Shouts From Down Under

Stop talking when I'm interrupting!

Have you ever thought about The Art of Conversation?

I once read through a Reader's Digest course on this subject and have forgotten most of it. Perhaps only someone who has trouble socialising would even think of reading about this. And I feel there IS a real art to talking with one another, just two people or part of a larger group.

So often, in the years since reading through the information about conversing in a correct manner, or best practice, I have seen the mistakes people make, and I confess, I've made those same mistakes myself.

Do you ever notice someone in a group not participating? Sometimes there might be just one loud person in the group doing all the talking. They may not necessarily be self centred, but may have an extroverted personality and a hyped up brain. One of those people who can't sit still; they are always doing stuff, or heading off somewhere on some project or errand.

Whatever, there is a bunch of do's and don't's about conversing. That is, a group of people all talking together, in a friendly open manner, with everyone able to have their say, not be interrupted, no-one holding the fort the entire time and nobody bored out of their brain with the subject matter.
No one feels left out, no one gets offended with what's said and at the end of the time together, people leave feeling fulfilled and that they "had a good time."

A Google search yields a stack of hits, a 3D 360 degree view of every possible idea on The Art of Conversation.

A random pick of the many sites immediately shows some pointers on how to conduct yourself while talking along with others. I'm not sure what else is on the site so be warned..

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/09/24/the-art-of-conversation/


Thinking about all this, I feel that good conversation (or bad) technique could be linked to other factors besides just knowing social rules of behaviour, and public relations.
There are those things behind what people talk about, people's health. Honesty. Shyness. Pride. Self Esteem. Mental condition. Upbringing.

I now have a plate of hot buttered English muffins with blackberry jam on them. This is a conversation stopper if every I saw one. With my mouth full I can't keep talking, or typing. The one thing apparently you don't say to people is,

"Am I boring you?"