Aspie soundboard

Post Reply New Topic

I have what I like to call the "aspie soundboard". Am I the only one on this website that when somebody initiates small talk with me I automatically resort to the fast faced and monotonous "I'm good and how are you?" or "Yes" or "Yes ma'am/sir". It seems very hasty.
Does anybody else do this? Is this an aspie thing?

I know a guy who has never mentioned AS, but he manages to hold a job, etc. with almost no interaction. He uses a stock reply and avoids eye contact to make the distractions go away.

I have the same problem. I'll answer the question posed to me, but never reciprocate. I also never initiate 'small-talk'.

I can take part in technical discussions but I find that conversations that seem to have no function are really difficult.

I have the same problem. I'll answer the question posed to me, but never reciprocate. I also never initiate 'small-talk'.

I can take part in technical discussions but I find that conversations that seem to have no function are really difficult.

This exactly. I answer small talk in the fewest words possible, and do not bring up another small talk subject. Not because I am trying to be rude, but because it doesn't come naturally.
At work, we have a lot of projects going on and I am the technical person on many if them. Because of that, I have been included in a lot of phone conferences. I hate being the first person on the line because the next person to join will initiate small talk. I am fine with " hi how are you?" To which I respond either "fine" or "ok" if I can't honestly say "fine" but after that it gets awkward.

Ex.

Hi how are you?

Fine. How are you?

Good. So, how is the weather there? The weather here is really cold it was 15 degrees here. We had some snow. It made the commute difficult, but I imagine it is worse where you are?

Uh... Not really....it is um.... Cold.

If someone else is on the line, I let them do all the small talk, strangely enough they seem to enjoy it.

I don't know if it's an Aspie thing, but I do it, too. The thing i realized along the way is that people aren't really interested in the answer to that question; they just do it to be polite. So if someone asks me how I am, I don't answer the question but shoot it right back at them.