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1103 points MaxLeiter | 4 comments | | HN request time: 0.628s | source
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lordnacho ◴[] No.45125819[source]
It's the internet. When you talk to people online, it often descends into pettiness. When you talk to people in the real world, that rarely happens. But it's much easier to talk online, so people get the wrong impression.

You should talk to strangers. It's never gone wrong for me. Most people have a warmth and agreeableness that comes out when you are there with them, talking about stuff. There's also the interesting effect that people will give you their innermost secrets, knowing you won't tell anyone (I actually met a serial killer who did this, heh). For instance I was on a long haul flight earlier this year, and my neighbour told me everything about her divorce. Like a kind of therapy.

I also find when I have a real disagreement with someone, it's a lot easier when you're face-to-face. For instance, I have friends who are religious, in a real way, ie they actually think there's a god who created the earth and wants us to live a certain way. Being there in person keeps me from ridiculing them like I might on an internet forum, but it also keeps them from condemning me to hell.

So folks, practice talking to people. Much of what's wrong in the current world is actually loneliness, having no outlet for your expressions.

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1. chasd00 ◴[] No.45128103[source]
> For instance I was on a long haul flight earlier this year, and my neighbour told me everything about her divorce. Like a kind of therapy.

this gets old fast, it's like being emotionally vomited on.

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2. titanomachy ◴[] No.45128188[source]
Only if the person is unable to tell if you’re actually engaged or just humoring them. Most people are actually pretty good at reading social cues.
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3. m463 ◴[] No.45130480[source]
sometimes.

I remember talking to a doctor once (in a social situation). We were talking about non doctor things and he mentioned that most people find out he's a doctor and start talking about medical issues.

I think this happens to some people (doctors, lawyers, police).

And to a smaller extent it happens to all of us (sometimes). Older people might talk about divorce, or their operations, or their kids.

4. andruby ◴[] No.45130692[source]
That's a very negative reaction.

I enjoy helping others, and I like hearing someone's life story. Not everyone needs to like that though, people are different.

Hearing the same story from the same person can be very tiring and I have family members like that, but with strangers it's a different person, different context, different story.