It is a recurring problem most of us face as we go about our daily lives. As peoples’ attitudes, behaviors change almost by the hour. The very nominally simple action of starting some small talk let alone a conversation with anyone is becoming ever more difficult. “What’s so difficult about having small talk?” you might ask. For one thing the Beware… the Ronaldos of the Game!
It is a recurring problem most of us face as we go about our daily lives. As peoples’ attitudes, behaviors change almost by the hour. The very nominally simple action of starting some small talk let alone a conversation with anyone is becoming ever more difficult. “What’s so difficult about having small talk?” you might ask. For one thing these days it might take a very uniquely high IQ to even guess what subject matter the other person would comfortably talk about. Everything starts there, doesn’t it? Well.
If we go by conventional wisdom we might come up with the age old topics of politics, religion and the like. But these days’ things aren’t so easy. Yes, the internet has changed almost everything about having small talk or even full-blown conversations might have to go through several episodes. With the sources of our info so diverse and far flung in almost every issue we fail to even agree over the most basic things which indeed leave no open spaces for any argument. Say “You know, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.” Previously such a statement would have generated things like, “So what! Does he take us for kindergarten kids?” And these days? Well, these days things might not be as forthcoming as they would have been down the line.
“You know, many of so-called scientific facts are being debunked. “Are you sure the sun still comes out in the west?” Anyone who poses such a question would have been taken as a candidate for some mental asylum.
Yes, there are many more prophets of doom amongst us than we would have liked. Maybe that might be one reason the all of the ‘End Times’ has become such a day-to-day agenda. Decades back ‘End Times’ narratives were highly spiritual and our sources were the great books of various religions. And the scope of the discussions, if they were really any, didn’t seem to be as widespread as they are now. Now the ‘End Times’ narratives have made it mainstream media and as political happenings are these days being ‘explained’ as signs of the fast approaching final days for humanity. Of course to write off that as scare tactics is in no way smart or helpful. But when you hear how people who should have known better are taking things you wonder if we are going so far off the rails there might be no chance of bouncing back in one piece.
A friend was at a family gathering recently. The participants were diverse in almost every way as most were leading different lifestyles and all have been going through their own ups and downs. They come together every two months. So in the recent gathering the main topic, which didn’t necessarily make everyone comfortable, that the end of the world was near! There were among the group two foreign educated relatives. So they were the Ronaldos of the game and everyone looked up to them. On their part the two of them didn’t shy away from acting like the kingmakers trying to put everything to rest in line with whatever they say. This happens in many instances.
Beware… the Ronaldos of the game to avoid any damage!
So this day they were talking about our miserable closing nearer to the day of reckoning this friend says many were uncomfortable because they clung to every word the kingmakers said. “So finally the end of the world has arrived! Lucky that we have much learned and highly informed relatives!” Hmmm…
But the act that could be almost criminal negligence was that there were a number of seven and ten year olds listening to the while thing. Imagine what their kids will take away. The elders are saying the world is about to end it is no wonder that they’ll be seeing a differently deafened world that it actually is. If those guys were as smart as they think they are their first act before uttering a single word should have been to make sure the kids were out of earshot. The parents and their relatives are equally responsible for whatever change of attitudes and beliefs that come over the kids!
Most of us seem to be overly sensitive these days over the simplest and most trivial of things that one guy’s conversations starter could be another man’s perfect example of being abused. Not at all good signs! Say if you try to start some conversation with something like, “Boy, how I love this weather!” well the recipient might raise their eyebrows. “What the hell is this dude saying!” There are some topics people might say are safe and uncontroversial. You know, there is so much uneasiness that you’d suspect almost every other guy was out to get you.
One question which probably never has been a comfortable one is “What do you do?” We take it as a very intrusive question. In fact all the conspiracy theories your mind cooks up practically weighs you down. “This guy must have been sent to spy on me!” And then the possible culprits began swirling all over your mind. “Who the hell does he think he is to ask me such a question?”
Beware… the Ronaldos of the game!
Sometimes maybe because you think it’s an important piece of info you think everyone would like to hear about or just to kick some dust into the face of the world ‘proclaiming’ you’re one smart fellow in a world where smartness has been hijacked by AI and all that cyber-something thing.. Looking around you conclude that every single one of those present are listening attentively. At least that is what you think. Well, dear reader I’m sorry to break it to you these days things have changed so much probably more than half aren’t as interested as you think they are. Sorry to break it to you on a blessed Sunday of all days! Well, I can tell you most probably that more than half are just pretending. For one thing they pretend because they don’t want to offend you; in addition they have to pretend if only not to be the subject of the gossip superhighway.
