October 4, 2025
For me, this one isn’t even a coin toss, it’s too much small talk, hands down. Awkward silence might sting for a second, but at least it has potential. Silence can be broken with something real. Small talk, on the other hand, feels like conversational purgatory. It’s the verbal equivalent of being trapped in an elevator with someone describing every weather forecast they’ve ever seen.
Don’t get me wrong, I get why small talk exists. It’s polite. It fills the gaps. It makes sure nobody’s feelings get bruised by the terrifying possibility of five seconds of quiet. But man, does it feel torturous sometimes. I’d honestly rather stare at a wall than spend ten minutes nodding along to a story about a coworker’s neighbor’s dog’s birthday party.
Awkward silence, though? That’s survivable. In fact, I’d argue it’s productive. Silence can be pregnant with meaning, it gives you space to think, to actually notice the other person, to maybe even say something that matters. Sure, it’s uncomfortable, but at least it’s honest. Nobody ever walked away from small talk feeling deeply moved. But awkward silence? That can be the birthplace of a real conversation.
So yeah, give me silence every time. It might make me sweat for a second, but it won’t make me want to claw my way out of my own skin like small talk does.
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💬 Your Turn
So… which is worse: awkward silence, or too much small talk?
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