Anyone else dread small talk?

A question about : Anyone else dread small talk?

I've never talked to anyone else about this before and I'm curious to know if anyone else here has the same issue?

I am an introvert through and through. My worst time of day is school gate, I LOATHE making small talk. I can generally avoid it in my day to day life but this very short daily meeting place is just a nightmare. I wouldn't say I have a social anxiety disorder because I actually don't want to interact in this way, it doesn't cause me any distress. I think I probably come across as really aloof when in actual just I find small talk so excruciatingly painful that I don't want to engage. I always feel that I have nothing to say, and/or that I will say something really cringey

Give me an in depth topic of conversation with one or two other people and I can chat for hours. And at work I can chat all day with the families I work with, somehow I am different person at work. Although I still struggle with the tea room chatter with my colleagues.

Please tell me I'm not alone, would love to meet other people who have this, although goodness knows what we'd talk about!

Best answers:

• I am the exact same way, I hate most conversation topics but if something interests me like science, technology or Doctor Who I become so much more animated. I have got over it a hell of a lot over the years though and found that simply trying to do it once a day even if it is simply bout the weather works wonders
• Provided it isn't about the contents of my trousers I don't mind it.
• Oh you're definitely not alone!
  My mind goes completely blank when it comes to thinking of things to say..."so how about this weather we've been having? That rain has certainly been wet" -awkward silence.
• You're not alone!
  Throughout the years I've been trying to get better, but I have a sort of 'set comments' and that's it.
  And I can answer people's questions (how are you? how was your weekend? did you have a nice time?) but I always, always, forget to ask back. Only later do I remember that yes, maybe after saying that I'm ok, thanks, I should ask "and you?" *sigh*
  But give me an interesting topic (and a single person to chat with, not a group) and I'm off
  Hurrah for introverts!!
• I too was socially awkward and put it down to being introverted, but i recently changed jobs and a big part of my new job involves chatting with people for the few mins that i see them. I also thought that as i found talking about the weather, traffic, queues boring, then why would i try and talk to others about it.
  I now have no problem making inanne chat with people. Infact, i prob cant stay quiet, and instigate conversations with people whenever now. So it is a learned trait. The more you force youself to open conversations, the less awkward and forced it becomes
  I used to stand in the playground, billy no mates, but now ive learnt how to make small talk, the other parents are less clicky and bring me further into their conversations. On the plus side, ive made new friends and my kids get invited to stuff more often, rather being excluded because their mum appeared standoffish
• Hate small talk..Especially with brainy People..Me: "So what do you do then?"... "Oh I teach Philosophy at the Sorbonne, and you?"..."Err, I'm a Corgi registered Plumber"...."Really? How fascinating..Have you err, been Plumbing Long......"
• At least you are not a taxi driver Tommix...
  Busy Night? / So, what time do you finish?
• I can usually find something inane to start chatting about, maybe someone's having a baby and looks like they're about to pop any minute or perhaps I'll see something or someone and it reminds me of something that was on tv the night before.. But I can see why gossipy mums at the school gates isn't everyone's cup of tea.
• I find it hard too, and I'm a bloke.
  I use to try and make conversation but felt a slave to it, so now I only talk when I have something I really want to say. I do like to listen to other people's conversations though I'm constantly amazed about how many people lie and bulls*** just to make themselves more interesting.
• I am the complete opposite, I start conversations in queues,waiting rooms & on buses
  If there are any awkward silences I will be the one who speaks.
  I think I take after my Mum, she was the same.
• I find small talk quite easy
• You just described me exactly! You're definitely not alone
• I can't do small talk at all and i'm dreading my son starting school in September as i'll have to stand outside with all the other mums to pick him up drop him off.
• I am hopeless at it in person but I am fine at it online.......
• I love small talk! I can, and do, talk to anybody about anything. I hate silence and frequently have conversations by myself if nobody else is available!
• I was always painfully shy...and yes, came across as stand offish.
  It has got better as I have gotten older and I regret what I could have achieved had my shyness not held me back.
  I have learnt to laugh at my cringe worthy and sometimes awkward conversation. In most situations I can now cope a lot better and the more I push myself out of my comfort zone the more I reap.