Interrupting People

[Secondhand Revenant]

You wont keep a job for long behaving like that. When jobs losses happen its the pains in the backside that get fired first, so its in your long term interest not to annoy everyone that you work with. You have to work out that you are not the most important person in the world and your opinion isn't any more valid than anyone elses. You are going to have spend 30 years in the workplace in the company of people that you wouldn't necessarily do by choice and you are going to have to adapt your behaviour to the expectations of others.

Do you like... not get the difference between how people act in a job and the rest of their life? You put up with shit on the job you don't otherwise. I'm a hell of a lot more patient at work than I am here, for instance. I make sure to be friendly all the time regardless of my personal thoughts at work. And it works. People who irritate me to no end think I *like* them.

 

[Mr_Spanky]

If I interrupt someone, it's generally because I know what they're going to say next. If they get annoyed about that, it's either because I was incorrect, or because they feel insecure about being so easily predictable.

Otherwise as a good listener I feel I'm saving them time and effort by understanding what they're trying to say with less words than they would have otherwise have had to use.

Usually the people who are most often annoyed are the arguers, because I suspect it hurts their ego to think someone has already heard their "totally clever and original" arguments many times over.

So it's not *you* that's the problem it's the other guy for trying to articulate their thoughts their own way and not precisely in the way that *you* would say it. Right. Gotcha.

It's plainly rude tbh - I mean everyone does it from time to time but don't try to justify it by claiming you're "saving them time and effort" or that it's their fragile egos that should be kept in check rather than that you can't wait to get in your own ten pence worth.

I hate those conversations where the person you're talking to can't be bothered to actually listen and just goes "STFU now it's my turn". It's not a fucking competition - or at least it damn well shouldn't be. And frankly if it is then ask yourself wtf is the point.

Of course there are exceptions when people are being obnoxious or (particularly when drunk) long winded and going in circles. But don't kid yourself - most of the time it's just rude.

 

[maninahat]

I'm one of those motherfuckers who are always finishing people's sentences for them. I do it instinctively as my way to show I am listening and engaging with what they are saying, but I'm also implicitly suggesting they are talking too damn slow for me. I think that is a necessary kind of interruption, but it is still feels mildly condescending to be on the receiving end of it.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

Jesus, you pause for a few seconds and someone jumps in there.

Well, that joke was a wasted effort.

I didn't want to interrupt.

 

[SecondPrize]

Sounds like you're just victim-blaming to me, Dr. Interruptor. Maybe don't talk to boring people?

 

[LadyMint]

Interrupters have become my greatest pet peeve. For one thing, I am one of those people who doesn't talk much. People come to me because I'm a great listener. But like every other human being, I will have something to say/get off my chest. It might seem inane to you but it is important to me to decompress or speak things aloud to help myself work through it.

There are members of my family who will monopolize a conversation. All I have to do is say one sentence. I don't get to get my own anecdote out because they've already had a similar situation and are primed to say theirs. I understand they might be trying to relate to me, but at least let me finish my story first. Interrupting one person's story to start telling your own is extremely rude, especially if you're doing it because you think their story is boring but yours is the tits.

Needless to say, I don't talk to those family members very often, and I don't talk to other people very often if they're just going to drone on for twenty minutes, then eat up my talk time after I've only said a few things.

 

[Flames66]

I'm one of those motherfuckers who are always finishing people's sentences for them. I do it instinctively as my way to show I am listening and engaging with what they are saying, but I'm also implicitly suggesting they are talking too damn slow for me. I think that is a necessary kind of interruption, but it is still feels mildly condescending to be on the receiving end of it.

I don't think you and I would get on. I talk slowly and refuse to be rushed.

 

[Mr_Spanky]

If I interrupt someone, it's generally because I know what they're going to say next. If they get annoyed about that, it's either because I was incorrect, or because they feel insecure about being so easily predictable.

Otherwise as a good listener I feel I'm saving them time and effort by understanding what they're trying to say with less words than they would have otherwise have had to use.

Usually the people who are most often annoyed are the arguers, because I suspect it hurts their ego to think someone has already heard their "totally clever and original" arguments many times over.

So it's not *you* that's the problem it's the other guy for trying to articulate their thoughts their own way and not precisely in the way that *you* would say it. Right. Gotcha.

It's plainly rude tbh - I mean everyone does it from time to time but don't try to justify it by claiming you're "saving them time and effort" or that it's their fragile egos that should be kept in check rather than that you can't wait to get in your own ten pence worth.

They assume what they have to say is actually worth ten pence. Like I said, huge egos. What, you think somebody with a huge ego is going to be like "oh yeah you have a point, I do have a huge ego"?

Nope, they'd make that sort of argument, because one's incredibly high opinion of themselves is rarely disillusioned by even demonstration after a certain age.

Also predictable is the claim that the only reason anyone would wish to compact what they say is to have more time to say something themselves. Big-egos traditionally grow more and more paranoid over being over-egoed, that there is a finite amount of attention and that if they do not grasp all that they can, someone else will take it. They can't possibly think of anyone being any less selfish than they are.

Usually how things go for me is that, if I allow it, somebody will take 10 minutes to explain a very simple task they're requesting of me. If I figure out what the problem is, or what they want me to do, within 30 seconds or so, I can get to work that much sooner solving the problem.

