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Thread: How do you feel about talking with strangers?

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    Great Value Carrots Sparky's Avatar
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    How do you feel about talking with strangers?

    What made me think of this was the video mamboni posted where random passers-by are asked to guess the price of gold. I was struck by how many people would not even break stride for a second to talk to him. It probably had nothing to do with gold.

    As long as I'm not in a rush, I'm happy to talk to anyone about anything, pretty much any time. I don't mean disclose personal information, but just share opinions or comments or humor on things. I enjoy interacting with people, and hearing what they have to say. I have a friend who, when we are out somewhere, will inevitably get us involved in a conversation with a group of whomever happens to be within earshot. His knack for this is amazing.

    How about you? If you are at the store or a ballgame or a bar or a movie, do you like getting engaged in conversation with strangers? Or are you uncomfortable and would rather avoid it? Or neutral? As a self-test, if a stranger opens up a conversation with you, do you usually try to keep it going, or do you tend to cut it short because you prefer to be left alone?

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    Unobtanium gunDriller's Avatar
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    Re: How do you feel about talking with strangers?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sparky View Post
    What made me think of this was the video mamboni posted where random passers-by are asked to guess the price of gold. I was struck by how many people would not even break stride for a second to talk to him. It probably had nothing to do with gold.

    As long as I'm not in a rush, I'm happy to talk to anyone about anything, pretty much any time. I don't mean disclose personal information, but just share opinions or comments or humor on things. I enjoy interacting with people, and hearing what they have to say. I have a friend who, when we are out somewhere, will inevitably get us involved in a conversation with a group of whomever happens to be within earshot. His knack for this is amazing.

    How about you? If you are at the store or a ballgame or a bar or a movie, do you like getting engaged in conversation with strangers? Or are you uncomfortable and would rather avoid it? Or neutral? As a self-test, if a stranger opens up a conversation with you, do you usually try to keep it going, or do you tend to cut it short because you prefer to be left alone?
    it depends on location & who it is.

    obviously location matters. if you did this near the 19th Ave. BART station in Oakland, that's very different from "Art Night" in a small town, for example.

    last time i was at the 19th Ave. BART station, a black guy threatened to kill me because i talked to "one of his women", after i asked a woman for directions.

    in the city, you stay alert & go where you're going. some stranger who wants to talk about whatever, you generally ignore, even if the 'whatever' is Gold.
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  4. #3
    Unobtanium
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    Re: How do you feel about talking with strangers?

    Well, I don't talk to cops and if they sit near me in a restaurant either I change seats or pay my bill and leave..... oh, and I don't talk to people form Mars or Jupiter, they are nasty people.

    V
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    Unobtanium Serpo's Avatar
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    Re: How do you feel about talking with strangers?

    No one is a stranger to me even if I dont know them but people maybe a stranger too them selves



    The Cabal...........“Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the King’s horses and all the King’s men couldn’t put Humpty back together again”.

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    Moderator madfranks's Avatar
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    Re: How do you feel about talking with strangers?

    I'm like you sparky, if I'm not in a hurry to get somewhere, I don't mind chatting with strangers. It doesn't happen very often but when it does I enjoy it.
    "Liberty is so creative, and the government is so stupid, that I’m very optimistic about the future"
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    Great Value Carrots Libertarian_Guard's Avatar
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    Re: How do you feel about talking with strangers?

    I''ve noticed that this was more common back in the 1960's & 1970's. I try to chat it up, or at least wave and say hi, but you know the story.....everyone is anxious or in a rush.

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    Great Value Carrots Santa's Avatar
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    Re: How do you feel about talking with strangers?

    I talk to strangers every day, many times over. Come to think of it, I've been talking to strangers all my life.

    But I'd generally just walk past a loud aggressive petition pusher with a clipboard. I'd figure he was probably trying to push a FREE Vaccination on me or something.
    In fact, if anybody puts a hustle voice on me, I'm pretty much out of there. At that point words become blunt objects to avoid. He may as well have thrown a sack of dead rats at me.

    I really do enjoy talking to strangers though... when we're on equal terms.I don't care to carry on with anyone who attempts to lay a position of contrived authority over me.
    Nope.
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    Re: How do you feel about talking with strangers?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sparky View Post
    What made me think of this was the video mamboni posted where random passers-by are asked to guess the price of gold. I was struck by how many people would not even break stride for a second to talk to him. It probably had nothing to do with gold.

    As long as I'm not in a rush, I'm happy to talk to anyone about anything, pretty much any time. I don't mean disclose personal information, but just share opinions or comments or humor on things. I enjoy interacting with people, and hearing what they have to say. I have a friend who, when we are out somewhere, will inevitably get us involved in a conversation with a group of whomever happens to be within earshot. His knack for this is amazing.

    How about you? If you are at the store or a ballgame or a bar or a movie, do you like getting engaged in conversation with strangers? Or are you uncomfortable and would rather avoid it? Or neutral? As a self-test, if a stranger opens up a conversation with you, do you usually try to keep it going, or do you tend to cut it short because you prefer to be left alone?
    It's L.A. and Newport Beach too boot. I would say you need to redefine what you mean by talking with strangers. Having small talk or a conversation.

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    Militant Wing of the Salvation Army midnight rambler's Avatar
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    Re: How do you feel about talking with strangers?

    Quote Originally Posted by Libertarian_Guard View Post
    I''ve noticed that this was more common back in the 1960's & 1970's. I try to chat it up, or at least wave and say hi, but you know the story.....everyone is anxious or in a rush.
    IMO, in general people have become much more anti-social. Many things have led to this.
    "A man is to be held accountable for the thoughts he chooses to entertain." --Richard Alan Miller

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    Platinum milehi's Avatar
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    Re: How do you feel about talking with strangers?

    " I have a friend who, when we are out somewhere, will inevitably get us involved in a conversation with a group of whomever happens to be within earshot. His knack for this is amazing."

    I'm this guy, but the setting has to be right. Blows my brother away. I almost always have a good looking dog or two with me that attracts dog lovers like moths to a lamp. I can bring a dog into Bass Pro with the intent of grabbing something quick, and end up leaving over an hour later if I take the dog in. I live in a small town and notice I'm ducking people I know (gossipers, busy bodies, butt ins and time wasters) rather than strangers.

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