What Happened To General Conversation?

What happened to general conversation? I see it everyday, someone says a simple "hello" to somebody else and the other person will quickly turn away or just walk off. What if they are strangers? Is it just so horrible to be polite to someone else?

What happened to the days where complete strangers could sit on a park bench and have a general conversation? That is usually how people make acquaintances and friends right? Is our world so full of mistrust that a simple hello could be a threat in disguise? I decided to test out what a simple hello could do.

Hello Number 1

A young lady in her early 20's

"Hello, how are you today?"

She looked at me with a puzzled look and gave me a half-hearted wave as she started to search for her cell phone and then she kept on walking.

Hello Number 2

Two ladies walking by

"Hello, how are you all doing?"

"We are fine, isn't this a pretty day?"

Ok, that one wasn't all that bad. Now I feel optimistic!

Hello Number 3

Young guy sitting on a bench near a soda vending machine

"Hey, how's it going?"

He glances over and, if I'm not mistaken, actually makes a grunt for a greeting back. I stroll on, clearly disappointed in that response.

So I proceeded to attempt to engage 15 people into a conversation. To make a long story short, I had only two incidences out of 15 that worked. The people who decided to engage consisted of the two ladies in Hello Number 2, and the other was an elderly gentleman. I know that this was a very unscientific experiment I conducted, but I did it mostly for fun to see what would happen.

So I ask you, "Is general conversation over?"

Comments: 15

Michelle W. Sep 30, 2007, 10:11pm UTC

I think that it is. No one knows anyone else anymore and no one trusts anyone. So, no one is willing to talk to anyone for fear that they will get robbed, raped, killed, etc. It is sad really.

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flit . Sep 30, 2007, 10:14pm UTC

I still find people to talk to

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Marilyn is looking for whatever there is. N. Sep 30, 2007, 10:22pm UTC

Depends. I think the trust that we had is gone, it probably went away about the time we figured out we had to lock our doors at night. As for just saying Hi and things to others, I don't have any problem at all with that. Usually.

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Sue * Sep 30, 2007, 10:26pm UTC

People seem to talk to me all the time. In the grocery store, or in a public restroom...when I'm shopping. I just assume I have one of those faces that says...I will listen to you.

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Cathy T. Sep 30, 2007, 10:26pm UTC

I think that trust is definitely an issue. But look at the age we live in now with all the technology and the quick snippets of conversation and laguage. Everything is abbreviate--lol, brb, etc. Then there is all the texting, and IM'ing--friends (adult) rarely call each other any more and converse on the phone or make time to just sit and talk over coffee. It's all about the text msg or the IM. I am just as guilty about that as the next person. I probably would have responded like person 2.

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Jennifer Neff Sep 30, 2007, 10:28pm UTC

With an absolute stranger, yes it is. The people that approach you could be doing so out of friendly motives or shady motives. It's sad but true, but you can not trust anyone.

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DL "Duchess of Nonsense" Dzioba Sep 30, 2007, 11:18pm UTC

I work in food service, I'm encouraged to chat up total strangers, so long as we're not slammed.

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Pepsie J. Oct 12, 2007, 10:29pm UTC

Don't give up, and always smile.

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Harrel (Len) Phillips Oct 13, 2007, 7:49am UTC

I think it could be dangerous to be too friendly with a complete stranger. That is a product of this day and age. Sorry, but the days of old are just that.

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Library M. Oct 14, 2007, 8:47pm UTC

Yes, because we communicate
in different ways, like gather articles

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Andy Z. Oct 14, 2007, 11:17pm UTC

I think that people are more open to strangers as you get further away from the population epicenter. If I smile and say hello to someone in downtown Denver, I'm likely to get some pepper spray aimed at me. If I say that in the suburbs, they will respond, but sometimes suspiciously. A greeting along a hiking trail in the foothills usually gets a smile and friendly greeting. On the top of a mountain you usually strike up a conversation and end up sharing your lunch with each other.

I'm not saying that the people downtown are less friendly. It's just that when you are packed in so close that they build up walls to create some feeling of privacy. But on a mountain trail, where you've seen 5 people all day, your need is opposite. They are seeking company.

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Susan A. Nov 1, 2007, 8:42am UTC

It's over around here.... we don't speak to strangers

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Jesse B. Nov 5, 2007, 2:23pm UTC

Everyone thinks they are so much busier than they are. Everyone in the Midwest that I have encountered is nice but they won't engage you in conversation

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Barb Carlson Jan 8, 2008, 1:33pm UTC

It also depends on where you live. The urban/rural thing is true, but also different areas of the country are more open to random conversations than others. Whether or not you can get away easily is also a consideration ... if someone sitting next to me on a plane starts telling me all about their last 5 years of existance, I will feel trapped. But it's easy enough to just walk away if someone wants to talk longer than I do if I'm in an open area. I daresay that even the "top o' the mountain" situation would be a lot less fun if the person striking up the conversation followed you everywhere for the rest of the day. :)

The scowls are probably from people wondering if they're supposed to remember you! LOL!

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What Happened To General Conversation?

Comments: 15

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