In the public space in question, are you more likely to find books or alcohol?
I recommend socializing in book stores, libraries and outside classrooms. It will not always be appropriate but you can learn what sort of people will open to talking with practice.
I’d agree with all these suggestions. A more discerning rule of thumb might be “are you more likely to find people consuming books or consuming alcohol?”
It’s probably also reasonably safe to assume that the typical LWer would prefer to talk with someone over a revealed mutual interest, rather than talking to someone after deadening their selectivity with booze, so places that are about books, but not where people read them, are likely to be good haunts for talking to strangers.
I have heard it suggested that the world would be a nicer place if there were bookstores in which one could simply order a beer, the same way one can today order a coffee.
(It should be noted that the ‘order a coffee’ thing is only a decade or two old.)
OK, to be honest, I’m having a bit of trouble understanding this thread. Find people drinking in bookstores, libraries? I’m confused. (In school buildings, certainly possible, if we’re talking about parties in grad student offices, but then that falls into a case where things seem pretty clear, and I’m only likely to be around if I know some people anyway.)
Oh, pardon me. That was not particularly a serious recommendation. At least, not one that is likely to become relevant all that often. I was mostly being lighthearted so as to signal rapport with sixes as opposed to complete disagreement.
I recommend socializing in book stores, libraries and outside classrooms. It will not always be appropriate but you can learn what sort of people will open to talking with practice.
I’d agree with all these suggestions. A more discerning rule of thumb might be “are you more likely to find people consuming books or consuming alcohol?”
It’s probably also reasonably safe to assume that the typical LWer would prefer to talk with someone over a revealed mutual interest, rather than talking to someone after deadening their selectivity with booze, so places that are about books, but not where people read them, are likely to be good haunts for talking to strangers.
Best yet, find the people consuming alcohol in the place where you find lots of books. They’re bound to be up for a chat.
I have heard it suggested that the world would be a nicer place if there were bookstores in which one could simply order a beer, the same way one can today order a coffee.
(It should be noted that the ‘order a coffee’ thing is only a decade or two old.)
OK, to be honest, I’m having a bit of trouble understanding this thread. Find people drinking in bookstores, libraries? I’m confused. (In school buildings, certainly possible, if we’re talking about parties in grad student offices, but then that falls into a case where things seem pretty clear, and I’m only likely to be around if I know some people anyway.)
Oh, pardon me. That was not particularly a serious recommendation. At least, not one that is likely to become relevant all that often. I was mostly being lighthearted so as to signal rapport with sixes as opposed to complete disagreement.