poured on an out of control campfire. When taught at an early age, it really builds up the child's default ice barrier which is retained into adulthood. And then as an adult, the child tells other people to mind their own business and spreads the "None of your business" philosophy all over society.

Like, just how many other countries have a culture with a "None of your business" philosophy?

[bostero]

I would say that the US is the all-time worst for this trait, but that the other Anglo countries are similar. Something about it is very British (or Germanic) at its core.

[CB8]

Sometimes the "none of your business" philosophy is because American people are so paranoid of others and think you're just being a gossip. Sadly, this is generally true in America. Very few people genuinely care about others' well-beings and they usually only want updates so they can either find something juicy to gossip about or revel in the person's misfortunes (i.e. "That would never happen to me because I'm so smart and wonderful!").

Other countries may have a caring social community, but America's cutthroat, judgemental populace makes the act of inquiring about someone make you look like a busybody.