In the present scenario, our social lives and interactions are all about Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and what not. With this technology coming in handy, the world has become smaller and getting in touch with anyone with just a click is quite fascinating to all of us. Now, the point I want to come to by emphasizing this power of technology, is the power of small talk. The difference is that this power of small talk forbids us to actually build on relationships. This power actually does not empower us to have meaning connections in our lives.
How often do we find ourselves texting our friends “Hi, whatsup” or “How’s life”. Similarly, we too get such messages from a large number of contacts in our phone book. I will not deny that I myself sometimes forward such messages. Now, going forward, to this we usually reply “All good” or perhaps “Everything’s fine, you tell me”.
You and I, both know that each one of us, be it our friends, family member’s or colleagues is struggling with something or the other in there own unique ways. We all are fighting our own battles. But whenever we get a text asking how are we, we usually just reply to them saying everything is going good. Now, this is only natural. Nobody would want to talk about the challenges they’re actually facing over a text which we usually just send out of the blue.
Healthy and constructive human interaction has completely lost its place amidst this superficial drivelling. Why is it that we do not make an effort to know how the other person actually is? Why is it that asking someone ‘How are you’ has just become a formality, the truth being we actually do not have the time to understand how the other person is actually doing/feeling? Why have we become so self-contained that we have become just mere rats running in a race of which there’s no end? Why have we stopped talking about things like our aspirations, feelings, fears, insecurities and dreams (the things that actually matter)?
Yes, small talk is powerful in the sense that it successfully deprives us from thriving strong relationships. We are so obsessed with growing our circle that we’d rather make small trivial talks with 50 people than have a consequential conversation with 5 of them.
May be if we change ourselves and actually be interested in knowing about the well being of the other person, we would help ourselves and the other in having a real conversation. A conversation that actually matters! We would then see the magic it creates by opening our mental horizons and help us evolve. In no way I’m saying that I totally follow this but I’m aware of the importance of a real conversation and going forward I will seek having one wherever I am !
I hope that you do too! Cheers to having inspiring conversations!