What do non-nerd types talk about?

[bleeb]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Speaking of spherical objects, why don't you fscking grow a pair and stop acting like such a little bitch for chrissakes?

- M4H

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: Tick

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: Tick

Originally posted by: Orsorum

Originally posted by: bradruth
I don't see how you can not know how to small talk. That sort of social impotency is baffling.

:thumbsup:

The easiest way to do small talk with someone with interests divergent from your own is to, well, god-forbid, ask them QUESTIONS.

Oh, you're into surfing? Cool! Have you been doing it for a long time? ... No? How did you pick it up?

But what does their surfing have to do with anything?

Nothing. What does chatting about the weather have to do with anything? Or making fleeting comments about something that's happening around you? Nothing. It's all small talk. It doesn't have to go anywhere.

Conversations that don't go anywhere bother me.

I didn't say I like small talk, but it's something that has to be done in many situations.

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: Tick

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: Tick

Originally posted by: Orsorum

Originally posted by: bradruth
I don't see how you can not know how to small talk. That sort of social impotency is baffling.

:thumbsup:

The easiest way to do small talk with someone with interests divergent from your own is to, well, god-forbid, ask them QUESTIONS.

Oh, you're into surfing? Cool! Have you been doing it for a long time? ... No? How did you pick it up?

But what does their surfing have to do with anything?

Nothing. What does chatting about the weather have to do with anything? Or making fleeting comments about something that's happening around you? Nothing. It's all small talk. It doesn't have to go anywhere.

Conversations that don't go anywhere bother me.

Then why are you on ATOT???

 

[SWScorch]

Originally posted by: bradruth
I don't see how you can not know how to small talk. That sort of social impotency is baffling.

I'm a pretty damn social guy, but I can't make small talk for the life of me. Give me a subject to discuss and I'm good to go, but just the usual "hey, what's up? how about this weather? how are classes?" stuff doesn't come naturally to me. Usually it results in me desparately searching for a topic I can expound on, but since I'm not your typical pop-culture dude, those are few and far between.

 

[skace]

Originally posted by: Stiganator
"You hear the one about the physicist at the dairy company? After a month of research the physicist starts of his presentation with... "If we assume a spherical cow....". So yeah. Pointers here?

That isn't small talk, that is a joke....... I think. I mean, I'm not laughing and I don't get it, but I'm guessing it may be a joke somehow. Small talk is basically talking about current events, anything that a general person may have a basic response or an opinion on. Keep the conversation opinionated and anyone should be able to add to it.

 

[mitmot]

weather. gas. hurricanes.

problem solved.

 

[shud]

Talk about your crabs.

Speaking of weird CS classes, I have a network architecture requried class for my IS major. Right before us there is some sort of C++ class. One of the guys in my networking class was talking to a leper from the CS class and said leper was offering payment for the dude in my class to download and burn anime fansubs. Not only was this guy a huge nerd but he was TOO LAZY TO DOWNLOAD THINGS. It baffled my mind.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Speaking of spherical objects, why don't you fscking grow a pair and stop acting like such a little bitch for chrissakes?

- M4H

LOL

QFT, too.

 

[HumblePie]

Smalltalk 101....

Start SIMPLE. Ask the get to know you types of questions. This list includes but is not limited to:

What's your name?
What do you do? (ie usually a work or school reference)
Have you lived in this area long?
Do you come here often?
What's your favorite food?
What's your favorite drink?
What's your favorite color?
What's your favorite car?
What's your favorite sports and/or sports team?
What's your favorite sexual position?


Okay, scratch that last one for now ;P Then again, I've had it work on the first time you just need to feel out the emotional responses in terms of vocal and body language being respresented by the person you are talking to. Really, it's easy to pick up with ONE question, and turn it into 5. The trick is to get the OTHER person to talking. If they aren't talking it's because you aren't asking the right way or they don't want to talk. Most girls, or guys, that are receptive will talk for a few minutes on any subject when asked a question. Then LISTEN to what is being said for what you can respond back. If what is said has no logical response, then change the topic to something else. It's not all that hard. The trick is to start with mundane and common to ALL and then move to specific topics.

I hope that makes sense? Like you are an engineer right? There are many related subjects to being an engineer that you can relate to anything if you can see the relation. But, you don't want to start a conversation off the bat talking with a prtty girl about a "spherical cow". That just isn't going to work. So ask where she went to school. Ask about her favorite subjects or teachers, perhaps you can related you engineering school experience to what she is talking about. Maybe her job. What kind of engineer are you? How are you looking to use your engineering skills? build bridge? build cars? build computers? Also, all it takes is practice and not loking tensed and wiered up. Look like you feel at home when you are talking to a complete stranger and they will feel at home back. If you tense and pucker up and wonder what the hell you are doing, guess what? They are going to wonder what the hell you are doing too you wierdo! If you approach casually, speak frankly, ask questions in a casual manner that make it seem like you care but don't at the same time, people will respond. Make them feel as if they have been talking to you all their lives and know you well despite asking on the get to know you types of questions.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: Tick
I also am small talk challenged. The point seems to be conversing without actually transfering any usefull information. As if it were talking for the sake of talking. Very strange indeed.

I never figured that out either. For example, 2 days ago, I met someone for the first time - a guest speaker. We discussed an indirect proof in mathematics which was flawed because of the inconsistency of the human language - that's what we chit-chatted about before the presentation. I never could understand talking for the sake of talking, except people accuse me of it a lot. I just realize that what I'm saying is over their heads most of the time, so it sounds like babble.

 

[thirdlegstump]

Start with the weather and promotion of world peace and veganism.