Learn to enjoy the silence.

What kind of deep conversations do you want? You want drug “deep” conversations, or you want “here’s why everything is fucked” deep?

Have you tried engaging people in conversation?

Can’t expect to jump into a deep conversation off the bat like “what are your thoughts on the socio-economic implications of the death of the 3rd place and how we could restore it?”

You gotta start with small talk. Helps introduce both parties to each other and feel out if you’re someone they want to talk to. You can get into deeper conversations naturally if you’re not weird about it.

*gestures vaguely around*

Find the readers. Postman was right. It will only get worse.

People don't talk any more because they have stopped listening.

They just want to tell their opinion and don't care about what opinion others have or even consider their angles

Nobody IRL even wants to talk either. Everyone staring at their phones lol

I see a lot of kids talk on the train. It's weird, in the UK, everyone is on their phone, while in Germany people talk, get to know new people, play games, and quiz people as to why they want to get off at this particular station.

This week a bird flew into a room I was in, a small one. Ok, they are actually called blue tit, but don't let that distract, it's a nice little bird. Anyway, it couldn't find its way out, so I had to catch it in my hands. I was afraid I was going to hurt it by mistake, because it was trying to break free from my grip, but I managed to carry it back to the open window and it flew away (seemingly) happy. It's the second time this happens, so I started searching online for the correct way to carry a small bird that doesn't want to be carried. I did not find this information, but on a page about pet birds, I found this paragraph: "Spend quality time with your bird in a calm and positive manner. Offer treats, engage in gentle play, and use soft, soothing voices to build trust." I am not a bird of course, but you know what, that doesn't sound too bad! I want that. I showed it to my girlfriend and she gave me a look. We've been arguing a lot lately because she's been emotionally distant and sort of spiraling out of control. I just wish I had a life like that "how to treat your bird" description but mutual. Do you know what I mean?

It only takes a few highly motivated individuals to start posting open ended conversations with great headlines to get everyone fired up again. I wouldn't despair over it.

Identity politics takes over. (As in what you're saying has already happened to a large degree)

I was in Japan two weeks ago, and saw first hand what happens when no one wants to talk. So...

How are you?

What do you think is the worst thing that happened to you in the last week?

What is the best thing that happened to you on the last week?

I feel like deeper conversations are still to be had with the people who understand you most, even if you're not the closest with them IRL or online. That said, it doesn't happen for me as much as I'd like it to for a number of circumstances.

That said, is it just me, or is everyone we see in daily life looking like they aged 10 years in the last few? People in the grocery store checkout, office workplace, manufacturing floor, next door, whatever human interaction capacity. Are we all aging like crazy from sheer lack of certainty in anything anymore?

Or like, is our planet's 420ppm carbon dioxide level (which if I'm doing my mental math correctly is a 30% increase in atmospheric CO2 from just 1980ish) actually really fucking terrible for humans and we are dying as a species in real time, right before our eyes???

Fuck me.

I mean we're fersure getting dumber.

Also this might actually be a decent deep conversation starter. (I guess we should keep trying to compensate for the CO2 dumbness somehow.)

Strangers, or do you mean your friends?

My friends talk about a pretty big variety of stuff

learn magic tricks. walk up to someone with an unsuspecting stance but a glimmer in your eye: they either look or ignore.

move your arms gently yet dramatically in large motions to bring attention to your hands being held comfortably at a distance from your chest.

perform the magic trick.

smile.

you are now connected to a conversatinal partner.

Cocaine is a hell of a drug