I'm travelling home from work on the F train and I am struck (again) by the irrationality of so many people. Call me Spock, call me a robot, call me what you want -- I'm of the the (apparently absurd) opinion that people should be (when that can) somewhat rational in the things they do. Crazy, huh?
For example, I'm sitting across from two ladies happily chatting with each other, only they are not really communicating WITH each other so much as talking AT each other, often at the same time. They are not angry or emotional. They are simply talking about the weather and the state of grocery prices.
Now I'm all for chatting as a social activity, talking with the primary purpose of bonding as opposed to simply converying information. But when NO information is communicated, it seems like such a waste. Chatting can be on any topic really, as long as it's light and carefree -- it is not a time to be transmitting and receiving urgent messages -- but wouldn't it be better if SOME usefulness was gained from chatting? I'm not expecting graduate thesis discussions or strategoy on your next hostile takeover. Just something like, "Hey, guess what I learned the other day?" or "What do you think about those little USB jump drive thingies?" Something more interesting than, "Hey, nice weather we're having." "Yeah, I like it when it's sunny." "Yeah, but not too hot." "Yeah, me too. Or when it's humid." "Yeah, hot and humid is no good." "Yeah."
Please?
2 comments:
Think of it this way:
Let
Situation A = meaningful chatter about USB drives
Situation B = senseless chatter about the weather
The only way to Situation A is Situation B, in my opinion, kind of like easing yourselves in until you can get comfortable enough with each other that you can talk about anything so mundane yet somehow erudite, from the USB drives to who that guy in the front reminds you of to well, the meaning of life.
That may be true but that's kinda sad isn't it? We have to filter everybody in our lives just so we can talk about something actually useful/meaningful/interesting?
Even then, it's still the case that most people are perpetually stuck in Situation B, never thinking that there is a Situation A to get to, or if they think of it, that Situation A is even important.
Bottom line: People dumb. Me go eat. *laugh*
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