People, the ultimate but misunderstood search engine
David showed me something really cool today, how to tell a wise person from a not wise person. Okay, maybe it's not that significant, but what he showed me was interesting because all of my mentors have had it which puts an entirely freudian spin on the whole thing (no I don't want to sleep with David!). It's freudian because he was the first smart person I really knew, then I proceeded to seek out more smart people with his similar qualities. At least that what seems pretty right, though it really could just be total coincidence.
Anyways, when I called him today to ask where to buy a comb two things happened, no three. Firstly he answered, and a fine answer it was, thanks to him I now have a comb (my second ever, and definitely the first in something like 6 years). Secondly he teased me. But not before answering completely straightforwardly as if there was nothing more natural than me calling simply to ask if he knew where to buy a comb. Ok four things happened. Thirdly, it spawned a long internal monologue about whether it's better to call someone and ask one question then hang up, or is it better to ask one question and then put meaningless fluff around it for 30 minutes saying things like "Oh, I'm sorry your great aunt matilda died, you must be bummed" but thinking that you couldn't care less while you're saying it. Maybe some people actually do care, and sometimes I do too, but more often than not I'd rather not talk about the weather and how little rain we're getting.
What would happen if everyone in the world stopped small talking? I propose we start medium talking, something I like to credit to myself that I invented many years ago. I'm sure that medium talking is probably copyrighted though, so for this discussion we'll call it 17. Now, in 17 (not the magazine) instead of talking about the weather you have two options, both more interesting than not, but both slightly riskier and more socially probing. 1) You can make a comment about something immediately around you, but significant all the same. These ones are rare though, it's hard to find significance when you're at Bartell's talking to the cashier. It tends to fall into the small talk category with things like, "it's windy outside." "Yes." Most often these discussions tend to be about the fellow that's being arrested by the cashier booth at my store or the forest behind the office that's being cut down. Significant is the keyword here. Option 2) Something entirely random, but significant (even if it's only significant to you). An easy way to cheat here is to propose something random, see if they bite, and then engage in a logic debate or philosophical combat over it. Things like, "What do you think of the color green" or "So, my neighbor caught me naked today. It was an interesting morning." Shock factor often plays a significant factor in lowering their defenses and engaging them in a mental struggle the likes they can't get from TV. After this point you've got them hooked and you continue the 17 at a later date and they'll keep coming back.
People are starving for this shit. It's crazy.
Small Talk is: insignificant in every way. Easily observable. Thoughtless. in essence, it is TV.
17 is: significant in someway, even if it's not readily apparent to the 2nd party. Takes thought. Stimulates the mind and helps you have a good day. Terribly risky.
I say that it's really risky because you could very well get rid of the very most important people. It's not uncommon for people to not like mental stimulation, some people just don't care for it. Some people however will hunger for conversation with you for months afterward. You manager might be either one, best to avoid 17 with important people unless you have a lot of tact and a great ability to tell when you're offending someone. I unfortunately neither have this requisite tact, nor a toggle switch for 17 mode. It's almost always on.
Now, number 4 thing the conversation triggered. A thought about how better to organize the Internet. But I was wrong. It involves directed queries, like I use to find answers when I call David asking only for the whereabouts of a prestigious comb dealership.
Together with my tendency to avoid small talk it makes for very short conversations which I suppose David is allowed to think are odd. And out of context the questions usually are, but I digress. Hell, I digressed 3 paragraphs ago.
I'm done. :)
Morals:
Direct conversations with no small talk are cool.
Combs make for very soft supple hair, however the proper use of bobby pins eludes me.
The Internet is disorganized, but I can think of no better way to make it yet, however I will continue to try.
Unwise people shoot first and answer questions later. Wise people understand that life is fleeting and time for mockery is best left until a time after the current panicked question.
Leading people to believe a situation was more interesting than it was is fun. :)
I hate windows. Every time I look at my desktop I hang my head in shame. Alas, I like Illustrator too much and VMWare is too slow to run linux and windows at the same time. Oh, and I have nothing good to do that isn't being done already on the linux server that's next to my windows box.
Anyways, when I called him today to ask where to buy a comb two things happened, no three. Firstly he answered, and a fine answer it was, thanks to him I now have a comb (my second ever, and definitely the first in something like 6 years). Secondly he teased me. But not before answering completely straightforwardly as if there was nothing more natural than me calling simply to ask if he knew where to buy a comb. Ok four things happened. Thirdly, it spawned a long internal monologue about whether it's better to call someone and ask one question then hang up, or is it better to ask one question and then put meaningless fluff around it for 30 minutes saying things like "Oh, I'm sorry your great aunt matilda died, you must be bummed" but thinking that you couldn't care less while you're saying it. Maybe some people actually do care, and sometimes I do too, but more often than not I'd rather not talk about the weather and how little rain we're getting.
What would happen if everyone in the world stopped small talking? I propose we start medium talking, something I like to credit to myself that I invented many years ago. I'm sure that medium talking is probably copyrighted though, so for this discussion we'll call it 17. Now, in 17 (not the magazine) instead of talking about the weather you have two options, both more interesting than not, but both slightly riskier and more socially probing. 1) You can make a comment about something immediately around you, but significant all the same. These ones are rare though, it's hard to find significance when you're at Bartell's talking to the cashier. It tends to fall into the small talk category with things like, "it's windy outside." "Yes." Most often these discussions tend to be about the fellow that's being arrested by the cashier booth at my store or the forest behind the office that's being cut down. Significant is the keyword here. Option 2) Something entirely random, but significant (even if it's only significant to you). An easy way to cheat here is to propose something random, see if they bite, and then engage in a logic debate or philosophical combat over it. Things like, "What do you think of the color green" or "So, my neighbor caught me naked today. It was an interesting morning." Shock factor often plays a significant factor in lowering their defenses and engaging them in a mental struggle the likes they can't get from TV. After this point you've got them hooked and you continue the 17 at a later date and they'll keep coming back.
People are starving for this shit. It's crazy.
Small Talk is: insignificant in every way. Easily observable. Thoughtless. in essence, it is TV.
17 is: significant in someway, even if it's not readily apparent to the 2nd party. Takes thought. Stimulates the mind and helps you have a good day. Terribly risky.
I say that it's really risky because you could very well get rid of the very most important people. It's not uncommon for people to not like mental stimulation, some people just don't care for it. Some people however will hunger for conversation with you for months afterward. You manager might be either one, best to avoid 17 with important people unless you have a lot of tact and a great ability to tell when you're offending someone. I unfortunately neither have this requisite tact, nor a toggle switch for 17 mode. It's almost always on.
Now, number 4 thing the conversation triggered. A thought about how better to organize the Internet. But I was wrong. It involves directed queries, like I use to find answers when I call David asking only for the whereabouts of a prestigious comb dealership.
Together with my tendency to avoid small talk it makes for very short conversations which I suppose David is allowed to think are odd. And out of context the questions usually are, but I digress. Hell, I digressed 3 paragraphs ago.
I'm done. :)
Morals:
Direct conversations with no small talk are cool.
Combs make for very soft supple hair, however the proper use of bobby pins eludes me.
The Internet is disorganized, but I can think of no better way to make it yet, however I will continue to try.
Unwise people shoot first and answer questions later. Wise people understand that life is fleeting and time for mockery is best left until a time after the current panicked question.
Leading people to believe a situation was more interesting than it was is fun. :)
I hate windows. Every time I look at my desktop I hang my head in shame. Alas, I like Illustrator too much and VMWare is too slow to run linux and windows at the same time. Oh, and I have nothing good to do that isn't being done already on the linux server that's next to my windows box.