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greenmountaingal · 70-79, F
I feel like I need to speak up in defense of small talk.
Sometimes it is easier for people to get to know each other less intensely and more slowly. Sometimes people, especially shy people, need that. Small talk is a way to hear someone's voice, see their facial expressions, and experience their presence without having too much intimacy right away. Some people get to know people that way. For some, revealing too much makes them feel vulnerable. Small talk has its uses if both people know it is not all there is to human communication; prolonged small talk is boring.
Sometimes it is easier for people to get to know each other less intensely and more slowly. Sometimes people, especially shy people, need that. Small talk is a way to hear someone's voice, see their facial expressions, and experience their presence without having too much intimacy right away. Some people get to know people that way. For some, revealing too much makes them feel vulnerable. Small talk has its uses if both people know it is not all there is to human communication; prolonged small talk is boring.