How to greet (or not greet) others: a handy guide

I've put together a handy little table from which you can see that Avot provides an extensive framework for the onset of any interpersonal social encounter. The framework looks like this:

Mishnah	Guidance	Significance
1:15	Greet others with a smiling face	External appearance is important since one’s face bestows respect and appreciation to one’s fellow humans
3:16	Greet others with joy/happiness	Internal feeling is important as a recognition of the fact that every person one meets is made in the image of God
4:20	Be first to greet others	Take the initiative in establishing amicable relations with others
4:23	Avoid greeting or even seeing a person who does not wish to be greeted	Give respect for or empathy with another’s need for personal time and space
6:9	Greetings should be given and returned with an expression of peace	Non-threatening opening to encounter between strangers

 From this we can appreciate how important in the eyes of our Sages is the impact of an initial encounter. We should bear this in mind when greeting others, responding to them -- or avoiding a meeting with them entirely.