If that's a problem, then yes, it's not *my* problem.

"They assume what they have to say is actually worth ten pence." ----> suggesting that their form of discussion/opinion is worth less than yours -------> ego?

And why should you have an "incredibly high opinion (of yourself)" in order to think that what you have to say is worth saying? No surer sign of someone with a huge opinion of themselves than someone who discards the opinion of those they disagree with.

"Also predictable . . ." -----> patronising ----> ego?

"If I allow it . . ." -----> Unless you're a judge never say this. Pretty sure you're not a judge. This reeks of the whole "Gives me a headache just trying to think down to your level" BS and it makes me want to puke.

Other people's egos are a problem but yours isn't because you spend your time explaining yourself to complete strangers on internet forums. 2+2=5 right there.

The conclusion I am coming to is that either:
1. You associate (exclusively) with very stupid people on a regular basis.
2. You're arrogant and condescending.

In either case - how about you spend some time with people smarter than you are? If there's a sure cure to the problem then humble yourself with a conversation with your intellectual superiors.

Probably not gonna change any hearts and minds here - and I'm certainly not engaging in one of those silly "duels" where we go back and forth forever in a continual internet ***** fight. I have no interest in such things - but when I see BS I feel the need to call it out.

In last: try and actually THINK about what I've said and not just assume I'm one of the predictable morons that you seem to hang out with.

Self examination is very important in life - and I'm not just talking about your testicles

PS.
Although ofc every man over the age of pubescence+2 should check themsleves for lumps - better safe than being sorry at having your balls chopped off.

 

[Sandjube]

I have a bad habit of trying to finish people's sentences, because I've come to the conclusion they're making their way too before them. This would probably be slightly better if I was right more often. I tend to do it with people who don't have english as a first language too, where I try to help them out but am probably more of a hindrance.

 

[Thyunda]

I tend not to interrupt people when they're talking. I do my best not to. Sometimes I fail but eh, that happens.
The only time when I do gleefully and whimsically interrupt in an argument is with my brother, whose political views are essentially "Islamic refugees are rapists and we should put them in camps and they should be grateful for it," and "Donald Trump is misrepresented by the media and is actually right." He has no issue with interrupting me, or anyone else, of course. He's particularly obnoxious about it if he disapproves of the source you used - so if your argument is made based on anything featured on The Young Turks, in The Guardian, or anywhere on Al Jazeera's network, then he will literally shout "WOW!" over you and start ranting about how unreliable those three sources are.
He's one of those people who make me think academic material should remain restricted, because he, in the past, has taken statistics regarding crime and deliberately skewed them to isolate a particular racial group. For example, in our city, the majority of organised violence and theft is committed by men of Pakistani origin. His conclusion from this is that Pakistanis are innately more violent and criminally-inclined than any other nationality.
Course, the factors he ignored? Pakistani immigrants are overrepresented in unemployment, poverty and a lack of education in the city. They also tend to live among family members and cluster together in particular neighbourhoods. Is this because they are Pakistani? No, it is because they are immigrants. These trends exist for all immigrants, and a particularly famous example from the 19th and 20th centuries are the Irish diaspora both my brother and I are descended from.

See, interrupting people is rude. But sometimes, that person is dangerously stupid, and has no compunctions about ranting at a high volume for literal hours at a time. About how Donald Trump was right.

 

[s0denone]

"They assume what they have to say is actually worth ten pence." ----> suggesting that their form of discussion/opinion is worth less than yours -------> ego?

And why should you have an "incredibly high opinion (of yourself)" in order to think that what you have to say is worth saying? No surer sign of someone with a huge opinion of themselves than someone who discards the opinion of those they disagree with.

"Also predictable . . ." -----> patronising ----> ego?

"If I allow it . . ." -----> Unless you're a judge never say this. Pretty sure you're not a judge. This reeks of the whole "Gives me a headache just trying to think down to your level" BS and it makes me want to puke.

Other people's egos are a problem but yours isn't because you spend your time explaining yourself to complete strangers on internet forums. 2+2=5 right there.

The conclusion I am coming to is that either:
1. You associate (exclusively) with very stupid people on a regular basis.
2. You're arrogant and condescending.

In either case - how about you spend some time with people smarter than you are? If there's a sure cure to the problem then humble yourself with a conversation with your intellectual superiors.

Probably not gonna change any hearts and minds here - and I'm certainly not engaging in one of those silly "duels" where we go back and forth forever in a continual internet ***** fight. I have no interest in such things - but when I see BS I feel the need to call it out.

In last: try and actually THINK about what I've said and not just assume I'm one of the predictable morons that you seem to hang out with.

Self examination is very important in life - and I'm not just talking about your testicles

PS.
Although ofc every man over the age of pubescence+2 should check themsleves for lumps - better safe than being sorry at having your balls chopped off.

Excellently put.

Interrupting is excessively rude and does nobody any favours. I would strongly advise against it, unless you are good friends with the other talker, in which case it is a sure-fire setup for supreme comedy.

Who doesn't appreciate the good old "Hey hey!" interruption followed by loud fake sleeping in the middle of a long-winded point?