Is Small talk dying?

In the age of emojis and algorithms, small talk has become a relic of the past.

I’m not being dramatic here! The casual, polite conversation that once served as a social lubricant seems to be fading into obscurity.

But what exactly is small talk? Does Gen Z even know what it means?

According to the internet, small talk refers to light, non-controversial conversations used to break the ice, fill awkward silences, or establish connections with unfamiliar people.

In the age of DM, texting, calls over teams, tweeting and whatever other digital form of communication, people get straight to the point just after a mere polite “Hello”. As a matter of fact, I’ve had colleagues at work and some friends use this website as their status — no hello — Don’t say hello, just get to the point.

Getting to the point does save time and also cuts down the necessity of having to think of something other than the subject of the conversation.

While this direct approach can save time and eliminate the need for unnecessary thought, is it truly sufficient? Doesn’t it seem a bit superficial or even robotic?

What happened to building a relationship? That too a meaningful one? May be the lack of a proper structure to a conversation flow is what leads to a “situationship” or other such “-ship” — Fleeting connections that are not built to last!

Are such connections even meant to last? That’s a whole new topic for another day!