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Small Talk Essay

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Small Talk
We’ve all engaged in some sort of small talk either in the office, on campus, at a party, or other places where you find yourself in the company of others. For some of us, participating in small talk may come easily, while for others it may be quite difficult. Some individuals may find small talk to be irritating while others find it a necessity. In this paper I am going to explore what exactly defines small talk as such; the reasons why people find the need to engage in small talk; the benefits, and disadvantages of small talk; is there an ethical approach to small talk; and provide tips on how to participate in small talk—without it creating an uncomfortable atmosphere.
What exactly defines small talk as such, segregating …show more content…

Wendy Warman, co-author of Loud and Clear: How to Prepare and Deliver Effective Business and Technical Presentations, gives instructional seminars on how to effectively participate in small talk for big success. Warman discusses the importance of small talk in order to improve communication, boost sales, enhance customer service and increase profits in any organization or industry. These are all very important benefits, which I think everyone could find use for.
Now that we more thoroughly understand the basic means of small talk and what small talk actually consists of, we need to be aware of the topics chosen for these conversations. There is an ethical approach to small talk and ethical judgments need to be made. Very frequently small talk is shared between individuals whom do not know each other well, therefore there are many ‘forbidden’ topics that should be avoided. When people do not know each other well it is not a wise decision to discuss personal information such as salaries or divorce.
Two main topics that should be avoided are religion and politics. The foundationalist’s view should not be considered here since everyone’s justified beliefs on these topics might vary. The intent of small talk should basically be to get to know someone better, keeping in mind other peoples feelings. Raised emotion may arise if one of these topics is brought

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