Ashley Kirsner on Skip the Small Talk

Ashley and I discuss the origins of Skip the Small Talk and how she chose a self-invented occupation over the PhD road and adapted Skip the Small Talk for the pandemic. We talk about the paradoxical dynamic that is Generation Y and Generation Z being the most connected and loneliest generations alive. We talk about the MBTI and the fundamental attribution error. We discuss how in a context of intimate conversation, judging a book by its cover reliably produces an inaccurate picture of others. We talk about the relationship of alcohol to friendship formation. We look at the assumptions people make –- and whether they’re reasonable –- about how friend and romantic relationships are sparked and whether relationships might be better served by similar interests or similar values. We explore a recently published research paper on Skip the Small Talk that bears out its health effects. We discuss the meaning of community and the science of group feels. We talk about how community projects like STST are helping fill the community hole left by the diminishment of religion. We explore what turning a project into a business is like and how it involves both growing pains and opportunities. We close with our thoughts on social awkwardness and the rustiness people have been feeling since the start of the pandemic.