Reasons for "engaging in conversation"

[James R]

The happiest time of my life was the 13 years I spent at various universities. I loved accumulating knowledge. I once said of my professors that I had a knowledge sucking straw... I would find a likely candidate, and knock him/her down and pull out my knowledge sucking straw, and suck their brains dry. (perhaps as a means of getting rid of me?) More than one professor told me that they had already taught me everything that they could.
(those were good times)

What did you study at the various universities?

 

[TheVat]

I wondered, too. 13 years is a long haul, unless you're in medicine and include the residency phase. sculptor - were you working and then attending university as a part-time student?

 

[Pinball1970]

I wondered, too. 13 years is a long haul, unless you're in medicine and include the residency phase. sculptor - were you working and then attending university as a part-time student.

Bsc could be four years with a placement, one to two years MSc then 5-6 years PhD is there or there abouts.
Throw in a gap year inter railing in Europe with his buddies you can get to 13.

 

[TheVat]

Could be, though I had earlier gotten the impression that Sculptor had not chosen a PhD track. I have artists in the family tree, and they and their cohort tended not to linger at university. Not saying there can't be exceptions. Or, as I alluded to, the sort or "career student" one occasionally encounters, who likes to take just a couple credit hours each semester and stay tethered to a campus culture scene.

 

[wegs]

I think there are so many reasons why many of us engage in conversation - social interaction, bonding, venting, ranting, to be understood and to learn from others. I prefer journaling though, getting my thoughts out in writing or even online, is easier(?) for lack of a better word, than a “face to face” opening up of my soul. I wonder if it’s easier (what word am I looking for?! ) for extroverts to engage in meaningful conversations, than introverts, in general. I’d say that human interactions all have nuances, because not all conversations in life hold the same weight.

 

[gmilam]

I think there are so many reasons why many of us engage in conversation - social interaction, bonding, venting, ranting, to be understood and to learn from others. I prefer journaling though, getting my thoughts out in writing or even online, is easier(?) for lack of a better word, than a “face to face” opening up of my soul. I wonder if it’s easier (what word am I looking for?! ) for extroverts to engage in meaningful conversations, than introverts, in general. I’d say that human interactions all have nuances, because not all conversations in life hold the same weight.

I don't know if it's easier for extroverts to engage in meaningful conversation. But it is obviously easier for them to engage in conversation. From my observations, extroverts jump in with the first thing they think of while introverts actually think about the topic. By the time they have sorted out their ideas, the subject has moved on and their response is no longer relevant to the current discussion.

 

[wegs]

I don't know if it's easier for extroverts to engage in meaningful conversation. But it is obviously easier for them to engage in conversation. From my observations, extroverts jump in with the first thing they think of while introverts actually think about the topic. By the time they have sorted out their ideas, the subject has moved on and their response is no longer relevant to the current discussion.

Great point! To that, I'll add that most conversations (in my experience), whether online or in person, tend to ''reward'' faster reactions/input, over reflection.

 

[Lumen]

Ma

In person, online, doesn't matter. What need or desire does engaging in conversation with another person or persons fulfill? Is it more a social thing or an intellectual thing? For this discussion, let's just ignore conversations which emerge of necessity.

I like to read, I like to read conversations even, but as for engaging in conversation? Honestly, I can take it or leave it. That said, I like engaging in conversations of a sort with non-human animals, and I like playing music with people and engaging in other ways sometimes, I guess; but as far as conversation goes, I've got limited time and patience for such. I really wish that people had an "off" switch or something, or that I could just tell them to shut the fuck up whenever I feel like I'm done with it; but as I don't like being rude and uncivil towards people I actually like and respect (I have a different attitude towards those I don't, obviously), I've arranged my life such that I don't really have to converse all that much if I don't really feel like it.

And yet, at the same time, I'm really kind of impressed by people who are capable of having tremendously long, sustained conversations with others--again, whether that be in person, online, or via some other means of correspondence (letters? Oh my!)--or, at the very least, I'm somewhat fascinated by the phenomenon. I've just never been able to figure out what people are really getting from it. I know the answer is complicated, probably a bit like Maurice Martenot's "secret formula" for the carbon compound used in the "lozenge" pressure sensor on the Ondes Martenot (he supposedly used a bit of

In person, online, doesn't matter. What need or desire does engaging in conversation with another person or persons fulfill? Is it more a social thing or an intellectual thing? For this discussion, let's just ignore conversations which emerge of necessity.

I like to read, I like to read conversations even, but as for engaging in conversation? Honestly, I can take it or leave it. That said, I like engaging in conversations of a sort with non-human animals, and I like playing music with people and engaging in other ways sometimes, I guess; but as far as conversation goes, I've got limited time and patience for such. I really wish that people had an "off" switch or something, or that I could just tell them to shut the fuck up whenever I feel like I'm done with it; but as I don't like being rude and uncivil towards people I actually like and respect (I have a different attitude towards those I don't, obviously), I've arranged my life such that I don't really have to converse all that much if I don't really feel like it.

And yet, at the same time, I'm really kind of impressed by people who are capable of having tremendously long, sustained conversations with others--again, whether that be in person, online, or via some other means of correspondence (letters? Oh my!)--or, at the very least, I'm somewhat fascinated by the phenomenon. I've just never been able to figure out what people are really getting from it. I know the answer is complicated, probably a bit like Maurice Martenot's "secret formula" for the carbon compound used in the "lozenge" pressure sensor on the Ondes Martenot (he supposedly used a bit of gunpowder), but, yeah, whatever. Surely, someone's got some insights?

Conversing with a fellow human requires you to listen not just talk. And it won't always be about you. I suspect this has something to do with it?

 

[Pinball1970]

semester and stay tethered to a campus culture scene.

Looking back it would have been nice! Work at that time was very hard, competitive and I seemed to have no free time.