On a somewhat related note, when you have the time, you can sometimes yield dividends by not ending the conversation at an early point.
A 10 minute conversation can teach you a lot or even earn your some goodwill.
The Science of Politely Ending a Conversation
11–20 of 39 posts
Re: The Science of Politely Ending a Conversation
#12This brings to mind a conversation I once had with a smart, young female programmer with a playful sense of humor. Me: I have a meeting. Her: yeah, right. Those were fun times.
What does being young or female have to do with it?
Perhaps the person in question was young and female. :) Does the above comment offend you? It was a story, not a generalization, from what I can tell. (It seems to me that people are too easily offended sometimes.)
Re: The Science of Politely Ending a Conversation
#13Re: The Science of Politely Ending a Conversation
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
What does being young or female have to do with it?
Perhaps the person in question was young and female. :) Does the above comment offend you? It was a story, not a generalization, from what I can tell. (It seems to me that people are too easily offended sometimes.)
but why those attributes and not race or height or credit score. not to make too big a deal of it but it's interesting to note which attributes are considered notable/identifying.
Re: The Science of Politely Ending a Conversation
#15In the UK we have "right, I'll let you get on" like you are doing them a favour.
Also a Lord Vetinari trick from the Discworld universe: "Don't let me keep you."
"When Vetinari considers the meeting ended, he usually dismisses his visitors with the phrase "don't let me detain you." The inherent implication being that he just might if they let him."
Re: The Science of Politely Ending a Conversation
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
Perhaps the person in question was young and female. :) Does the above comment offend you? It was a story, not a generalization, from what I can tell. (It seems to me that people are too easily offended sometimes.)
but why those attributes and not race or height or credit score. not to make too big a deal of it but it's interesting to note which attributes are considered notable/identifying.
The examples you've provided cannot be immediately distinguished just from talking to a person.
Additionally, these are two traits that are very identifiable - they're broad definitions that only separate people into two groups. Young implies younger than the OP (the other option being old), female is one of two groups the vast majority of the population fits into.
Re: The Science of Politely Ending a Conversation
#17I'm pretty bad at this. I lose patience quickly when people don't get the hint that it's time to end the conversation. In these cases I usually just say I have to go to the bathroom or make a call and don't come back.
Re: The Science of Politely Ending a Conversation
#18Aaaaaanyway...
Re: The Science of Politely Ending a Conversation
#19This brings to mind a conversation I once had with a smart, young female programmer with a playful sense of humor. Me: I have a meeting. Her: yeah, right. Those were fun times.
What does being young or female have to do with it?
> What does being young or female have to do with it?
I'd like to explain, but I have a meeting to get to.
Re: The Science of Politely Ending a Conversation
#20[deleted]