Small talk?

[MrDawn]

What are you thoughts about small talk, do you think it's a waste of time? Why or why not?

 

[Katrina]

Small talk when you're in a hurry is annoying. A lot of times I prefer people just get to the point of the conversation instead of asking me how I'm doing when they really don't care.

 

[MrDawn]

Small talk when you're in a hurry is annoying. A lot of times I prefer people just get to the point of the conversation instead of asking me how I'm doing when they really don't care.

I get asked this a lot over the phone: "How are you doing? Can I have (insert department) please?"

The first part of that question is cancelled out by the second as I have to immediately send them over to whatever department they asked for. What was the point in even asking me how I'm doing if you don't care about the answer?

I've had people at work ask me things like that and walk out before I can answer. I feel like it's rude and it's inconsiderate to do that. Now whenever they ask, I don't bother.

 

[kolakube]

You can learn a lot about someone through small talk, mostly from the body language than what is actually being said. I think it's a useful skill to master but I do wish people would get more creative than "how are you?" (pretty much like you said @Terminated) as that tends to be a loaded question and often just a filler.

 

[Deleted member 31696]

I personally think small talk has its role in certain places. If I am talking to someone I genuinely want to get to know, and they feel the same way, the small talk is what leads to the big talk. Or if I am talking to co-workers some small talk is fine. Otherwise, it’s mainly done to deal with the anxiety from silence and it is mainly pointless.

 

[Katrina]

I personally think small talk has its role in certain places. If I am talking to someone I genuinely want to get to know, and they feel the same way, the small talk is what leads to the big talk. Or if I am talking to co-workers some small talk is fine. Otherwise, it’s mainly done to deal with the anxiety from silence and it is mainly pointless.

I think you hit the nail on the head about "anxiety from silence" with some people. See, I don't mind silence and it's actually comforting to me.

I used to skype all the time with some friends and a couple of them were the leaders of the conversation but when they weren't around, the other guy and I weren't very good at it so we had a lot of lulls in the conversation. One of the "talkers" came in and complained about it being quiet but we just told him we liked it that way LOL Some of us don't freak out about the quiet like others do.

 

[Varlot]

Small talk is an often necessary "evil" you have to go through in order to reach some other form of conversation. I look at it as a means towards some end.

 

[MrDawn]

I personally think small talk has its role in certain places. If I am talking to someone I genuinely want to get to know, and they feel the same way, the small talk is what leads to the big talk. Or if I am talking to co-workers some small talk is fine. Otherwise, it’s mainly done to deal with the anxiety from silence and it is mainly pointless.

Exactly. I like small talk when it has meaning. But not when they're just talking to hear their head rattle and not caring for the answer. If you don't care, don't ask.