the hierarchy of conversation

[lauralh]

I'm trying to figure out why I don't like talking to people, and of course my basic retort is that people aren't very interesting. But that's not true, it's just that it's hard to talk about interesting stuff sometimes. No one is going to find the same things compelling, so you have to start at a basic level, then work up from there...

this is subject to change, input welcome:

             total enlightenment
         philosophy/religion/politics
     small talk/stories about your own past
 small talk about pop culture/current affairs
totally inane small talk about weather/traffic

Comments

[monstrosity.livejournal.com]

I find it is also possible to talk about completely inane things in the upper levels too. Just because it is philosophy doesn't mean it is philosophical.

[herbaliser.livejournal.com]

Oh, I didn't mean that the upper levels were any less inane by virtue of the position, just that you don't talk to people about them when you first meet.