What to Do If You Hate Small Talk

One of the reasons many of us find social encounters difficult is that they force into that particular conversational byway called small-talk - where we have to pay a lot of attention to the weather and the upcoming holidays. But what is small talk, why does it exist and how can we learn to navigate it more fruitfully? Sign up to our new newsletter and get 10% off your first online order of a book, product or class: For gifts and more from The School of Life, visit our online shop: Our website has classes, articles and products to help you think and grow: 2AuqvFY FURTHER READING You can read more on this and other subjects on our blog, here: “A lot of discomfort about going to social engagements is rooted in what can sound like a rather high-minded concern: a hatred of small talk. We can develop a dread of parties because we know how likely we are to end up wedged into conversations about the weather, parking, traffic or the way we plan to spend the forthcoming holidays – when there would be so many deeper and more dignified topics to address: the future of humanity, the fate of the nation, or the melancholy state of our hearts. We resent parties for holding up an ideal of community and dialogue while trapping us in unproductive and insincere banter; for making us more lonely than we ever would be in our own homes.” MORE SCHOOL OF LIFE Visit us in person at our London HQ: Watch more films on SELF in our playlist: You can submit translations and transcripts on all of our videos here: Find out how more here: SOCIAL MEDIA Feel free to follow us at the links below: 2AuqvFY Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: CREDITS Produced in collaboration with: Gemma Green-Hope