# Before you call someone anti-social..... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 6, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930 "2003-01-06T13:54:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/21 "2003-01-06T15:18:53Z")
Way to kick a newbie in the nuts, people. He made a simple typo and now you’re making him feel unwelcome through jokes he doesn’t get and hijacks he has expressly stated he doesn’t want. **Themis00** , are you jealous of your friends? The ones who went on vacation? That’s the only answer I can come up with as to why you’re not carrying on a conversation with them. How can you relate? By asking them questions, that’s how! What did they do? Who did they meet? Any interesting stories? What time did they get up? What time did they go to bed? What was the weather like down there? Did they have sex? What positions? If you truly don’t care about their conversation, then don’t ask anything. But “how and hell can (you) relate”? If conversations had to be limited to only things you had actually done, the world would be pretty damn boring. ---
**Author:** ![Themis00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/13edae/32.png) [@Themis00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Themis00)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/22 "2003-01-06T15:24:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enderw24 \* > \*\*Way to kick a newbie in the nuts, people. He made a simple typo and now you’re making him feel unwelcome through jokes he doesn’t get and hijacks he has expressly stated he doesn’t want. > > **Themis00** , are you jealous of your friends? The ones who went on vacation? That’s the only answer I can come up with as to why you’re not carrying on a conversation with them. How can you relate? By asking them questions, that’s how! > What did they do? Who did they meet? Any interesting stories? What time did they get up? What time did they go to bed? What was the weather like down there? Did they have sex? What positions? > > If you truly don’t care about their conversation, then don’t ask anything. But “how and hell can (you) relate”? > > If conversations had to be limited to only things you had actually done, the world would be pretty damn boring. \*\* I used the vacation as an example. Sure, I would ask the same questions you mentioned. But, there’s other topics some people come up with I have trouble following. Like, what happened at work last wednesday (and I don’t even work there). Sorry, I don’t think I’m articulating this well. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/23 "2003-01-06T17:02:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by monstro \* > **Didn’t your English teacher ever tell you that “conversate” ain’t a word?** Well, _mine_ didn’t, I just sort of assumed it. But it’s a cool word, let’s adopt it. What can it mean? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/24 "2003-01-06T17:08:14Z")
How about both “next” AND “final”? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/25 "2003-01-06T17:18:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Sorry, I don’t think I’m articulating this well. Understatement of the day. > [@](#): > > For example, if a duo or a group of people are talking about a vacation they took, and few people fail to conversate. What, in the wide, wide world of shoeshine, does this sentence fragment mean? ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/26 "2003-01-06T17:51:00Z")
Looks like an All Your Base reference to me, but then, I’ve known when people are more than one talking but I’m not invited to speak, too. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/27 "2003-01-06T17:59:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Themis00 \* > \*\*think of the reason(s) why. For example, if a duo or a group of people are talking about a vacation they took, and few people fail to conversate. It should occur to them the reason why they won’t join in the convo is because THEY DIDN’T GO ON THAT VACATION WITH THEM. SO how and hell can they relate? \*\* Perhaps if you started yet another thread, it would help. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/28 "2003-01-06T18:20:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Munch \* > \*\*How about both “next” AND “final”? \*\* Lol. What goes around… ---
**Author:** ![Harli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c0e974/32.png) [@Harli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harli)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/29 "2003-01-06T19:39:00Z")
I’m just curious as to what brought on the OP… ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/30 "2003-01-06T19:45:42Z")
I am failing to conversate about the OP, not because I am anti-social, but because I have no idea what it was about. How and hell can I relate? ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/31 "2003-01-06T19:48:51Z")
Some people talk about things they’ve experienced, and what they think. I’ve noticed that people who do this sometimes listen, too. Some people talk about stuff they did, and stuff other people told them. People who stick to this mold usually aren’t good listeners. Who would YOU rather conversate wid? ---
**Author:** ![Tir\_Tinuviel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tir\_Tinuviel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tir_Tinuviel)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/32 "2003-01-06T20:13:53Z")
I’m assuming these friends of yours called you anti-social for not joining in. How did you respond? Did you point out to them that they were having a conversation which was “deliberately” excluding you? Unless they were specking about specifics of the holiday or “What Happened at Work Last Wednesday”, and refused to explain to you, then you sitting and sulking because you’re not currently the centre of attention doesn’t really bode well for the friendship. There are always going to be conversations you are party to that have bugger all to do with you except for the fact they involve people who are supposed to be your friends, give them a chance to get their stuff off their chests, then change the subject. That said, if this happens consistantly, maybe you should look for people you have more in common with. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/33 "2003-01-07T00:40:45Z")
I’m always interested in conversations about what happened at work last Wednesday (or whatever day), particularly if I wasn’t there, even more particularly if it’s a place I don’t work. Because if I wasn’t there, I have to get the scoop on what happened while I was out, and if it’s about a place I don’t work at, I can laugh my ass off at the stupid people without worrying about it getting back to them. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/34 "2003-01-07T01:26:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shade \* > \*\*But it’s a cool word, let’s adopt it. What can it mean? \*\* Main Entry: [2]con·vers-ate Pronunciation: k&n-'v&rs 8 Function: intransitive verb Inflected Form(s): con·ver-sat-ed; con·ver-sati·ing Etymology: Middle English, to live (with), from Middle French converser, from Latin conversari Date: 1586 1 : archaic : to have acquaintance or familiarity with oneself 2 : to carry on an exchange similar to a conversation with one’s pundenda until orgasm occurs - con·ver-sa·ter /-'v&r-s&r/ noun ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/35 "2003-01-07T01:58:21Z")
But if a duo of people are conversating about a trip they both took and one of them isn’t conversating then only one of them is conversating and I don’t think you can really conversate with yourself too excellently. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/36 "2003-01-07T02:17:52Z")
Hey **Caught** , see **Rysdad’s** def. post above yours to show that one can _indeed_ ‘conversate’ with oneself, and if orgasm occurs, it could be said to be _most_ excellently. There ya go! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/37 "2003-01-07T02:48:50Z")
Hey, you conversate that hoopy Ford Prefect? ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/38 "2003-01-07T05:20:40Z")
CONVERSATE CONVERSATE Dance to the music ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/39 "2003-01-07T07:55:24Z")
Irony. [Spelling, grammar, and credibility](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=149166), another OP by **Themis00** : > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Themis00_ > \*\*Does proper spelling and grammar always indicate good credibility? > > Does poor spelling and grammar always indicate bad credibility? > > I ask this because I see SO many good and well thought writings get ripped apart and denied credibility just because of a few spelling and/or grammar mistakes\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Tir\_Tinuviel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tir\_Tinuviel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tir_Tinuviel)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930/40 "2003-01-07T15:16:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Desmostylus \* > \*\*Irony. > > [Spelling, grammar, and credibility](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=149166), another OP by **Themis00** : \*\* [It gets better!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=154713) 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/before-you-call-someone-anti-social/146930.md?page=1)