What do people talk about in social situations?

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This may seem like an odd question, but I am honestly at a loss as to what it is that people talk about. This is an important thing for me to get a grasp on, since I have so much trouble thinking of things to say around people. There are a few constants that I have figured out, such as:

1) Environment.
People talk about what goes on in the situation they are in together. That is why I think I often do better talking to people at work than at other places. The work environment helps create a lot of things to talk about. When I am at work, I can ask people what department they work in, how they like the new store manager, how work went, and things like that.

2) Media
People talk a lot about the media: television, movies, and music. People make a lot of references to things they see in the media when they want to comment on something in their daily lives. When I was in an electronics class in college, a guy near me shocked himself. He wasn’t hurt, but he let out a high-pitched shout when it happened. The guy sitting next to him commented: “I thought you was singing one of those Michael Jackson songs!”

3) Unusual Behavior
I notice people always have something to say about people they encounter, or see, who do things that are simply unusual. People who work in restaurants will talk about the guy who orders a sandwich with no bread, people who work at stores with a high rate of theft may talk about people who make pathetic attempts at stealing something, people comment on strange things other people do when they are drunk, and so on. It seems like unusual things that people do or say are the topic of a lot of conversations.

Anybody else have some ideas about what kind of material people use to keep conversations going all day long?

People DO talk about themselves, celebrities, themselves, sport, themselves, sex, themselves, other people and themselves.
They DO NOT talk about anything interesting, anything useful or anything worth talking about.

Agreed.

I have no idea how to start or keep any conversation if is not of my interest. Most of what they talk (gossip, entertainment, talking about somone behind their backs) is not of my interest, or subjects I hate.

When sometimes people talk about an interesting thing, and I want to say something I just get ignored, so I don't bother.

Agreed

Agreed.
Because I like agreeing with myself.

I've got one! Talk about a time you got injured and maybe show a scar or a cut, make it as brief as you like. In return they'll tell about one of their scars/injuries, which is when you ignore them and plan your next sentence or escape plan.

Best of luck to you.

Or you ask them what came first: the chicken or the egg?
That's always a good conversation starter.

It was the egg...

Do you like omelette?

Once in the break room at work I asked a girl ther ewhat she thought about Linde's Bubble Universe Theory.

She pretty much avoids me now .

Football.



I know the answer, but won't say!

Unfortunately, it's true -- the way to sure social success to NEVER, EVER talk about yourself, but ALWAYS, ALWAYS talk about the other person.

Boring, but effective . . .

You are very probably right!! !
I Must keep this in mind!

People don't have any content to what they're saying, not usually. So it's about whether you're trying to communicate or to socialize. Years ago I read that Barbara Walters said that a great way to keep a conversation going was to say "I didn't know that." I've tried it, it works. Everybody has a cure for the common cold and for hiccups, if you can work that into the conversation. I'm very surprised that American Idol is great for socializing - once it's established that we both watch it, the other person comes out with something about Idol that's really important to them - e.g. bush babies, ta da! content!

Right, But that's half the fun. And who determines what is worth talking about?