Is it rudness, or am I too geezerly?

[GonnePhishin]

Used to work with a person who was extremely nosey. One day she asked me how old I was and I told her "old enough to know better." She didn't really like that answer, but oh well.
However, that being said, I think most people just ask these questions (how much did you pay for it, how many acres is it, etc) because they are impressed with whatever they are asking about. Obviously, you have to answer each person/question individually and appropriately, and to the extent as to what kind of relationship you have with them. Some people just can't stay out of everyone else's business and just love to gossip.

Plus, if people really want to find out how old you are (or whatever) there are plenty of web sites that gather your personal info from public records, etc.

[Booger Bill]

I didn't bother reading the two pages of reply's but I would politely ask only IF I was considering buying another one like the owner just bought. No, I wouldn't ask him how much money he has in the bank or whatever. A dollar to a poor man might be like a thousand to a rich man anyway. On top of that two men working for the same wages might have far different obligations. One might have inherited his house, the next might be paying two house payments, his own and one for his poor folks. Some have working wives, some dont. (I was never that lucky). Everybody's financial lives are different.
It boils down to two things, Do I want one like it for the price, and if it can be bought multiple places, which place has it cheaper?
A few days ago while the wife was in a store I was looking at a little "smart" car in the lot. A old boy came out and was eager to answer my questions. My wife walked up and liked it too so I discreetly asked him what they went for. He told us with no problem and even had my wife drive him to his house in it (with me following). He was so proud of that car he wanted to sell her on getting one like it! No, the car was too small for her as she is 6 ft tall and big.

[GoatGuy]

Those sort of questions are considered rude in England but asking a females age or vital statistics are considered suicidal.....
I like the saying when asked about wealth, "I was born with nothing and still have most of it left".

if you want to make a small fortune in a fly shop, start with a large fortune

bulldog1935 - If you want to pack-up and move from Ruidoso, NM with a million dollars, you need to have moved there with two million!

[1894]

https://youtu.be/IkSx3b2hUfk

[Old Time Hunter]

Ma was so protective of any information, about anything that she might construe as being private...we would get slapped upside the head for even thinking of asking.

So mostly through grade school...I became pretty much like a mushroom...fed a lot of poop and kept in the dark. Somehow I realized on my own, that if you do not ask, you do not know.

Just make sure not to ask in front of my Mom though.

Always thought it was funny that people would protect how much they made...but it was posted on the bulletin board at work...go figure.

[2571]

Could just say " None of your business" That was polite when I was growing up. Still is.

That answer is rude as the question.

Rather, then, the polite and genteel response would be, "None of your beeswax".

I grew up hearing that's NOYB

short, sweet, and to the point.

Grizz

No, ill-mannered.

[2571]

I'm guilty of asking how many cows.

Visiting my wife's TX family from my home in a city is always a real trip. According to them everything is better, faster prettier, etc in TX and I live in a shithole.

After hearing 3 days of cows and how wonderful it is to be from TX, I did ask, as I had been listening to a boring lecture on how many animals this part of Texas could sustain per acre as opposed to another. Seemed a logical point to ask something about his cows but he went insane when I inquired how many he routinely carried on his place.

Big deal. Did he thing I really gave a flying care about his cows, destined to be eaten by somebody in NJ later that year?

[92&94]

Could just say " None of your business" That was polite when I was growing up. Still is.

That answer is rude as the question.

Rather, then, the polite and genteel response would be, "None of your beeswax".

I grew up hearing that's NOYB

short, sweet, and to the point.

Grizz

No, ill-mannered.

Only if it's not true

If it is a true reply, it is just a blunt statement. People are often offended by bluntness, because they've usually received a blunt reply by causing offense without realizing they have done so. Rather than get defensive about it, I learned that it was a hint to take care with questions if I cared about the other person's good opinion.

I believe the reputation of NYOB being rude comes from kids trying it out on their parents - and getting either a literal or figurative box on the ear and a lecture about how ill mannered they are. Parent is correct in this case, because it is an ill mannered or rude thing to say when it is not true - and a kid's business is always their parents' business so for a kid and a parent the reply is never true. I was brought up as a child to never reply that way to any adult, but between adults it doesn't take much insight to understand that the dynamic is very different.

I have friends to whom I will tell what I paid for stuff if asked, or how much I earn if asked. Those are people I trust and know that they ask for a reason (they rarely ask). I don't recall ever having to discourage an impertinent acquaintance who would ask such things inappropriately, but then I have a short memory for such things.

[williamranks]

No more geezerly than I am. Gotta go chase those dang kids off the lawn again.

[Grizz]

Could just say " None of your business" That was polite when I was growing up. Still is.

That answer is rude as the question.

Rather, then, the polite and genteel response would be, "None of your beeswax".

I grew up hearing that's NOYB

short, sweet, and to the point.

Grizz

No, ill-mannered.

You just called my parents ill-mannered. I'd say that it fits you much better than my folks.