The Utter Uselessness of Absurd Smalltalk

“How are you?” , they ask.

 “Pleasant weather isn’t it?”, they exclaim.

“How do you do?”, they enquire.

What is the right way to answer these questions? As a child I was taught to tell the truth always. Then when did I learn to lie? Donning masks day after day, afraid to untie their strings even at nights. “I am good”, I say, making sure that my smile reaches my eyes. “I am fine.”, I type with shaky fingertips and bloodshot eyes, when text messages approach me for the sake of unknown, un-figured reasons to keep contacts alive. “Oh, such a beautiful day!”, I agree, without batting an eyelid.  “How do you do?”, I chime back, recalling childhood etiquette lessons.  Was there ever another way of answering them?

“I cried myself to sleep last night.”

 “I thought of cutting myself again for the hundredth time five minutes ago.”

“I have been depressed for the past six years.”

“I am done trying, I give up. I am going to swallow a bottle of pills today.”

“I don’t give a s**t about the weather. You can get hit by the Tsunami for all I care.”

“How does it matter to you anyway?!”

Oh, how I wish I could say all this and so much more. Maybe I am scared that no one would ever notice. Maybe I am too comfortable with my pseudo well-being. Maybe this is just convenient.

Why do people ask questions if they don’t need answers? Why do they talk but never bother to listen? And when did I become one of them, finding refuge in the utter uselessness of absurd small talk?

When did I grow up and lose my way?

Author's Note

Just doing some self-reflection...

Reviews

[Samuel Dickens]

You've not lost your way, but are surveying the world around you, trying to sort things out. There must've been a time before language that we would just grunt when we met someone. It wasn't that we'd stumped a toe or been stung by a bee, but that we wanted to reveal ourselves as friendly, I imagine. Eventually, we found it advantageous to the promotion of harmony, and could possibly even win us a bite of their brontosaurus burger. Today, with all these electronic gadgets, I think we're suffering from communication overload. It might be better to return to the grunt. As I've come to expect from you, this is very good writing, Annie.

[Isabel25]

Yes!! I would just like to grunt or just nod and walk past people I meet; or ignore them all together if i could...
Thank you Sam..means a lot coming from you :)

[sinNsincerity]

Wow Annie, I really found this to be a great read.
Why do we ask questions we don't need answers to?
so true!

[Isabel25]

Thank you David :)

[James]

Small talk is the crazy glue of society unfortunately.

I like your thoughts AnnieIsabel

[Isabel25]

Isnt that a shame? But u are unfortunately right. Thank u James for visiting :)

[Stonz P.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83lcOzMm_Tc
I remembered this when I was reading about how the day was!!

I so agree... morality.. can be so bugging at times.
The soliloquy was not a pleasant one to read but people in depression do think of The End more often than normal ones. I can relate to that. It should not become real though.

People are fickle is all I can say on the last questions. Shakespeare portrayed us pretty accurately and futuristically, if I may say so.
Small talk.. everyone hates it and everyone's doing it. Ironically this site is a place for small talk. :P

[Isabel25]

Ya..it should never become true for anyone. But there are many for whom this is the reality. You would know that betyer than me on many levels. Shakespeare was indeed a clever man.....and the irony you pointed out never struck me until now...I always like ur reviews the best Peter :p

[Isabel25]

.........Better*

[wordman]

you are absolutely right,and who gives a s**t,you can`t change it right!!

[Isabel25]

I don't even know why people find weather to be so interesting. Who started this obsession anyway?

[wordman]

somebody that didn`t really know what to say,so we talk about the weather
if you wont to talk say what you mean

[Isabel25]

That really sucks anyway

[wordman]

yes it does, as many things in life lol

[Isabel25]

Haha..yes ..:D