Conversation Control

[Repat Van]

Jan 27, 2020 21:17:01 GMT voice said:

You've never worked with nurses them, not only do they openly talk about periods, they talk about their daughters periods more often than not

No, I most definitely have not worked with nurses....*

I imagine medical personnel would be more comfortable with that.




*Not completely true - I temped for one once.

[mids]

I work with almost all women and they won't shut up about periods. Periods, periods, periods. All day long. And the menopause. All day.

[Repat Van]

I think it’s great that there is more talk about menopause (where my mom works they are actually developing a policy around that and coming up with things they can do to assist women in their workforce going through the menopause and understanding how it can impact them) and periods. It seems crazy that it’s still such a taboo or something that is viewed as a negative.


I have always worked in predominantly male environments and I have no idea what they talk about because generally men are never worth listening to...

[Marshall]

"A lot of women, in particular, feel left out," she told the BBC's Today programme. "They don't follow those sports and they don't like either being forced to talk about them or not being included."

Good lord, are these people stupid or just control freaks?
How about a woman who doesn't want to talk about sports turn to another woman and talk about something else? Or is that too easy?

[Repat Van]

Jan 27, 2020 23:29:44 GMT Marshall said:

"A lot of women, in particular, feel left out," she told the BBC's Today programme. "They don't follow those sports and they don't like either being forced to talk about them or not being included."

Good lord, are these people stupid or just control freaks?
How about a woman who doesn't want to talk about sports turn to another woman and talk about something else? Or is that too easy?

It’s also weird they think all men want to talk about sports and no women do. I think that person has a strangely outdated idea of what many work places are like.

People will just talk about what interests them. Sometimes that means you’re left out but that’s life.

[Marshall]

Agree, it's profoundly stupid.
Another do-gooder wanting people to act how they deem is best in a situation they are apparently clueless about.

[Repat Van]

I mean as the comments in the article say, if you try to ban topics of conversation lest somebody feel left out, you end up on a slippery slope.

The other day I was at a meeting / coffee catch-up where the first 5-10 minutes or so were spent talking about kids, school holidays and mat leave - all subjects I have zero interest in / comment to make. But it didn’t bother me. I am sure I will discuss things with a colleague that others around us have no interest in.

This really is all that matters:

“ The answer is not to ban the conversation, it is to ensure managers and staff are trained to understand that those shared interests should not get in the way of management decisions or working collaboratively."

It’s only an issue when those shared interests benefit / penalise certain people in the office.

[flatandy]

People in the brewery after cycling want to talk about American football or basketball and never want to talk about cricket and I feel excluded as a result.

[Marshall]

Whenever I'm in a group and no one talks about the negotiated alliance between Francis I and Suleiman the Magnificent behind the back of Charles V, I storm out in a huff.

[Repat Van]

I refuse to work with people who are unable to discuss “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (American, UK and Thai) versions at length lest I feel incredibly left out.

[moggyonspeed]

"And as for mentioning vaginas...you work with some progressive women!"

This is true. Interestingly, their average age must be 50-something, and yet it's the younger ones who seem to be far more strait-laced, serious and closed to new ways of thinking. This is not a gender-specific thing btw, as my niece's husband and my son-in-law have attitudes rooted clearly in the Victorian era.

[Deleted]

This is interesting. Younger generation Muslims living in a non-Muslim society tend to be far more strait-laced, serious and closed to new ways of thinking. I used to believe that as time passed they would become more relaxed about their religious beliefs, but the opposite appears to be happening.

[voice]

Not being accepted into the mainstream will do that

[mids]

They were warmly welcomed. Warmly.

[voice]

Being set on fire doesn't really count.

[Deleted]

Bit of a mistake moving away from their homelands to hostile, xenophobic countries. Whatever anyone says, that's a fact.

[wetkingcanute]

Bit of a mistake moving away from their hostile, xenophobic homeland to a progressive; tolerant; country like the UK. Whatever anyone says, that's a fact.

[Repat Van]

Jan 28, 2020 13:45:25 GMT voice said:

Not being accepted into the mainstream will do that

I literally came here to write that. If people are pushed away from identifying with their birthplace they will seek another identity.

[Repat Van]

Jan 28, 2020 17:56:37 GMT wetkingcanute said:

Bit of a mistake moving away from their hostile, xenophobic homeland to a progressive; tolerant; country like the UK. Whatever anyone says, that's a fact.

“Progressive, tolerant, UK”.

:D

[Repat Van]

Jan 28, 2020 13:46:50 GMT mids said:

They were warmly welcomed. Warmly.

This is funny.