I dont understand casual conversation
 

I dont understnd what kind of satisfaction they get out of asking me dumb questions that they probably arent even listening to the answers. Questions like "How was your day?" or "What did you eat today?" are particularly bothersome. Do they really want me to tell them what I ate and whether my day was good or bad? Does silence bother people that much that much?

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

repost

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

I like giving strange and long responses to these questions.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

Don't worry, if this is your attitude they'll stop asking eventually.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

KKF,

When you get older and start having sex you will learn that, "How was your day?" helps you get to "Now spank me like a bad little school girl" faster.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

So...how was your day?

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

I dont mind casual convos much, I HATE HATE HATE MOTHER FUCKINH HATE sales people who just wont shut the [censored] up. I did some shopping the other day, i needed a bunch of stuff, shoes, a flask, a suit, couple other things, finally after being assaulted by 50 different clothing salesman, I get to the store where they have my flask. Its an engraving shop with a bunhc of gifty crap. I walk in, and am assaulted, I calmly stop the lady after 20 seconds, and say

"I know exactly what I want, no big deal, Im just going to get it real quick, its a flask, I can see it, right there, thanks for your help"

I go to pick up the flask

Her: Oh well we have a ton fo different bags if you are looking to get your initials on them, it takes 2-3 days for that, but if you uwant anything else engraved its usually a day.

Finally I snapped. I just started making farting noises the whole time she talked. My buddy was tearing up he was laughing so hard, becuase she just kept going while I farted. Immature, but Hillllaaaaaarious.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

Guids,

This info would have been helpful in deciding whether or not you are a bad person

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

Hey, at least I tried to be pleasant about it at first.
Btw, i know Im not a nice person, I just dont see how not liking animals correlates to it.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

Silence bothers and even frightens some people because it can make them begin to realize that they are not as permanent as they would hope to be.

I once walked into a bathroom at school and there was a guy in there taking a [censored]. He said "hey man, how's it going?" I responded "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I just wanted too... I'm good now."


Some people are afraid to take a [censored] unless there's people outside the door that they can hear talking. They can't stand even a few minutes of solitude.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

i feel better when someone asks me how my day was in a genuine manner. i think thats a fairly common trait of human beings, no? am i not supposed to be taking this question seriously?

rj

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

[ QUOTE ]
i feel better when someone asks me how my day was in a genuine manner. i think thats a fairly common trait of human beings, no? am i not supposed to be taking this question seriously?

rj

[/ QUOTE ]

I find that if somebody that I am not close with asks me this question they tend not to pay much attention to the answer, so I will sometimes make things up for my own amusement.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

With this question it can either be a terrible bore for both parties, or a genuine conversation with empathy.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

KKF : Maybe the problem isn't the 'stupid' questions but how you're responding (or not responding) to them.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

If the following excerpt sounds all too familiar, congratulations, you are one step closer to madness.

[ QUOTE ]
Preoccupation with weather might seem to be another perfectly practical concern, but as with money matters, humatons talk about the weather in a manner that is to a large degree incompatible with any practical application. As soon as the weather comes up, humatons are able to slide comfortably on to autopilot, and can exchange banalities almost indefinitely. Their eyes glaze over and they settle into the warm, fuzzy feeling that comes from the certainty that no original or challenging thoughts will be required of them or directed at them, so posing a threat to their slumbersome state. Another dead giveaway that the matrix has hijacked a group conversation is when humatons begin to exchange information about the means by which they got to wherever they are, their mode of transport, the exact logistical details of the process of arrival, all adding up to a complete run-down of their movements of the previous hour or so. Humatons talk about such matters as if they were army generals discussing the previous day's battle, and preparing future strategies for wars to come. They can literally spend hours (let's face it, they can spend their whole lives) discussing utterly trivial details as if they were working on the cure for cancer. This collective insanity brilliantly disguises itself as a wholly banal kind of fixation, above all on material factors such as food, money, transportation, domestic refurbishments, new acquisitions, technological appliances, and of course, job details. In other words, items and pursuits pertinent to the matrix.

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

[ QUOTE ]
Don't worry, if this is your attitude they'll stop asking eventually.

[/ QUOTE ]

nh

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

I love food. If i ask you what you ate today, I *want* to know.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

People ask "What did you eat today?" was an ice breaker/small talk?! I don't know if anyone has ever asked me that question.

I am a fatass, so i suppose people assume i eat well, and don't need to check up on me. But seriously, how often is this asked?!?!

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

KKF,

You have never been more right.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

[ QUOTE ]
...I did some shopping the other day, i needed a bunch of stuff... a flask.. I get to the store where they have my flask.

[/ QUOTE ]

“My favorite gift I’ve ever received is a flask. I think giving someone a flask is a nice way of saying: ‘Hey you seem like a drunk on the go. You strike me as needing hard liquor at all times… thanks… This would be good for you in your car.’” --Jim Gaffigan

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

[ QUOTE ]
I dont understnd what kind of satisfaction they get out of asking me dumb questions that they probably arent even listening to the answers. Questions like "How was your day?" or "What did you eat today?" are particularly bothersome. Do they really want me to tell them what I ate and whether my day was good or bad? Does silence bother people that much that much?

[/ QUOTE ]

You are not the first person to have this thought. What is refreshing is when someone else (or you can do it yourself) asks how your day is going sincerly. HOORAY FOR SINCERITY

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

Also yes silence is awkward, I imagine it's that way for almost everyone if you are being honest with yourself.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I dont understnd what kind of satisfaction they get out of asking me dumb questions that they probably arent even listening to the answers. Questions like "How was your day?" or "What did you eat today?" are particularly bothersome. Do they really want me to tell them what I ate and whether my day was good or bad? Does silence bother people that much that much?