Beware… the Ronaldos of the game!
These days it might take a very uniquely high IQ to even guess what subject matter the other person would comfortably talk about. Everything starts there, doesn’t it? Well. If we go by conventional wisdom we might come up with the age old topics of politics, religion and the like. But these days’ things aren’t so easy. Yes, the internet has changed almost everything about having small talk or even full-blown conversations might have to go through several episodes. With the sources of our info so diverse and far flung in almost every issue we fail to even agree over the most basic things which indeed leave no open spaces for any argument. Say “You know, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.” Previously such a statement would have generated things like, “So what! Does he take us for kindergarten kids?” And these days? Well, these days things might not be as forthcoming as they would have been down the line. “You know, many of so-called scientific facts are being debunked. “Are you sure the sun still comes out in the west?” Anyone who poses such a question would have been taken as a candidate for some mental asylum.
Yes, there are many more prophets of doom amongst us than we would have liked. Maybe that might be one reason the all of the ‘End Times’ has become such a day-to-day agenda. Decades back ‘End Times’ narratives were highly spiritual and our sources were the great books of various religions. And the scope of the discussions, if they were really any, didn’t seem to be as widespread as they are now. Now the ‘End Times’ narratives have made it mainstream media and as political happenings are these days being ‘explained’ as signs of the fast approaching final days for humanity. Of course to write off that as scare tactics is in no way smart or helpful. But when you hear how people who should have known better are taking things you wonder if we are going so far off the rails there might be no chance of bouncing back in one piece.
A friend was at a family gathering recently. The participants were diverse in almost every way as most were leading different lifestyles and all have been going through their own ups and downs. They come together every two months. So in the recent gathering the main topic, which didn’t necessarily make everyone comfortable, that the end of the world was near! There were among the group two foreign educated relatives. So they were the Ronaldos of the game and everyone looked up to them. On their part the two of them didn’t shy away from acting like the kingmakers trying to put everything to rest in line with whatever they say. This happens in many instances.
Beware… the Ronaldos of the game to avoid any damage!
So this day they were talking about our miserable closing nearer to the day of reckoning this friend says many were uncomfortable because they clung to every word the kingmakers said. “So finally the end of the world has arrived! Lucky that we have much learned and highly informed relatives!” Hmmm…
But the act that could be almost criminal negligence was that there were a number of seven and ten year olds listening to the while thing. Imagine what their kids will take away. The elders are saying the world is about to end it is no wonder that they’ll be seeing a differently deafened world that it actually is. If those guys were as smart as they think they are their first act before uttering a single word should have been to make sure the kids were out of earshot. The parents and their relatives are equally responsible for whatever change of attitudes and beliefs that come over the kids!
Most of us seem to be overly sensitive these days over the simplest and most trivial of things that one guy’s conversations starter could be another man’s perfect example of being abused. Not at all good signs! Say if you try to start some conversation with something like, “Boy, how I love this weather!” well the recipient might raise their eyebrows. “What the hell is this dude saying!” There are some topics people might say are safe and uncontroversial. You know, there is so much uneasiness that you’d suspect almost every other guy was out to get you.
One question which probably never has been a comfortable one is “What do you do?” We take it as a very intrusive question. In fact all the conspiracy theories your mind cooks up practically weighs you down. “This guy must have been sent to spy on me!” And then the possible culprits began swirling all over your mind. “Who the hell does he think he is to ask me such a question?”
Beware… the Ronaldos of the game!
Sometimes maybe because you think it’s an important piece of info you think everyone would like to hear about or just to kick some dust into the face of the world ‘proclaiming’ you’re one smart fellow in a world where smartness has been hijacked by AI and all that cyber-something thing.. Looking around you conclude that every single one of those present are listening attentively. At least that is what you think. Well, dear reader I’m sorry to break it to you these days things have changed so much probably more than half aren’t as interested as you think they are. Sorry to break it to you on a blessed Sunday of all days! Well, I can tell you most probably that more than half are just pretending. For one thing they pretend because they don’t want to offend you; in addition they have to pretend if only not to be the subject of the gossip superhighway.
Beware… the Ronaldos of the game!
BY EPHREM ENDALE
The Ethiopian Herald December 8/2024