Was I Even Talking to You?

At work we sometimes break off into groups on breaks or if the day is a little slow and you have time to chat. These groups have things in common and are comfortable with taking about certain topics. When one of your co-workers joins in right in the middle of the conversation you get angry because it seems like they are just being nosy. It makes you the un-liked person and the next time you walk towards a group discussion, the people walk away because they don't want to continue the conversation around a busybody. The best thing you can do when you want to have a conversation with someone is to start one of your own. Don't intrude, it's disrespectful and just inconsiderate.

So the next time you even think about joining in on conversation, don't. You might as well be picking up the phone, getting a crossed signal, and joining in on a complete strangers conversation just because you caught the word "movie" and you just so happen to have an opinion on movies in general. Trust me, if it isn't the same thing, it's pretty close and just as rude and annoying.

Conversation, it's what people engage in to occupy their time, to get to know others better, to learn something new, and to engage in healthy debate. There are many things that can ruin a conversation, a difference of opinion, or even when the person you are talking to refusing to listen to your take on things, but these things are common and even expected. What about when a person just invites themselves into a conversation. You can usually tell when you are free to join in on a conversation. The people involved will usually have open body language, that is to say they will most likely be standing at an outward angle, sort of inviting others to join and it will almost always be a group conversation.

Personally I think it's rude to join in on conversation unless you are specifically asked a question or if a comment is made to you which would in turn suggest that's it's okay to add your two cents. When you are at a party and discussing something with a friend, isn't it the most annoying thing when some random person hears the tail end in passing and decides that's their invitation and they haven't a clue as to what the topic of the conversation is. Why do people do this? Why do they think it's acceptable? It's actually one of the rudest things you can do. It's saying that you could care less that this could have been a private conversation between you and someone that you trust. Something is being discussed that it's participants don't wish to share with just anyone. It makes people uncomfortable and it may even bring the discussion to a screeching halt.