[/ QUOTE ]

You are not the first person to have this thought.

[/ QUOTE ]Not that many thoughts are original...
I thought of this stuff and stuff about weather when I was like 15 or something. When I confronted my mom on it she seemed pretty upset.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

Kane,

You can't just walk up to someone and start talking about stuff that matters unfortunately, you have to wrap it in some baggage and kind of slide it through. This is unfortunate, but oh well.

If you want to talk to people that aren't like this, you're going to have to actually make real friends, presumably some that have similar interests to yourself. To find these people you usually have to open yourself up socially to the flow of [censored] that is society and then weed the cream from the cr4p.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

[ QUOTE ]
I dont understnd what kind of satisfaction they get out of asking me dumb questions that they probably arent even listening to the answers. Questions like "How was your day?" or "What did you eat today?" are particularly bothersome. Do they really want me to tell them what I ate and whether my day was good or bad? Does silence bother people that much that much?

[/ QUOTE ]

You should probably never work in an office.

"At least it's Friday."
"Yep"

"Don't work too hard."
"Heh heh. I'll try not too."

Repeat many many many times.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

"hot enough for ya?"

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

i do not mind casual convo with somewhat unkown/unfamiliar people, but casual conversation with friends or people who i know, I cant stand.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

[ QUOTE ]
Kane,

You can't just walk up to someone and start talking about stuff that matters unfortunately, you have to wrap it in some baggage and kind of slide it through. This is unfortunate, but oh well.

If you want to talk to people that aren't like this, you're going to have to actually make real friends, presumably some that have similar interests to yourself. To find these people you usually have to open yourself up socially to the flow of [censored] that is society and then weed the cream from the cr4p.

[/ QUOTE ]

I like this post a lot

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

I am the exact same way. I will respond with "fine" or "same [censored] different day". If they keep up with the small talk I will just be the [censored] that I am and just flat out tell them that I am not much into small talk and tell them to not take it personally.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

benny,

How's the weather in Iraq?

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

only 130 degrees today.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

My standard response tpo most office pleasantries is "I'm here."

What's up?
I'm here.

How are ya?
I'm here.

Having a good day?
I'm here.

What's going on?
I'm here.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

[ QUOTE ]
Silence bothers and even frightens some people because it can make them begin to realize that they are not as permanent as they would hope to be.

I once walked into a bathroom at school and there was a guy in there taking a [censored]. He said "hey man, how's it going?" I responded "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I just wanted too... I'm good now."


Some people are afraid to take a [censored] unless there's people outside the door that they can hear talking. They can't stand even a few minutes of solitude.

[/ QUOTE ]

That was a very weird post, but it's true. Many people are outright scared to be alone, or of silence. I've had friends admit to me that they feel a little nuts and sad or desperate or something if they're on their own all day, or even for a few hours.

This is a common thing to come up in dating, too, and can make things messy. People often take silence on a date as some kind of sliding out of sync with someone or never being in sync with them in the first place. Then they get desperate and start babbling, which just makes them look desperate and out of sync when their date might have thought everything was absolutely fine until then.

Being able to enjoy quiet moments is a really good sign of people getting along. Sometimes people just don't talk or are unsociable, but people are happier usually if they can just talk when they feel like talking and can just not talk so much, too. It's accepting themselves and the other person, too, to not worry that silence is a sign of failure, anger, or what not.

Different personality types can sometimes have trouble matching each other's conversation and pacing, and that probably drives some people apart who could be perfectly good friends, unfortunately. But most of us can adapt a little to others once we accept ourselves enough not to sweat every little interaction.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I dont understnd what kind of satisfaction they get out of asking me dumb questions that they probably arent even listening to the answers. Questions like "How was your day?" or "What did you eat today?" are particularly bothersome. Do they really want me to tell them what I ate and whether my day was good or bad? Does silence bother people that much that much?

[/ QUOTE ]

You are not the first person to have this thought.

[/ QUOTE ]Not that many thoughts are original...
I thought of this stuff and stuff about weather when I was like 15 or something. When I confronted my mom on it she seemed pretty upset.

[/ QUOTE ]

Heh some people really work that crap hard and take it for real socializing.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

Looks like somebody's got a case of the Mondays!

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

KKF,

It's a good thing you live in Thailand, where the question doesn't need to be asked, since everybody there always has an awful day.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

I suggest adding the response "okay" to your arsenal of phrases used to answer any kind of stupid comment/question that might come your way, it's extremely useful. It has the added bonus that after you respond "okay" to a few comments in a row they may finally understand you don't care what they're talking about and that they're wasting your precious time and oxygen.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

i hate when random strangers try to make small talk. however, when i see a friend and ask "what have you been up to?" or "how has your day been?" it is because i want to know. i wouldnt ask otherwise.

Re: I dont understand casual conversation
 

[ QUOTE ]
With this question it can either be a terrible bore for both parties, or a genuine conversation with empathy.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's really funny is when people ask you questions like this that seem either like they might be displays of sincere interest on the one hand or at least like they require an answer, and then walk out of the room, even sometimes shutting the door behind them, before you can give an answer.

This has the bizarre effect of demeaning both parties at once.

One day someone's going to do that to me and I'm going to e-mail my answer to them.