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How people who hate small talk can learn to enjoy it with a few simple tweaks

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Summary
Nutrition label

66% Informative

Stanford lecturer Mark Abrahams tackles common anxieties and hangups people have about small talk.

Abrahams says small talk is a wonderful way of connecting, bonding, learning, and growing.

Reframing small talk as a group effort rather than a competition can make small talk more enjoyable.

Abrahams suggests a structure to frame something you're saying or as a series of questions to get conversation going.

As with anything else, small talk takes practice, but eventually it becomes easier.

Getting out of a conversation can sometimes be harder than starting one.

Abrahams: Be concise and to the point.

VR Score

61

Informative language

56

Neutral language

31

Article tone

informal

Language

English

Language complexity

29

Offensive language

not offensive

Hate speech

not hateful

Attention-grabbing headline

not detected

Known propaganda techniques

not detected

Time-value

long-living

External references

1

Source diversity

1

Affiliate links

no affiliate links