> I have friends that talk about themselves 75% of the conversation but nobody gives a shit because they’re interesting/funny/unusual/whatever and people like to be entertained.
What if you're talking 75% of the conversation, but the content isn't particularly interesting/funny? Is that still fine?
> Having a relaxed, natural conversation! “Have a few beers and relax and just talk normally”
Where "natural" and "normal" is completely clear and self-evident to everybody.
Most of these advices are targeted at people who struggle with social interactions. Many people are lonely without friends and bad habits like talking only about themselves won't help with that.
If you have great social interactions then great! You likely don't need such advice.
(Although I think most people could learn some "tricks" to improve their relationships)
Natural is just that, natural. I have never met a human being alive that has never had a natural conversation and yes that includes people with strong social anxiety, autism, you name it. Maybe that’s when you talk to your mother, or when you’re drunk, or when you’re talking to your best friend, or you live in a basement and it’s some guy over voice chat in a game or whatever but I guarantee you have had at least one.
Pretty sure everyone knows what “relax” means.
I never said you should talk ONLY about yourself. I just said that a realistic conversation can be all over the place and the exact split doesn’t matter.
Pretty sure not everyone knows what "relax" means. People who overthink, people who go to therapy, people who have mental problems. Do you just tell them "come on, you KNOW what relax means!"
Even if you had a "natural convo" with them, you'll never know if they were STRUGGLING to have this "natural convo" with you.
I assume you work in software since this is HN.
Never assume you know about your users. Please.
This is such an incredibly weird response, did you even read my comment properly?
You think people who go to therapy or overthink don’t even know what it is to relax? Not even that they can’t relax but that they don’t even know what it means?
I never said anything about perceiving anyone else’s struggle or issues… that’s an entirely different subject.
What if you're talking 75% of the conversation, but the content isn't particularly interesting/funny? Is that still fine?
> Having a relaxed, natural conversation! “Have a few beers and relax and just talk normally”
Where "natural" and "normal" is completely clear and self-evident to everybody.
Most of these advices are targeted at people who struggle with social interactions. Many people are lonely without friends and bad habits like talking only about themselves won't help with that.
If you have great social interactions then great! You likely don't need such advice.
(Although I think most people could learn some "tricks" to improve their relationships)