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Are You Good At Small Talk?


Larry

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I'm not very comfortable with small talk

 

I'm very good at it though when I have to do it for work, like in meetings or official functions and what not, but if it's unofficial or if it's just a party or at some club I find it hard and awkward to do.

 

It's not that I'm shy, it's just hard to find something common to talk about with a complete stranger. And the hypocrisy of having to smile and laugh about things you find totally mundane is unbearable, which is something I unfortunately have to put up with whenever small talk is necessary.

 

I've always been amazed at people who can do this comfortably and convincingly.

 

Can you do it?

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nah....am never good at this....kinda snobbish in that sense. But it really depends on who i'm making the small talk with...

 

If it's with a, say, cab driver, or the person standing next to me in a queue, then i'd rather be left alone, with my thoughts and all. If it's with a total stranger amidst a crowd (in parties, etc...), I think I can still tolerate that...to a certain extent, though. I can easily level down or up naman, regardless of what crowd she/he came from - from A to D. I sometimes enjoy it when I get to put a non-friend at ease...and eventually get that person to do more than just small talk :rolleyes:

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If it's with a, say, cab driver, or the person standing next to me in a queue, then i'd rather be left alone, with my thoughts and all. If it's with a total stranger amidst a crowd (in parties, etc...), I think I can still tolerate that...

 

I can talk BS with any cabdriver anywhere.

 

these guys are just built to talk, and I just do it because I want them to open their mouths a little, it's probably pretty lonely driving all over with no one to talk to.

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but what about outside the job?

 

like I said I'm good at it too, but I only do it if I have to because of my job. If I really don't I try to avoid it.

 

There is no "outside the job" for me. I'm in a 24/7 profession. But I see your point, during the times when I'm not actually doing a job, talking to make something out of nothing drives me nuts.

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Guest lustfortravel

i don't have any problems at all making small talk to strangers, even outside the job. i guess it's a habit i picked up when i travel, especially when i travel alone.

 

it gets boring during and in between flights so i do try to initiate conversation with someone receptive. by the time the flight has ended, i have made new friends who are all too willing to show me around the place ( if i wanted to).

 

they do more of the talking though and i do more of the listening. i like listening to different stories; it has always fascinated me how different our paths are in life. sometimes, their stories also give me a different perspective of things or places.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I believe in gut feel and vibes. :)

 

If my gut feel tells me that the person in front of me is shy and vibes seem to be good, I can be an excellent "small talk" conversationalist. But if someone in front of me or beside me seems aloof and arrogant based on body language and facial expressions, I'm the worst "small talk" talker ever.

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surprisingly, for someone who was a media practitioner and ad agency person for years... i suck at small talks. despite the fierce persona in the board room is still a shy (read: SNOB) person underneath. but i start small talks when i have to. and i mean, when i have to. :D

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  • 1 month later...

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