I don't know about you guys but it's the most annoying thing someone can do to me. Especially if I go to effort to answer the question. At supermarkets it really gets on my nerves when one of them asks how my day was. I know it is just supposed to be polite but it gives me a false happiness.
"Well actually I've had quite a bad day because...Wait a minute!"
Ah, maybe it's just me. But it works in other areas too. I recently started writing a bit and I get some people asking me to see one of my writing. I (Not realising it was supposed to be polite) start going into great detail before realising it was just a polite and they're on the phone while I'm talking.
In order to small talk, point out the obvious and pretend to care about the other person. This illudes a comfortable social situation; in which, you can extract actual wanted information from people. People have a lot of information.
Supermarket employees never cared about you. They were told to small talk with customers.
It's just polite. At least they attempt small talk even if it's cursory. Imagine having to do that for every customer, no wonder they don't get much further at times.
When a supermarket employee asks you how your day was you're obliged to tell them 'It was fine, thank you', no matter how badly it actually went.
They really don't care, you could tell them "A person I knew died!" and they could say "Good, Im fine thanks". They have like this automated system in them, they don't care. They just get a pay cut if they don't ask. This tics me off too.
I think it bugs me more when I ask a question to someone over the Internet, I know they have seen it but they don't respond.
Hmmm... now why does this ringg a bell daleks? =P
As for the thread's topic... why not be straight with people? You don't have to be blunt, but a direct answer can be just as satisfying as beating around the bush and giving someone false hope of being interested when you're not. =)
For example:
Someone asks you if you have seen the movie 'X'.
You can be polite and answer "No I haven't, was it any good?" when in fact you hate the genre.
A blunt answer could be "No, stupid movie"
You could, instead, answer direct without being blunt and say "Sorry, but I don't care for that genre, I can't be interested by it." And smile when saying that! =)
Hint: A smile is always free and never harms anyone! Even when you smile while writing something online, it shows itself in your written text!
