The Basic Human Interaction Code

There’s a basic level of considerate communication people should implement in their interactions with each other, but too often forget. Add these to your day!

As I slowly begin to make friends among the Sunwarrior Tribe, I am continually excited by the fact that so many of us are genuinely friendly and kind towards our fellow humans. Many of us strive to be pleasant in the face of stress and to help spread great vibes. Unfortunately, from time to time, you witness incidents that make you contemplate why humans can be so rude to one another.

As I waited in line at a New Mexico McDonalds—for the coffee and wifi only!—I saw three different people act rude to the cashier who was taking their order. From gruffly brushing off his questions, to snobbish “Oh, of course I want that, duh!” behavior and muttering under their breath, these three individuals were extremely rude. In fact, I didn't see a single reason for this behavior, and it certainly wasn't due to any fault of the cashier. In fact, he handled it well and continued with the customer is always right mentality regardless of what he thought. He couldn't respond any other way as his job was obviously on the line should he retaliate with his comments.

When it was my turn, I acted as I always try to: nice, calm, and collected. I realized a long time ago that people are simply trying to do their job well and head home to their families. They don't need added drama and unnecessary rudeness from customers to fill their day. Plus, they are handling your food—seriously, do you want them to do something to your meal? All it does when you act rude to a person is perpetuate a cycle of rudeness and misery—it passes down the chain from one human to another quickly and quite easily.

I applied what I call the Basic Human Interaction Code, which is something I strive to utilize every single time I encounter a cashier, working individual, or friend. It is fundamentally simple to apply, yet time and time again people miss the chance to use it and, subsequently, the chance stop the cycle of bad vibes. I encourage you to try using it in your interactions throughout your day.

Basic Human Interaction Code:

Smile and make eye contact

Smiling is the art of unspoken happiness. No one can fight the power of a genuine smile. Eye contact shows that you are responding to the other person and care about them.

Ask how they are doing

Basic human courtesy. It shows that you care. Try to avoid being standard and monotonous with your response. Add a little spice to the conversation.

Say their name in the conversation

Everyone loves to hear their name. It’s amazing how people light up when you use it.

Use a friendly tone

Again, simple and easy to do. No one wants to hear your rudeness. I don't care if you’re the president; you are not better than the server, and they deserve your respect as a human being.

Mix in "sir" or "ma'am" if warranted

A touch of class and respect can go a long way. Señor or señorita works well if you are in New Mexico like I was.

Try this approach and watch the magic work! You will immediately notice a smile come across the person's face, a genuine smile that makes humans light up when they receive it. In my case, you could tell the cashier appreciated my tone, as he immediately perked up after his berating. When he poured the coffee I ordered, he came over and asked if I would like to wait for a new pot, as this one looked old. He could have easily just served me and left. Then he brought over a bag with my coffee and said this was something for the road. It turned out to be two apple turnovers. While the Basic Human Interaction Code is not about getting additional items for free, it goes to show that it works for spreading positive and great vibes. I believe that people will always respond to the code with happiness, a change in attitude, and kindness.

Simple kindness is so easy to add to someone's day, and it really does come around to you in other ways—it’s amazing how karma can work after such a simple method is applied. I challenge everyone to start using the Code once a day for the rest of your life; strive to make it a habit. After all, who doesn't want a society full of kind, calm interactions that leave both the purchaser and the server feeling great?

See for yourself the health benefits of smiling!