If I were to answer this question honestly, I would say yes! But then again, maybe I haven't been conversing with the right people, I really don't know! one thing I do know tho, is that the world has become very "chatty"...too many social networks and not enough social networking (did that make sense? Hehe...dunno).
You find that a person will be very "loud" and hyper in a chat, oya bring the person to stand in front of you, problem! You both start fiddling with your phones or twiddling your thumbs (in the case of dead phone batteries) and searching every corner of your brain for a topic to discuss.
Chatting is exactly what it means, just having a chat, that most times (say 90% of the time) never has depth...
Okay, here's a typical chat (at least from my experience):
A: Hello!
B: Hi
A: how are you doing?/ How's your day going?
B: Fine
A: So what you up to?
B: nothing much...you?
**assuming the person cares enough to ask "you?"**
A: Nothing much either
B: Okay cool
A: Cool
B: ...
Depending on your relationship with said person, some extra information may be shared, some jokes cracked, compliments paid. Oh, and I do not exempt myself from this at all oh! I am completely guilty of this act as well *hides face*
Don't even get me started on those that claim to like you and want to "toast" you...you hear questions like "what are your hobbies?" What?? Am i filling out a high school slum book? "what are your likes and dislikes?" ugh! This one gets me straight in my heart...with a dagger! "Have you eaten? What did you eat? so you didn't keep my own for me shey?" This conversation actually "happened" to me... after telling me I didn't keep his share of MY food for him, he went ahead to accuse me of being selfish, and just to indulge him, i agreed that i was selfish...dear brethren and sistren, you won't believe what came out of this guys mouth next "you are selfish abi? so how many fish did you sell today?" Ewoooooo *puts hand on hed*...to say i was in shock is putting it mildly! Who in this day and age... *sigh*
But really! Is conversation dead? Has the virtual world dummed social life down so much that we can barely hold a conversation? Have we gotten so used to the 140 characters twitter offers that we unconsciously limit ourselves?
There are many times I crave an actual conversation, yes CRAVE! The kind were when you're done talking you feel refreshed and invigorated, the kind where at the end of it, you've laughed, you've goofed around, you've argued and most of all, you've learnt!
Be spontaneous in your conversations (no! not nasty), ask random questions (please not "so what are you wearing?" unless you both are cool like that), get the other person thinking, find out what you can learn from the person...for once, put down that smartphone (unless the conversation is happening via IM) log off twitter and facebook and snapchat and abcdefgh...you'll be surprised how much you'll learn about yourself if you have an actual conversation with an actual (not virtual) person...
What's your take on conversation and chatting and how it affects us? Do you disagree with my points? Do you have anything to add? Experiences to share? Oya let's gist!
Image source 1, source 2
Labels: Rants and Bants
