Time Tips: Eliminate Collective Monologues

In another article, I mentioned collective monologues. These are a complete waste of time. Two people, each convinced the other is an idiot, will carry on at each other in such a way as to make it impossible for an outside observer to tell who the idiot really is (see the Congressional hearings on C-Span for an example of this).

When you're in a collective monologue, end the conversation abruptly. You can change topics, simply "give in," or say you have to go. But, don't continue--you will only irritate the other person while wasting your own time and probably raising your own blood pressure.

Here are some signs of a collective monologue.

You find yourself arguing.
You find you are not listening, but thinking of what to say next.
You and the other person are trading insults, rather than information.
You don't feel a need to understand the other person.
One (or both) of you is frequently interrupting the other.
One (or both) of you raises his/her voice.
One (or both) of you uses fallacious reasoning.

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