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   John Bull (garius@mastodon.me.uk)'s status on Monday, 26-Jun-2023 12:04:51 JST John Bull

   "Never laugh at someone for being interested in something you find weird or boring. That just means you don't know enough about it yet."

   Something my (now sadly deceased) mum said to me when I was a teen.

   Always stuck with me.

   Truer now, in the era of social media, than ever.

   • Embed this notice
     John Bull (garius@mastodon.me.uk)'s status on Monday, 26-Jun-2023 12:04:49 JST John Bull

     in reply to

     If I can give one piece of life advice:

     Whenever someone geeks about something in front of you, or admits an 'embarrassing' interest, just say:

     "That sounds AMAZING. I don't know anything about that. Tell me about it."

     Then just listen.

     Not once in my life have I regretted it.

   • Embed this notice
     John Bull (garius@mastodon.me.uk)'s status on Monday, 26-Jun-2023 12:04:50 JST John Bull

     in reply to

     I forget who I was snarking about at the time. Probably the interests of one of my siblings.

     She (gently) reminded me of how people sneered at me for being interested in SciFi and history etc. Asked how that made me feel, and if I'd want others to feel the same. Smart woman.

     Her point was you don't have to like a thing, but should always try to learn a bit and see WHY others do. Because people being interested in things is always fun.

     Paul Cantrell and Jake Hildreth (acorn) :blacker_heart_outline: repeated this.
   • Embed this notice
     Paul Cantrell (inthehands@hachyderm.io)'s status on Monday, 26-Jun-2023 12:07:31 JST Paul Cantrell

     in reply to

     • unicorndeburgh

     @garius @unicorndeburgh
     Strange but true: often when somebody is doing something they’re totally geeky about, maybe explaining it, and then they become momentarily absorbed in it and their attention shifts away from me and the world and into the task, it gives me goosebumps. Not figurative “it’s thrilling” goosebumps. I mean a get a literal skin-tingling shiver over my arms, neck, and (sometimes) back. It’s wild!

   • Embed this notice
     Paul Cantrell (inthehands@hachyderm.io)'s status on Monday, 26-Jun-2023 21:31:37 JST Paul Cantrell

     in reply to

     • Robert Walter

     @robfwalter
     It is definitely an ASMR-type reaction, but ASMR videos (or videos in general) never trigger it. Has to be in person, and has to be the specific social situation I described.

   • Embed this notice
     Robert Walter (robfwalter@aus.social)'s status on Monday, 26-Jun-2023 21:31:38 JST Robert Walter

     in reply to

     • Paul Cantrell

     @inthehands
     There's a whole industry about that feeling. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASMR

     I don't personally chase it, but I did find it incidentally watching some of this guy's videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUhpWkCswb4

   • Embed this notice
     Paul Cantrell (inthehands@hachyderm.io)'s status on Tuesday, 27-Jun-2023 04:03:39 JST Paul Cantrell

     in reply to

     • Riley S. Faelan
     • unicorndeburgh

     @riley

     How strange it is to be anything at all

     @garius @unicorndeburgh

   • Embed this notice
     Riley S. Faelan (riley@toot.cat)'s status on Tuesday, 27-Jun-2023 04:03:40 JST Riley S. Faelan

     in reply to

     • Paul Cantrell
     • unicorndeburgh

     @inthehands: It's not strange.

     @garius @unicorndeburgh