Not to sound like a cranky old woman, but isn't it standard practice to reciprocate in a conversation? Say, if someone asks you "How was your weekend?" it's pretty rude to say "It was fine," and then not ask them the same. Unless there is some pressing matter you need to discuss, or you happen to strongly dislike the person and want to convey that you have no interest at all in their life, I don't think making this tiny conversational leap is too much to ask.
How can you get through 16 (17 now) years of education AND LIFE and lack basic social skills? HOW?? I want to endow in the library a section of Emily Post books. I shall call it the Legal Eagle, Eagle, Leagle & Eagle Wing: Get Some Manners.
2 comments:
Ah my daughter, it must be difficult being around so many people who are so inferior to you in so many ways . . . LOL . . . I know it is for me.
This is interesting because it makes me think of how I feel awkward sometimes doing the whole reciprocating-in-a-conversation thing - especially when it involves passing someone when you're walking and saying "How are you?" I just can't believe that someone who asks me this as we're passing each other in public really wants to know how I am. I mean really - what if I stopped dead in my tracks and said, "Actually, I'm having the most awful day!" What would happen? It would be soooo awkward! They asked "How are you?" to be polite - as a greeting, like "Hi" or "Hey" or something. It's completely socially acceptable, I know, I know. But I just can't get into it! So a lot of times when people say that to me as I'm passing them, I say, "I'm fine, thank you for asking!" and don't reciprocate. Is that rude?? I find if I add the "thank you for asking" at the end, it usually takes up a sufficient amount of time - we've passed one another and life can go on. This makes me feel less awkward than asking, "Fine; how are you?" When I really don't want to know how they are - and if I do, I wouldn't ask in a setting like that!
Wow. Perhaps I shouldn't be allowed to talk before 9 a.m. I have a feeling I didn't make much sense there....
BUT I will say that if I'm in a room with someone and they ask a question like that "How are you?" or "How was your weekend?" and we're both relatively stationary for a few minutes, I will definitely return the favor, so to speak. Even if I know they don't care how my weekend was.... ;)
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