system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is it supposedly rude to point?

Is there some sort of cultural "back story" to this?
gpt
Pointing makes people uncomfortable or even feel threatened. If a stranger points at you on the street (assuming you're not a celebrity), it never means something good. They could be signaling an attack, mocking you, etc. Whatever the reason, it's bad. 

Thus, it's rude to point.