# People who know only four words . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 15, 2003, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417 "2003-11-15T12:44:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PalJuicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a8b319/32.png) [@PalJuicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PalJuicy)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/1 "2003-11-15T12:44:10Z")
**I. Me. My. Mine** No matter what – no matter **WHAT** the topic of conversation is, these people are able to turn it around to themselves. I am surrounded by these people at work. Them: How are you? Me: I have a slight headache. Them: You think _you_ have a headache? I had this headache last night that actually split my head in two!! I almost went to the emergency room, I tell ya! But I called my uncle who has these headache pills and I tried one and it kinda helped but I was talking to my mother who has a friend who tried these pills and suffered the side effect – extreme flatulence!! Well, I had gas so bad the other day I was floating around the ceiling! No fun, let me clue you. Although it sounds kinda fun. . ." By this time, my eyeballs are glazing over. Actual conversation with my cubicle partner. Her: What are you having for dinner? (She’s asking this at 8am) Me: Uhhhh. . .I don’t know. Bologna. Her: My daughter hates bologna. Me: Well, I wasn’t going to offer her any. (Did I fucking ask you if your daughter likes bologna?) I actually find myself drawing away from people and avoiding conversations because of this. I also think I’m becoming rude to them. “Yeah, so?” I’ve also tried interrupting. Doesn’t work, 'cause they interrupt me right back. You’re probably thinking, “Well, I’m sure _you_ do it too.” But I don’t and I think that’s why I notice it so much. Gah. My first rant and it’s pathetic (and maybe childish.) But I had to say it, dammit. _skips away singing, “If I only had a brain. . .”_ ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/2 "2003-11-15T12:53:55Z")
You think _that’s_ bad. You should meet the people that _I_ know. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/3 "2003-11-15T15:53:29Z")
Hate to say, but everyone (including you) likes to talk about themselves. Some people are just more graceful/humble about it. Though, I do think the first guy/girl sounds like a total tool. ---
**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/4 "2003-11-15T17:34:59Z")
Of COURSE everyone likes to talk about themselves. Still, some people have never learned (or they ignored) one basic rule of social interaction: 1. Don’t be so farking selfish, you bastard! It’s okay to talk about yourself a good deal, it’s just when it becomes your ONLY topic of conversation that it gets wearing. I knew a girl like that. We stopped being friends after a short while. Unfortunately, I lived with her a semester. Her “it’s all about me” show was tiring by January 15, and I moved in sometime around the 8th. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/5 "2003-11-15T17:43:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Algorithm \* > **everyone (including you) likes to talk about themselves.** Well, _ **I** _ don’t. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/6 "2003-11-15T17:51:07Z")
The worst example I saw was at work - one person had just returned from burying their first grandchild. The other said "I heard about what happened, and I’m really sorry, but _I have bees in my house_. Once, I, too, had bees in my house. And I’m allergic to them. It inconvenienced me for _one day_ and I don’t recall making it a big deal with anyone I spoke to that day, let alone some one who’d just buried their grandchild. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/7 "2003-11-16T02:23:45Z")
Sounds like they had assholes in their house, too. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/8 "2003-11-16T02:36:19Z")
Oh my god, you think YOU hate those people, well let me tell you… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Computer\_Guru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Computer\_Guru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Computer_Guru)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/9 "2003-11-16T03:50:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PalJuicy \* > \*\ ***I. Me. My. Mine** > Actual conversation with my cubicle partner. > Her: What are you having for dinner? (She’s asking this at 8am) > Me: Uhhhh. . .I don’t know. Bologna. > Her: My daughter hates bologna. > Me: Well, I wasn’t going to offer her any. (Did I fucking ask you if your daughter likes bologna?) > \*\* What’s wrong with that? ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/10 "2003-11-16T04:43:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PalJuicy \* > No matter what – no matter **WHAT** the topic of conversation is, these people are able to turn it around to themselves. > > _skips away singing, “If I only had a brain. . .”_ You should try skipping away singing “i, me, mine” by Godflesh. They’re such a good band. You know, I missed catching them as the opening act at a show once because my friends were late as usual. The trials and tribulations of my life, it’s insufferable sometimes. The crosses I have to bear… What?😃 ---
**Author:** ![county](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@county](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/county)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/11 "2003-11-16T05:31:56Z")
Try to gain an interest in your fellows. “What are you having for dinner?” is not about dinner, it’s about “I don’t want to work-lets have a conversation” And “How are you?” is either about “them” or it’s just a greeting, not mean’t to be answered literally. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/12 "2003-11-16T06:06:45Z")
Mine? Mine? Mine? Mine? (10 points to whoever gets the movie…) ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/13 "2003-11-16T06:18:00Z")
Is it…Finding Nemo? huh huh…is it? Do I get 10 points? Cause you know, I could really use 10 points. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/14 "2003-11-16T06:24:35Z")
Agoraphobic here. Don’t know what else to talk about. Leaving out pronouns is a dodge. Bet you noticed. Now agoraphobic and paranoid. Like you care. Sob. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/15 "2003-11-16T06:28:40Z")
Why yes, yes it is _Finding Nemo_! Ten points to **Fugazi**! And yes, I am a natural blue… ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/16 "2003-11-16T06:35:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zoe \* > \*\*Agoraphobic here. \*\* Yer afraid of goats? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jujuju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@jujuju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jujuju)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/17 "2003-11-16T09:16:29Z")
one thing i always noticed and admired about one of my coworkers is that he always sincerely asks everyone about themselves and listens. he never talks about himself. he must have more shit on people… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sm\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sm\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sm_e)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/18 "2003-11-16T09:28:24Z")
Here is a fun game my friend pointed out to me. Get in a conversation with someone and then keep track of the “I” statements they make. Once you play it a few times, you start to notice when you, yourself do it. Good times, good times. ---
**Author:** ![PalJuicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a8b319/32.png) [@PalJuicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PalJuicy)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/19 "2003-11-16T14:19:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Computer Guru \* > \*\*What’s wrong with that? \*\* I guess I should have mentioned that she proceeded to launch into a detailed list of foods her daughter did and did not like, and I was _praying_ for my phone to ring. I guess the big problem is that this makes me insecure and introverted. When I do have something of interest to say (and it does happen on occasion) I refrain from doing it because I’m sure whoever I’m talking to is going to turn the conversation (“I got mugged last night.” “Well, I’ve been mugged lots of times and my brothers’ wifes’ nephew was actually a mugger. . .”). PalJuicy is looking for some free therapy. It’s all about ME ME ME. I’ll go self-medicate now ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417/20 "2003-11-16T15:20:01Z")
It used to piss me off, but then I got older. Me coming home from a trip to Orlando: “How was it?” “Well,” sez I, “It was really good, I had the greatest time and this roller coaster, Space Mountain…” Cow-orker interrupts: “Oh, it’s just like when we took the kids to Lego Land last year… _bla, blittety blah_” Now I realize that it’s just part of the human pattern. People process the information by relating it to an experience of their own. Live with it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-know-only-four-words/213417.md?page=2)