Anybody else hate feeling obligated to do small talk?

[Darthphere]

They should look at you weird. I mean, there's not one single sport you like?

 

[E-Man]

Yeah, I just don't like when they ask me if I'm into Sports back, because then they look at me weird for bringing it up in the first place. Oh well, guess I'll just have to face the music...

Spoiler

That Cap pic is great!

 

[WildcatNC]

I just don't like pretending to give a **** about people or things that I don't give a **** about. So I don't.

 

[Scourge2099]

I hate small talk especially on the phone. All those awkward silences.

 

[Hobgoblin]

Yeah, I just don't like when they ask me if I'm into Sports back, because then they look at me weird for bringing it up in the first place. Oh well, guess I'll just have to face the music...

A customer tried to start a conversation with me not long ago and asked if I have been watching the Bulls. I told him I wasnt a sports fan. He looked at me funny and was quiet for a while. Then he asked if the Chinese chicken salad was good and I said I didnt know, I didnt care for Chinese food.

After I gave him his food, he walked away looking stunned.

If you and me are in the same space, I can honestly go hours without feeling the need to say anything. Car trip, in the office, whatever. I just don't feel like I have to constantly talk to cease some uncomfortable silence.

I hear ya. Coming back from a road trip a few years ago, a friend and I hardly said a word for hours. He was happy to read and I was happy to keep my mind on the road. When my family asked what we talked about and I said not much of anything, they said that it must have been horrible and they couldnt have done it.

 

[Silvermoth]

I can't stand small talk. There was a girl at work who was really nice but she was a stickler for small talk. Sometimes she would come over in a crisis and be like...

*Look of urgency* 'Silvermoth!'
Me: Yes
her:...How are you?
Five minutes later...
her: by the way, the computers have blown up.

She was nice though so I don't hate it. I do hate it when people kidnap you and stop you reading a good book on a train so that they can go over their relationships with you.

 

[Casius--J]

Sometimes I LOVE socializing, and sometimes I just want to be left alone. There is nothing worse than dealing with a big group of loud people when I'm really not in the mood for it. Sometimes I just need some down time to recharge my battery, ya know? It's always good to have some "Me Time" once in a while, in my opinion.

As for small talk with someone, I used to find it really awkward, but not so much anymore. I'm one of those people who says nothing when they have nothing of substance to say. I've learned to get comfortable with that. If other people find it uncomfortable, then that's not my problem. That doesn't mean I never engage in small talk though ... I just don't want to yammer on about the weather for 20 minutes. Haha.

You've basically just described me. People may ask whats wrong with him but thats just me. Unless I have something to talk about then I'm not going to to talk really.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

Anyone else suddenly wanting to make a 'small talk' thread?

 

[Hobgoblin]

Anyone else suddenly wanting to make a 'small talk' thread?

You mean the Lounge?

 

[david icke]

They should look at you weird. I mean, there's not one single sport you like?

Honestly, it is just like that for some people, I don't think that is weird.
I have enjoyed watching football(ie soccer) once in a while, but I have always had a few beers in me at the time, and been surrounded by my friends, so that helped, but no way could I sit sober and alone watching it, or even just sober and with friends, I'd end up picking up a comic-book during it.
I can't think of any other sport I have enjoyed watching, apart from poker, which doesn't really count I guess.
I watched some boxing matches with a friend of mine, but again, not sober, no way could I watch it sober.
I guess some people don't get into sports because they don't give a crap who wins, if I really want a team to win, and have beer, I can enjoy soccer, once in a while, if I'm in a pub where I can shout at the telly and not be looked at like a weirdo doing that for once, lol.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

You mean the Lounge?

But the lounge is full of important, meaningful conversation!

 

[Suirou]

I am pretty much like that.
I don't really have any interests of talking to my peers in college because they like to talk about sports and girls. Those subjects are what I do not give a **** about.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

They should look at you weird. I mean, there's not one single sport you like?

Nope, not a single one. Is that really that weird?

That Cap pic is great!

Yeah, I think so too. I had to post it after you said that.

A customer tried to start a conversation with me not long ago and asked if I have been watching the Bulls. I told him I wasnt a sports fan. He looked at me funny and was quiet for a while. Then he asked if the Chinese chicken salad was good and I said I didnt know, I didnt care for Chinese food.

After I gave him his food, he walked away looking stunned.

That's what I don't understand. Why is not being a sports fan weird? I mean, not everyone likes video games or movies for example... But Sports? "Weeeeeiiirdoooo!!"

 

[chamber-music]

I think sports talk is just easy common ground amongst.

I'm not a fan of small talk but I will do it if I feel the social situation calls for it.

I hate having to politely engage in tedious small talk with strangers I don't even care about.

Some people don't take the hint that you don't want a conversation with them so you try and get away but they trap you.

 

[Anubis]

As I've gotten older, I've learned to nip that s**t in the bud. Particularly when talking to people I don't even know. I'm on the train and some dude starts talkin' to me and I'm like, dude, I don't know you. Stare out the window like a normal person.

 

[terry78]

Then they end up just staring at your ass the whole ride.

 

[Darthphere]

Small talk is only necessary if you're in some sort of career where you have to network and socialize.

 

[bgates87]

It's not that I don't like small talk, it's that I don't relate to my peers at all. Most people don't like to talk about the stuff I'm interested in, so I'm forced to listen to them tell me about things I couldn't care less about. The trick is to listen just enough to be able to ask one relevant question, then have a good exit strategy.

 

[Nathan]

At my place, most of my co-workers are like 40-50+ years old and the topic of the day is mostly Soccer. I hate Soccer.

 

[teewee1432]

I hate small talk as well. I keep my ipod on everywhere I go and hate when people talk to me anyway. Im not rude about it tho i will hold a conversation, but inside im going crazy. I prefer texting over actually talking to a person over the phone. The only person I really talk to on the phone is my girlfriend. Its funny that when texting first came out i use to hate it i was like why not just call me and say it in half the time..now flashforward ten years later and i groan everytime someone calls me and half the time i watch it ring and text them right back. They be like its funny you can text but not talk and I say I really don't wanna hear your voice Id much rather text you and keep going about my day.

 

[Darthphere]

Nope, not a single one. Is that really that weird?

Probably not. I've never met anyone in person that didn't even have a passing interest in a sport. I mean, I can even expand it to include darts and pool or something like that.

 

[Manic]

Even if you're not into sports, it's good to have some vague fairly recent knowledge about a local sports team. Just start off with something like, "I'm not really into sports, but..." Then go into the most recent thing you heard in passing about a team or a player, even if you're just asking for more details about it.

Currently, I've got a basketball and a football topic on standby for the next time someone tries to talk sports to me in a grocery store line.

 

[Darthphere]

Even if you're not into sports, it's good to have some vague fairly recent knowledge about a local sports team. Just start off with something like, "I'm not really into sports, but..." Then go into the most recent thing you heard in passing about a team or a player, even if you're just asking for more details about it.

Currently, I've got a basketball and a football topic on standby for the next time someone tries to talk sports to me in a grocery store line.

You have to update it dude. Using the old "Man Peyton and the Colts are going all the way I think" isn't relevant anymore.

 

[Manic]

You have to update it dude. Using the old "Man Peyton and the Colts are going all the way I think" isn't relevant anymore.

I've got "the Warriors are moving from Oakland to San Francisco" and "T-O says he might want to rejoin the 49ers."

 

[IronMan42]

So why did you come to a discussion board and start a discussion?

Just wanted to see if there are others like me. Plus this isn't a small talk topic per se. A lot of meat goes into it as apparent from all the responses