Distractions

Another response to a Shawn post.

This reminds me of something in the drama classes I have been attending recently.

You put someone on stage and tell them "perform" and they freeze. But you get them playing a game on stage and they get so engrossed in the game, they'll start to perform and not notice they are doing it.

Similarly, you tell people "collaborate" and they shrug. You give them something to do (and mundane stuff is the easiest stuff to hand) and they start collaborating (hopefully).

Which is also why small talk is important. This apparently inconsequential chit-chat allows us to build up rich pictures of what people are like and whether it is worthwhile pursuing something more conversationally important with them.

Should small talk classes be compulsary?