We live in a world of small-talk. That pisses me off. Our species has not only evolved the ability to understand abstract concepts, but to communicate them through the half-assed manipulation of our mouth-flaps and fingertips.
We squander this gift of communication when we ask questions we already have answers for, or worse yet, if we seek answers to questions we don't even care about.
Here's how this sub works: Ask a thought-provoking question to start a discussion, or make a challenging statement to start a debate. Your goal should not be to make jokes, ask leading questions, fill the air, or to troll people. My goal with this sub is to host meaningful discourse when it can be found, and none at all when it can not.
So with all that said, I'll start us off: How often do you practice small-talk? Why do you think we practice it at all? At what point (if at all) does it become harmful?
I'm not entirely sure where the line for small talk is. Generally I don't engage in empty banter, eg weather and other pleasantries that nobody really cares about.
However I am open to meaningless or pointless conversation when it's entertaining.
I am not uncomfortable with silence, so I have no compulsion to fill it, or feelings of awkwardness when it happens. But since many people do I have leaned to just ask them questions about them until I find something I might be interested in talking about. Everyone enjoys talking about themselves, it puts them at ease and is a good ice-breaker.
Many people are uncomfortable with silence. I think extroverts the most, but many introverts as well. I don't have much understanding of it.
It can be taken too far. Some people can use empty exchanges to hide who they are. It can be a type of camouflage. That may be part of while people are comforted by it.
For the most part, I don't think it is harmful. But it can contain elements of dishonesty, or manipulation.