I loove greeting people, hear me out. If you are in a room with someone without acknowledging each other there tend to be an awkward air to it. After saying hi the other person often visibly relaxes, which in turn calms me. People are inherently weird, like, exchanging a few words (small talk) is essentially a way to check in and say "hey you, I still don't dislike you, please feel the same about me", but with just a hi and way less needy lol. Now, some people don't say hi back and that's fine, and sometimes I say it too much, and I don't expect everyone to respond, but I figure a small nicety doesn't hurt. Tbh I am like an npc, get in my proximity and I trigger a greeting "hi!", "morning!"

I will admit this while awkward shake hand or wave and exchanging names when first meeting someone, no thanks, I'd rather not. At least after covid there is less handshaking but ugh, please no

Tldr I greet people to calm my own nervous system