Aspiecast Episode 10 - A shameful interaction example
Description
In this episode of the Aspiecast Podcast, I describe an aspect
of my social interaction that I didn't consider until someone told
me, which is that I can go from zero to 100 percent social
familiarity immediately, when it comes to talking to someone
I've not met before.
This feedback came after a social interaction I had in which I
was trying to out-do a couple different people while having a drink
(or three) at a nearby bar. One of the participants in these
interactions mentioned to me afterward about this zero to 100
percent mode I operate with, and I realized that this very
accurately describes how I approach social situaitons: Either I
stay away because I don't know what to say, avoiding social
interaction entirely in order to not feel helpless from
having nothing to say, OR I launch into full-familiarity mode
as if I already knew the other party in the conversation for a long
time.
From thinking about the interactions that I describe in
this episode, I realize that I wish I had a way to comfortably
interact in what I call a social grey area, somewhere in between
zero and 100 percent familiarity with another person. If I
could do this, I'm guessing that lots of people would have not been
taken aback throughout my life by me launching into a more familiar
interaction than they were prepared for when meeting me for the
first time. That more familiar approach, as if I were already
a trusted long time friend, is probably causing some boundary
crossings that other folks have not been prepared for when talking
with me.
Check out some books and videos/movies for interesting info
here: http://videos.aspiecast.com and
also http://books.aspiecast.com (both
actually go to the same place.)
Thanks again for listening!