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Comment by nostromo | Hacker News Reader

These suggestions are dreadful.

> Instead of 'Where are you from?' try 'What’s the strangest thing about where you grew up?'

> Instead of, 'Yes, it is a beautiful day!' try 'They say that the weather was just like this when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. If that actually happened.'

If the goal is to have a pleasant and interesting conversation, dropping non-sequiturs isn't going to get you there.

And this is advice for introverts? Many introverts I know would crash and burn using these lines -- they already struggle with being awkward without throwing out, “What would you like your name to mean?”

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I agree with you that for the most part the suggested alternative conversation starters range from pretty bad to hilariously bad. But I was very glad to read this short article because the larger idea put forth in the article is very thought-provoking, and is really good advice. You'll have to use your own creativity to try to spark an interesting conversation, but I feel a little energized by the challenge.

Why do you suppose people are so interested by self-help and "life hacks," but in general we're not actually that motivated for self improvement?

(see what I did there?)

It's a much better conversation starter than the suggested ones in the article.

"And this is advice for introvert? Many introverts... "

Better being awkward than being a pusillanimous.

So what if they burn? It is not the end of world if someone finds you awkward, or laughs at you. It is the end of the world if you want to improve and do not have the courage to look stupid temporarily until you find your own path.

I understood those to be attempts at humor, not actual lines you should use in a conversation. One of the authors is a comedian.

Yes, these sound almost as bad as pickup artist lines.

Yeah, especially since the first one ("Where are you from?") is pretty easy to use for transitioning the conversation away from small talk and into something more interesting.

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