Earlier, I wrote a story about our neighbors. I was wondering if they talk to you or if you talk to them. I'm disappointed in the decline of neighborhoods and how little people talk to each other anymore.
I read an article in Medium.com about conversations. I found the article to be a great read because it dealt with things people do when they're in conversations. I'll give you a hint: they're not listening.
It seems a lot of people are in a rush these days. People run into each other and start to talk. Sometimes, they will act like they are talking to an old boyfriend or girlfriend. Everything is a competition and they are trying to make they're story seem better than the one their counterpart told or are in the middle of telling. People don't listen. "When can they finish so I can tell him/her how much better my story is?"
That's when the interruptions start. It's not a conversation anymore. It's a contest. You can't even call it a debate. Conversations involve listening as well as speaking.
We've all encountered this before more than once. I'm sure of it. When I hear it, I don't get involved. I just give them the victory their ego seeks and move on. Sometimes I will add a little something about what I was saying: a little more detail. Sometimes I will ask them something about their bigger, better, grander story. Sometimes they enjoy it and seize the chance to expand on their exploit. Sometimes I inadvertently call a bluff and they can't detail their made-up story and the subject is dropped. It's too bad because I am genuinely interested in hearing what they have to say.
You don't have to win every little thing when you run into somebody. Sometimes it's okay to just have a conversation for the sake of having a conversation. There are bigger problems to worry about after you've talked to him/her. Enjoy it. Maybe you'll even learn something walking out of it.
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