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The Small Talk Dilemma: Why 'How's It Going?' Falls Short of Genuine Connection

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Manage episode 509503458 series 3524288
Content provided by James A. Brown. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by James A. Brown or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

"How's it going?"

"It's going."

That's become my standard answer. Not because I'm trying to be clever, but because it's honest without being truly honest. Because people don't really want to know how it's going. They want the social transaction.

If I told them the truth—that my back's been killing me and I'm worried about my mom—they'd freeze. That's not what they signed up for.

But here's what gets me: this works because we've created a world where the truth is inconvenient, where "how are you?" has become "please say you're fine so we can move on." I wonder what we lose when even our casual connections become scripted.

So what do you think? Are we just protecting ourselves with polite distance? Let me know at jamesabrown.net. On that note. I'm James Brown and as always, be well.

How to reach me:

Email me: [email protected]

Call or text me at  (585) 371-8865.

Leave me a voice memo thedailynote.net/contact

Partner with us or join The Daily Note radio network by checking out thedailynote.net/partner

Available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and wherever podcasts are heard.


This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
  continue reading

339 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 509503458 series 3524288
Content provided by James A. Brown. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by James A. Brown or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

"How's it going?"

"It's going."

That's become my standard answer. Not because I'm trying to be clever, but because it's honest without being truly honest. Because people don't really want to know how it's going. They want the social transaction.

If I told them the truth—that my back's been killing me and I'm worried about my mom—they'd freeze. That's not what they signed up for.

But here's what gets me: this works because we've created a world where the truth is inconvenient, where "how are you?" has become "please say you're fine so we can move on." I wonder what we lose when even our casual connections become scripted.

So what do you think? Are we just protecting ourselves with polite distance? Let me know at jamesabrown.net. On that note. I'm James Brown and as always, be well.

How to reach me:

Email me: [email protected]

Call or text me at  (585) 371-8865.

Leave me a voice memo thedailynote.net/contact

Partner with us or join The Daily Note radio network by checking out thedailynote.net/partner

Available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and wherever podcasts are heard.


This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
  continue reading

339 episodes

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