(no subject)
I'm suddenly aware of how self-centred some people are, conversationally. You ask them a question about a subject you want to know more about, or tell them about something in your life that relates to ideas in general, and they direct it back into themselves, in a way that you can't really join in except to say, "Oh, really?" And they just repeat themselves over and over again. They will say the same thing again even after you acknowledge what they say. They're not even looking for a reaction from you - your feedback doesn't matter, they just want someone (they're not telling you in particular because they care about your opinion; it could be anyone) to stand there and listen to their anecdote about how someone paid them a compliment, or about some dumb trivia they heard, or about their minor bodily pains.
If you try to relate their story to a broader issue, or something similar that happened to you, they won't even acknowledge that you spoke, but just keep talking about themselves.
Another thing people do is ignore anything you say or do that denies their perception of what you are like.
I try to be a good conversationalist and a good friend, and while I do some navel-gazing myself, I really think that I am genuinely interested in other people and what they have to teach me. I hope.
If you try to relate their story to a broader issue, or something similar that happened to you, they won't even acknowledge that you spoke, but just keep talking about themselves.
Another thing people do is ignore anything you say or do that denies their perception of what you are like.
I try to be a good conversationalist and a good friend, and while I do some navel-gazing myself, I really think that I am genuinely interested in other people and what they have to teach me. I hope.