If you really want to see the pure mechanics of what a conversation is, the building blocks of verbal communication, observe a conversation between co-workers at a restaurant at lunch. Or a study group at the beginning of the semester. Really any group of people who don't know each other at all and are trying to make conversation.
Conversation always moves so slow in those situations. Someone will make a statement, another will respond usually in agreement, and if they're lucky a third person will chime in. Then silence. Time to think about what to say next, awkward drink of your water that you absolutely did not need, and then someone makes another statement.
It's so fun and interesting to watch a group of people that are completely uncomfortable in their own bodies. The shifting, inability to look at one another, and a ridiculous obsession with the rice in the plate in front of you. People take very involved sips of their drinks, focusing intently on the glass and it's flight path from the table to their mouths. It's completely obvious that the person drinking is in some way escaping the awkward situation at least for a brief moment; using the fact that he is drinking his drink to hide the fact that he doesn't have anything to say to the group around him. But nobody needs to focus that much on drinking a beverage, and we all know it.
Why do we feel like we have to go through that elaborate charade? Being pleasant is safe, and keeps interaction from being tense, but it's all just a game. What would the world be like if we all went to lunch together and just ate our damn food. If we dont' like each other, why pretend?
The next time my boss talks to me about how hot some random girl on the street is, maybe I won't laugh it off and agree, mabye I'll punch him in the goddamn face. That would feel nice.
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