Talking to an overpowering conversationalist

staticreflex

Well-known member
What do you do when your talking to someone and they just keep talking and talking? You know when you are out and not sure who to talk too and start talking to that reallly friendly person but it turns out they just want someone to listen to them babble on and on and since you are to shy to say anything you just stand there and agree, nodding your head and saying things like "I know, right?" or "yeah...."? I don't think it helps to finally reach out and get stuck like that, I feel trapped, and although listening to them gives me something to do and is a lot easier than having to make conversation with other people, but it still annoys me on the inside. How do I end those conversations nicely or say things myself? I guess I'm just venting.
 

IAMN

Well-known member
I know a couple people like this. it's not even that they don't have sa-- it is that they are exactly the opposite of sa. I've never found them to be annoying, on the contrary it can be a nice icebreaker. I find it helps to listen actively instead of just hearing the words-- what is this person saying and do I agree/disagree/don't care. I get the most conversation out of myself when I find that I disagree with what people have to say, and I try to press them on why I think differently. When I don't care about what people are saying, it can be quite difficult, but try to keep listening as there is always something in common with people.
 

Hellhound

Super Moderator
Lol. I knew someone like this a couple of years ago in art school. She only went to a few classes and left, but those few classes, she chose to sit near me and would talk like there's no tomorrow. She was very nice and I appreciated her talking to me, but sometimes I had to just keep working and ignore her, and even if I ignored her, she wouldn't stop! I was like "God... somebody unplug her already!"
 

moksha

Member
I don't really interrupt them but try to cut the conversation by giving excuse .
That works for me, they don't even feel bad.
 

mrb

Well-known member
yea i relate , years ago i was at the bar just getting a beer when this big bloke came over , he started telling me he was a street fighter from london , he was drunk , big guy tattos all over his neck , saying oi mate you look tasty fancy a fight outside , ill give you 300 if i lose you give me 50 if i win :rolleyes: this went on for ages , god he was annoying ... on and on he went going on about who he beat up in this bar and that , funny thing was about 20 min later my mates came in , and gary not me one of my mates said yea ok then you and me outside ..... now my mate gary is a fighter and this bloke just left :D .... all wind and no fire my mate said :D i did laugh ......
 

Fighter86

Well-known member
I actually encountered a girl at my now workplace who was like that, it was ok for me, except after telling me all her wonderful plans, she looked at me like I didn't have a life, which I didn't, but alas, she didn't even allow me to put in a word if I did because she went on and on about herself, and was then wondering why I didn't contribute to her conversation, I basically had no chance.
 

jillkehler

New member
i have a friend exactly like that. we'll sit there and "chat", which means she will go on about her past, present and future and regail me with all sorts of stories. it's kind of nice for me because i don't have to contribute anything to the conversation and still be considered to be "socializing". although i usually find her overexhuberance draining and just listening to her will make me feel extremely tired and drained. so i have to keep our visits short, lol... just another reason why i tend to avoid the human race. what kind of individual sits there and obsessively talks about themselves to no end, not letting anyone else give their input? how can she be so vain?
 

Fighter86

Well-known member
what kind of individual sits there and obsessively talks about themselves to no end, not letting anyone else give their input? how can she be so vain?

It wouldn't be so bad if she was just so vain in my opinion, I have no qualms listening to her go on, its just I feel she disrespects my lifestyle, she points out the fact that I don't have a bf, doesn't smoke and neither goes clubbing as if they were bad points. I wish she would just show me more respect with my lifestyle choices as I have showed hers.
 
It wouldn't be so bad if she was just so vain in my opinion, I have no qualms listening to her go on, its just I feel she disrespects my lifestyle, she points out the fact that I don't have a bf, doesn't smoke and neither goes clubbing as if they were bad points. I wish she would just show me more respect with my lifestyle choices as I have showed hers.

Clubbing and smoking aren't exactly things to be proud of in that there's many negative things about them. Don't worry about her. If she smokes and clubs and brags about it, then that's her problem. Not having a partner isn't a real disadvantage or something bad either. You can always get one later on and in the meantime, you have some freedom.

Just tune her out. Or be busy with work so you don't have to put up with her.
 
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