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Counterpoint: Most smalltalk topics actually get people to give an almost pre-rehearsed response. For example if someone asks “What do you do for a living?” I

• serf 6y ago
  > Counterpoint: Most smalltalk topics actually get people to give an almost pre-rehearsed response. yeah, but you're supposed to then extrapolate on the other persons' pre-rehearsed response in order to escalate the conversation into something that flows without effort. "What do you do for a living?" "Mergers and Acquisitions." "Oh. I have a friend that does nearly the same thing. They told me this anecdote, does that kind of thing ever happen to you?" "Oh, as a matter of fact.." Without small talk there is no sharing of useless trivia by which to use as a jumping off point into real conversation, unless there was some introduction or motivation behind the meeting, anyway.
  • virusduck 6y ago
    Murders and executions?
• simplyinfinity 6y ago
  Without small talk how am i supposed to get to know "the basics" about someone? If i don't know what he does, has he studied, his hobbies and what his interests are, i can't seem to start a deeper conversation. Yes, i can start a generic "what's the meaning of life" conversation, but wouldn't it be better for everyone if i asked specific questions related to that person?
  • Closi 6y ago
    Its a bit of a false dichotomy to say that the alternative to asking “what is your job?” is “what’s the meaning of life?”. Just talk about anything. Talk about how the seats in the pub you are in aren’t comfy, then just yes and whatever they say and it will form a natural conversation. You will know the basics about someone because the conversation will inevitably loop back to that naturally during stories.
• superhuzza 6y ago
  >I will give the same answer I have given 1000 times. If I'm just meeting you, it's new information to me, regardless of how many times you've said it! And that opens the door to more interesting conversation. Maybe I do something very related, or are interested something about that job, or whatever. Or maybe it leads nowhere. But that's how smalltalk goes, you dance around until you find a mutually interesting topic.
  • gk1 6y ago
    > ...it's new information to me, regardless of how many times you've said it! Reminds me of a joke: — "What's your name?" — "Damien." — "Oh, you don't hear that name every day!" — "Actually, I do."
    • inakarmacoma 6y ago
      Where's Bill Hicks when you need him. "little Damien"... Relentless, Revelations?
      • dexterdog 6y ago
        Unfortunately we all know where Bill is.
• JackFr 6y ago
  It’s funny, when people ask me my name I always say the same thing. Never gets old.