Backwaters of oratory: we mean having a number of innocuous but interesting topics at hand that allow us to make general observations, although perhaps of little value, and so tangled that only an expert in the field can unmask our little “delusion”. If we take a conversation from “Quantum Physics”, the best known principle of it is the “uncertainty principle”. Making comments about it will make more than one red.
Another conversation can be about “History of the Templars” learning the name of a couple of Orders, such as that of Malta and that of the Temple, where we will leave the others with their mouths open. But we warn you: before embarking on a topic,and let’s chat with them lightly to know what topics to avoid, in case we have a physicist or a historian of the Middle Ages among the attendees.
Other times were always better : Adjectives are words that describe something and can be applied to many topics. If we are asked for our valuable opinion about the author of a book , the director of a play , a movie or something else, and we have no idea about the matter, we can save our honor by answering “I prefer his first works, they are fresher.” and spontaneous” or “I prefer his later works, they show his maturity and depth”
Implying that we know a little of everything gives a good image
- Half denying: In a conversation with scholars, with educated people or well-versed in culture, if for example they ask us “Have you read ‘El Lazarillo de Tormes’?” we can reliably answer “Not lately”. You’ve probably never read it. When this reading was played at school, you suffered from mumps, which forced you to be in bed for the month that the work on said book lasted. But why would you clash with this person in a conversation that is meant to be very nice ?
- They can make it even more difficult for us, asking us if we have read ‘The Inferno’, by Dante. How do you think your interlocutor would feel if you answered “No in Spanish”? You would make him understand that you had read the work, that you knew the Italian writer of the 14th century perfectly, and that you were not satisfied with a Spanish translation. Surely 98% of mortals would leave the conversation immediately, so as not to imply their lack of knowledge “as deep” as yours.
- Useful Platitudes : Here we will inform others of a little-known and trivial fact at a strategic moment in the conversation, to give the impression that we rise to the occasion without actually being. sure we knowanecdotes about famous people or historical facts that we can adapt to a multitude of situations.
- Irrefutable truths: on many occasions we have found ourselves in the situation of someone asking us “and you, what do you think about it?”, while our mind was a thousand kilometers away thinking about work, about the result of the soccer game, on vacation or with our partner. If we say what we really think, we will look like idiots. Good. To avoid this, we can memorize these three phrases and apply them as we wish: “It depends, there are many nuances”, “Things are different from where I am” and “You cannot generalize on a subject like this”.
- Good evasions that will make us get out of a trap. But if we still face a rude impertinent person who wants to make us look like fools, we must remain calm, because we always have several exits. We then continue practicing memory exercises. Let’s learn the quote from the Danish physicist Niels Bohr, “There are trivial truths and great truths. The opposite of a trivial truth is clearly false. The opposite of a great truth is also true.” And as soon as you say it, escape the circle of conversation with dignity ( go for a soda, go to the bathroom or say hello to a third person ) or divert attention with an untimely stumble, a sneeze or an uncontrollable coughing fit.
- In short, we do not have to know everything and less in any circumstance. Nor do we always have to give our true opinion. Strengthening our social skills with little tricks will always be positive to put away our clothes and continue swimming in this world that surrounds us, with sharks everywhere