(So, I learned how to make these wave type things in photoshop,
and I spent a while doing them everywhere. It's fun.)
1.) Since when did "conversate" become an actual word?! The first time I heard it, I assumed the person misspoke, and I laughed. Then I heard someone say it a few weeks ago in my class. I got a little confused and told him, "You know that's not a word, right?" He just looked at me and said, "Uh, yeah it is." I just brushed it off as lazy and slang. Then today I just saw it used on a Facebook "about me" section. Is this a word that you guys hear? It's not a word! Just say converse or conversation! It's not even more convenient to say conversate! It's awkward and strange!
2) This one is going to be hard to explain. It may sound slightly like a hipster complaint, but it bothers me. Let me start with a simple example. Many people say things like this when asked about what they are interested in:
"I like to have fun, watch movies, listen to music, and hang out with friends."
Then the other person will say, "Oh my gosh, me too!"
...
Congratulations, you both have a general interest in culture.
What bothers me is when people think they have so much in common after bonding over things like the fact that they both like listening to music. For goodness sake, find me someone who doesn't.
Another common "interest" many college students will list is their love of traveling. Once again, find me someone who would refuse to travel to another country. With the exception of agoraphobics, I'm thinkin' it's pretty hard to find someone who would refuse to travel if they had the money.
Or when someone says, "Oh I'm such a procrastinator" to which the next person says, "We have so much in common, me too!"
These are norms in society. Just stop and think about this for a second.
The worst one is when someone describes themselves as liking to "have fun." Really? I usually like to be anti-fun when it comes to life. ARGH! Have a personality, people! Be quirky! Like weird things!
Do you know what I mean? I don't even know why this bothers me so much. Maybe I'm just uptight.
Okay. Done being awful.
Positive Note: The fact that 33 miners stayed alive for 70 days and are now safely on a normal elevation. I had fun reading about their personal stories. :]
I agree on all accounts.
ReplyDeleteI feel like it's worse in college, the whole "I like music" "Me, too!" back and forth because everyone wants to make friends, so you cling to those little aspects of life that EVERY one likes so you can get yourself into a group and then start subdividing into types of music or what your definition of "fun" is.
I don't even think my "About Me" section is that detailed, so I tend to look at interests and activities and favorite books.
I've never seen or heard 'conversate' before... I doubt it would be in any decent dictionary!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the other bit too. Everyone I know listens to 'a variety of music' and 'all sorts of genres'!
With regards to travel though, everyone says they like to travel, but I think people mean different things when they say that.
e.g. I like to travel to new places. Some of my friends would rather travel to the same place several times (for the same purpose), like go shopping in Melbourne.
I can't wait to go on exchange. Others like travel, but don't like the idea of being away from home, family and friends for more than a week or so.
I enjoy your "semi-irritated wonderment" quite a lot. =]
ReplyDeleteI think the social tendency that bemuses me the most is when you meet someone and find out that they went to such-and-such and suddenly you pop up with, "Oh do you know so-and-so?" Then they say, "Yes." And you say, "She was in one of my classes in high school!" Then they say, "Oh, cool."
I find myself doing it more often than I would like. I don't know why. It doesn't really propel the conversation further or establish any sort of connection or common interest.
I think we just take comfort in establishing things in common, even if they aren't relevant. Our way of establishing other people as human, just like us.
I don't know.