Many of us on platforms like this are introverts, or autistic, or have social anxiety, or for whatever reason, have trouble meeting new people or engaging with strangers. If someone wanted to engage you in conversation, what topic would you be happiest to talk about?
Self-hosting, Linux, video games, building guitar pedals, what books people are reading, AI philosophy, digital privacy and advocacy, songwriting, how meshtastic works, how to set up Openwrt router and if they want to use an antenna with me, and OS hardening.
I’m 45 / F and recently moved to a small town in the Southern US. No tech folks here.
Recently went to a company wide meeting, so I had to speak to loads of strangers. Usually I tell them about Linux and they leave me alone.
Olive oil.
I just read Extra Virginity and it turns out there is a whole world of food oil counterfeiting and I really need help stopping it, because suddenly this is the topic I am 3rd most passionate about.
Hi I’m deeply interested in this and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. How the hell do you counterfeit olive oli?!?
You put a cheaper oil in a refinery, then flavor it with artificial flavors, then use the Mafia to launder it into another country.
What topics are you most passionate about?
And - counterfeiting? For olive oil? I’m gobsmacked.
Constructed languages. It’s a profoundly lonely hobby. I would love to randomly meet another conlanger IRL
What’s your fav conlang? I dabbled in Esperanto on duolingo a while back.
Maybe I should have kept dabbling; about all I remember anymore is ‘hundo’.
i’m surprised there’s no linux in the comments
Oh, give it time.
I’m not sure if I should say I use linux or not:
- Gaming desktop - windows.
- Laptop - Macbook.
- Work machine (programming) - windows.
- Servers running the code I write - mostly linux.
I dragged my introverted ass to 10 houses on my street in an attempt to find a shred of US political solidarity in a red state. I got 7 no answer, left 1 Ring Camera message, 1 polite declination, and 1 prison guard who “doesn’t really watch the news”. I felt awkward as hell but I remain excited about talking to enough people to find 1 or 2 who are like “You think this is all insanity too?!” This isn’t the “topic” OP solicited but as an introvert it feels valuable to share here that I felt good after forcing myself to break that ice.
I am easily spun up talking about myself. Getting me talking isn’t too hard, but I start to feel that introvert exhaustion once I think maybe I’m talking too much or I find reason to doubt the person wants to talk any further.
Movies/shows have been good topics for me. Enough people have seen Spaceballs, Interstellar, The Pitt, Marvel that people’s inner nerd pops out like a Jack in the Box when their fandom comes up. A coworker and I once had nothing in common, but I brought up Mystery Science Theater 3000 offhand and she cut me off to shout “I LOVE EMMESSTEE THREE KAY!!”
In the not too distant future…
Soulslikes.
One game that scratched most of the itch was Lords if the Fallen (new version). Beat it 3 times. Also, Lies if P was pretty good. Lots of cool monsters and very sinister. Beat that three times too.
There is only one game that can compete with Souls series in how fun it is, but it’s not really souls like exactly. Returnal is absolutely one of the best games ever made and is wildly underrated. You should try it before the sequal is released ( I think soon). You really need to have the fortitude of a souls gamer to get through it. It’s sooooo good.
Actually did talk to a stranger about this somewhat recently! He had a Bloodborne tattoo on his arm, which prompted me to initiate a conversation. Highly recommend.
I’m curious what the tattoo was of, exactly. One of the runes, perhaps? 🤔
Yep! It was the hunter rune! It was really cool.
Depends on the subject. I do actually like to hear someone’s passion in something. I typically don’t like myself dominating a conversation all of the time, so I’m almost always tossing the chance to the other person to speak their mind. People always told me that they’re sorry for rambling but I’m encouraging it because I like to listen.
I get more tired of hearing myself talk than I do others.
I have brainworms from getting so heavily involved in local political organizing over the last two years so probably that. Talk about their life and if there are issues troubling them and then maybe how those issues are probably downstream of capitalism and how the only way out is hand in hand, arm in arm with your fellow man fighting for a future that is for everyone.
Anyway like I said brainworms.
local political organizing
Fingers crossed its not pro-trump pro-ICE bullshit
issues…downstream of capitalism … arm in arm with your fellow man … future that is for everyone.
These don’t sound like MAGA sentiments to me, so you can probably breathe easy.
I want to know about music that gives you the chills, and why you think it has that effect on you.
A side note: A psychopath recently did an AMA. I asked her if she still got chills listening to songs since they don’t have the same emotional capacity. She claimed that nobody gets chills listening to songs. Guess that answered the question. Psychopaths don’t enjoy music like we do. That kinda sucks for them.
I’ll try to find the post.
I can’t think of anything offhand. I really like Chappell Roan – her songs just make me viscerally happy. Eleine sounds great, and I’ve loved Sia ever since I heard Titanium. But chills? No one I listen to provokes that particular reaction.
If open to sharing, which music gives eezeebee this effect?
40k.
I want to talk to him about that briefcase full of cash that he brings me.
“So you’re absolutely sure, there’s not, like a drug cartel or something, trying to get this back?”
Do you fuck on the first date?
Only if someone uses one of my favorite movie quotes in the appropriate context.
I have a confession to make. I’m not left-handed.
You seem a decent fellow.
I can’t do small talk or general chat, but I can do meta. I can talk about how awkward it is to talk to strangers, for example. That feels like information exchange, as opposed to a complex two-person dance where I don’t have rhythm or sufficiently-malleable limbs, which is what small talk feels like to me. The goal of small talk seems to be the process itself. If we’re instead ‘educating’ each other about something, and that information is the ultimate goal, I’m much more comfortable.
