30 March 2015
Goodbye Cruel World, Hello Internet
If you aren’t listening to Hello Internet you are missing out. It’s a podcast that takes an episode or two to get into because you have to understand the perspectives and personalities of these two gentlemen to enjoy it, but it is something you should be listening to nonetheless.
I bring this up because the most recent episode was especially excellent. At about 44:00 into Hello Internet # 34 (which is timemarked), CGP Grey discusses his objection to being a “regular” at any type of business establishment, be it a coffee shop, restaurant, etc. Why, you might ask, would an individual object to becoming a regular? The answer would be the horrendous small talk that results from it. It is not the fact that they might recognize you along with your order to expedite the process, but the fact that they actually want to delay the process by diving into a typical, derivative conversation that never goes anywhere. Grey nails this point perfectly. When I’m trying to run some typical errands or grab a coffee I want to get in and get out as fast as possible so I can be on my merry little way.
What this conversation reminded me of is when you’re out (it can be anywhere, work, a store, a bar) and someone approaches you, initiates a conversation and then expects you to carry the conversation or have some interesting story to tell them. It goes something like:
Hey, hows it going?
Not too bad, how about yourself?
Pretty good.
It is those seconds after they reply with “Pretty good,” that they stand there, staring at you like it is your job to continue the conversation in another direction when it was never your goal to have the conversation in the first place. I realize that I probably sound like a crabby old man that hates people and maybe that’s the case. However, I always make sure to be polite and respectful to anyone I come across throughout my day. It is not that I don’t want people to be nice, I just don’t want to talk about the weather everywhere I go.
To top it all off, they end the podcast with a little mykewasright[^1] talk where Grey confesses his love for the iPhone 6 plus. It is a device that I hold dearly, and the more people we can get using the iPhone 6 plus, the better chance developers will keep this enormous screen in mind when designing their apps. Cheers.