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All Prattle

Reading this article reminded me of a recent offsite event where I spent time with a few co-workers for a couple of days. Outside of work, it was a lot of the small-talk that does not help you understand the people behind the prattle. Eventually, there are those who are talked out can't find anymore trivial things to have a conversation about nothing. At the sauna in the recreation center we go it, I often find a couple of folks strike up a conversation that proceeds to be about nothing and lasts the entirety of the time they are there. 

You can swap out the people and it would be the same type of conversation - the place they have lived, visited and wanted to visit, weather, where their friends live, how long they lived in a certain place, homes, boats and other stuff they own will come up along the way. The talk does not serve to enrich anyone's life - nothing was learned or gained from the interaction. In the sauna, I am just the bystander listening to this random talk and it fills me with boredom. When I am required to participate in one of these things then it brings a great deal of tiredness as well. I have in my ways tried to follow this advice but it gets hard if the other side is intent on only small talk and nothing more:

So remember, the next time you're in a conversation, try to make your partner feel like they're the most interesting person in the room. In the process, you'll become the person they love to be around.
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