If you can come up with lists of five but don’t give a crap about how any of them would be answered, you’re talking to supernaturally boring people, you’re a misanthrope, or you’re doing the exercise wrong.
Wow, this sounds really familiar to me, which probably implies that I’m a misanthrope. Do you have any remedies?
To me, most people just seem to be pretty boring and I want to change that ( don’t like to be a cynical asshole), but every time I start a conversation with a random student from my university I start to feel even more lonely than before. They either just don’t understand what I’m talking about, or are not interested or whatever...sigh.
I believe to have pretty decent social skills ( trained them in high school) but now most of my conservations are still depressing.
They either just don’t understand what I’m talking about, or are not interested or whatever...sigh.
Implies you’re picking topics. Get them to pick a topic, and they’ll be interested and they’ll understand what is being talked about. If they pick a boring topic, go a little meta and do a perspective-taking exercise: what might it be like to be interested in this? What about it would fascinate you? If you were writing about a fictional character with this interest, what would you write? Or, interpret the topic through a lens/via an analogy that makes it more relevant to you (but don’t change the subject to the one you had in mind when you do this; that’s not the point).
Also, seek out people who share interests/intellectual levels with you in the first place. Random people can be cool, but you seem to have poor luck with them, and filtration is worthwhile.
If they pick a boring topic, go a little meta and do a perspective-taking exercise: what might it be like to be interested in this? What about it would fascinate you?
Wow, this seems kinda hard. I think I know what you mean, but topics like soccer( or sports in general), celebrities or TV-shows ( with some exceptions ) seem to be “immune” to this exercise;)
seek out people who share interests/intellectual levels with you in the first place
I think this is the main problem. There are not many people out there in the real world who share my interests.
Probably it’s more efficient to start socializing on sites like LessWrong, although it feels somehow weird.
If they pick a boring topic, go a little meta and do a perspective-taking exercise: what might it be like to be interested in this? What about it would fascinate you?
Wow, this seems kinda hard. I think I know what you mean, but topics like soccer( or sports in general), celebrities or TV-shows ( with some exceptions ) seem to be “immune” to this exercise;)
Is the person interested in sports as a substitute for war? As a presentation of the capacities of the human body? As a tribal bonding activity with eir friends? Does the person like celebrities because ey can gossip about them with impunity? Because there is more information about them than there would ever reasonably be about other people ey didn’t know? Because ey respects or admires their talents at whatever they are celebrities for? Does the person like TV because of the storylines? Because of the visual effects? Because of the illusion that they are present with those celebrities that they find so interesting?
(I don’t recommend asking these questions directly, but keep these curiosities in mind and ask questions that get at them obliquely: “How long have you supported Team X?” “Do you think it’s more fun to hear about actors, or people who are just plain famous?” “What’s your favorite thing about the show?”)
I don’t think any topics that humans are genuinely interested in are immune to the exercise. If you’re immune to the exercise, by all means get your daily dose of socialization from places like here.
Is the person interested in sports as a substitute for war? As a presentation of the capacities of the human body? As a tribal bonding activity with eir friends? Does the person like celebrities because ey can gossip about them with impunity? Because there is more information about them than there would ever reasonably be about other people ey didn’t know? Because ey respects or admires their talents at whatever they are celebrities for? Does the person like TV because of the storylines? Because of the visual effects? Because of the illusion that they are present with those celebrities that they find so interesting?
But, I don’t care!
I will try my luck on Lesswrong, I guess;)
Excellent comment!
Wow, this sounds really familiar to me, which probably implies that I’m a misanthrope. Do you have any remedies? To me, most people just seem to be pretty boring and I want to change that ( don’t like to be a cynical asshole), but every time I start a conversation with a random student from my university I start to feel even more lonely than before. They either just don’t understand what I’m talking about, or are not interested or whatever...sigh.
I believe to have pretty decent social skills ( trained them in high school) but now most of my conservations are still depressing.
Implies you’re picking topics. Get them to pick a topic, and they’ll be interested and they’ll understand what is being talked about. If they pick a boring topic, go a little meta and do a perspective-taking exercise: what might it be like to be interested in this? What about it would fascinate you? If you were writing about a fictional character with this interest, what would you write? Or, interpret the topic through a lens/via an analogy that makes it more relevant to you (but don’t change the subject to the one you had in mind when you do this; that’s not the point).
Also, seek out people who share interests/intellectual levels with you in the first place. Random people can be cool, but you seem to have poor luck with them, and filtration is worthwhile.
Thank you for your advice!
Wow, this seems kinda hard. I think I know what you mean, but topics like soccer( or sports in general), celebrities or TV-shows ( with some exceptions ) seem to be “immune” to this exercise;)
I think this is the main problem. There are not many people out there in the real world who share my interests. Probably it’s more efficient to start socializing on sites like LessWrong, although it feels somehow weird.
Is the person interested in sports as a substitute for war? As a presentation of the capacities of the human body? As a tribal bonding activity with eir friends? Does the person like celebrities because ey can gossip about them with impunity? Because there is more information about them than there would ever reasonably be about other people ey didn’t know? Because ey respects or admires their talents at whatever they are celebrities for? Does the person like TV because of the storylines? Because of the visual effects? Because of the illusion that they are present with those celebrities that they find so interesting?
(I don’t recommend asking these questions directly, but keep these curiosities in mind and ask questions that get at them obliquely: “How long have you supported Team X?” “Do you think it’s more fun to hear about actors, or people who are just plain famous?” “What’s your favorite thing about the show?”)
I don’t think any topics that humans are genuinely interested in are immune to the exercise. If you’re immune to the exercise, by all means get your daily dose of socialization from places like here.
But, I don’t care! I will try my luck on Lesswrong, I guess;)