Do you strike up conversations with strangers?

[GunsForBucks]

I do. I like to talk to people, especially waiting for something like a car repair.

Find lots of interesting people telling interesting stories.

Couple of days ago met a gentleman who flew charter planes. Done lots of government jobs, he was telling me stories of taking US Marshals around to pick up prisoners ... he even one time had Hillary and Bill on his plane. Said Bill was out of it zoned and Hillary was super friendly with him, almost creepy.

Another story he told me about was going to South Africa with a bunch of US Marshals and they were picking up a prisoner who was actually being transported to a trial. They told the guy to be ready to take off and not stop for anything.

The US Marshals snatched the prisoner during transport to their trial and abducted him and raced to the plane and they took off heading to Germany.. guy was told not to stop for anything or they would lose the guy.

We spoke about politics for a while, he was certainly one who knew and saw the dark underbelly of our nation.

[Xautos]

I got more interesting things to do than strike up conversations, besides if they wanted something, they'd let me know and i can chat to them about whatever.

[Chaosolous]

No. Anyone who I don’t know who tries to approach me in public is usually told off.

I have a rule; mind your own.

[76561198356019466]

I'm beginning to see why this country is turning to ♥♥♥♥.

[76561198356019466]

Midori a écrit :

I am not assertive enough to do so myself but I enjoy it when others do.

tiny E a écrit :

I'm beginning to see why this country is turning to ♥♥♥♥.

Why is that dear?

Because courtesy and politeness are dying.

[𝔸𝕣𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝟙]

I think that’s lovely that you do. The world is rather lonely these days. I use to be the same when I was very young. I would talk to basically anyone. However, after numerous terrible interactions in my school days, and finding I have no ability to make long-term friendship, I have become like “everyone else”.

I will speak if spoken to, but otherwise, if I expect to wait, I have brought a book and charged earbuds, so I don’t have to rely on anyone for engagement. Likewise, my work has people constantly coming to my office to ask me for this that and the other thing- consequently, I prefer the times when I am left alone, and others aren’t “interrupting me”.

It’s all very paradoxical, as I desire engagement with other to some degree (I am here in the steam forum am I not) and I dream of coming home from work to someone who can raise my spirits, yet at this point I am used to being alone and so tired of people, that I cannot help but stay alone.

[ṼṏẌṏḭḊ]

Only when they're mugging me.

[Chaosolous]

tiny E a écrit :

Midori a écrit :

I am not assertive enough to do so myself but I enjoy it when others do.


Why is that dear?

Because courtesy and politeness are dying.

Or courteous and polite are changing.

I think it’s very rude to speak to people who haven’t shown any interest in speaking with you. It’s why I tell people off. Awfully arrogant of people to just assume others would want to talk to them.

The polite thing to do is mind your own business and not bother people.

Having lived in the south at one point though this may be a regional thing. I live in an area where pulling into the wrong driveway might be met with force.

When I lived in ‘bama everyone everywhere talked to each other. Which I thought was ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ bizarre.

[MinionJoe]

All the time.

And I'd never had someone get pissed off about it until I visited NYC.

Which is also the only place where I was told "No" when I asked "Can I pet your dog?"*

(*That wasn't a service dog)

[Aesthier]

MinionJoe a écrit :

All the time.

And I'd never had someone get pissed off about it until I visited NYC.

Which is also the only place where I was told "No" when I asked "Can I pet your dog?"*

OMG NYC lol!

Should try asking if you can pet their Kitty and see how that turns out.

[Q-T_3.14.exe]

tiny E a écrit :

Q-T_3.14.exe a écrit :

I am Finnish. We don't do that here. Only an outlander would strike up a conversation. We Finns aren't a very social society.

Which is weird because 90% of the people here are of Finish ancestry.
FFS all of our street signs are in Finish.

SISU!

I would feel right at home.

[Violeta]

I don't even strike up matches. Its too much work. I get lighters for when stuff needs to burn.

[GunsForBucks]

Shiro♌ a écrit :

GunsForBucks a écrit :

It isn't too difficult. Basically I wait for an opportunity, like if a TV is on or something I may react to something or ask an opinion of something they said. You can judge by their reaction if they are open to talking.

Then it gets kind of fun when you start since others who like to talk will join in the conversation as well.
A popular topic is how people tend to bury themselves in their phones these days. Older folk will always voice an opinion on that and it starts the ball rolling.
Breaking the ice is the hardest part. Willing participants will keep the ball rolling.

Striking the conversation isn't the difficult part.. The difficult part is to keep the conversation up, so coming up with the topics to talk about or how to get deeper into them to have the other party interested becomes the major issue.
Although you're mentioning judging their willingness to talk based on their reaction, I still can't tell when they wanna talk and when they wanna be alone with their thoughts. It's not as simple as you're claiming it is, at least for me.

There are some people whom I know are willing to talk, and so I do always talk with them whenever I have the opportunity, but that only applies towards a small portion of people.

Yeah I can see where you are coming from. I have been a people watcher for my whole life and fairly open and like to talk to people. I have also traveled and lived a long life and have lots of experience to pull entertaining stories from.

So reading people to see if they are open for it and finding things to talk about are not really an issue for me at this point. That said it is a skill you need to develop, if you choose to... I guess I really did make it sound more simple than it was!

[GunsForBucks]

tiny E a écrit :

Midori a écrit :

I am not assertive enough to do so myself but I enjoy it when others do.


Why is that dear?

Because courtesy and politeness are dying.

I wouldn't judge society by the cross-sample here... too many young edge lord types trying to be edgy

[GunsForBucks]

tiny E a écrit :

Q-T_3.14.exe a écrit :

I am Finnish. We don't do that here. Only an outlander would strike up a conversation. We Finns aren't a very social society.

Which is weird because 90% of the people here are of Finish ancestry.
FFS all of our street signs are in Finish.

SISU!

and this is just bizarre ... you know that is the great thing about America is that pockets of individuality exist everywhere. It's always entertaining that you never know what to expect.

[Basarab Laiota]

i told someone that the garden on her front lawn looked amazing the other day, not really a conversation though i guess