Meaningless Greetings: As a Matter of Phatic

04/12/21 • 32 min

Does your Starbucks barista really care when she asks, "Hi, how are you today?"
Do you really mean it when you say, "I'm fine." ?
In this episode, Bronwen explores sidewalk psychology and the unwritten rules of meaningless conversation, also known as "phatic expressions." These seemingly innocuous strings of words make our social interactions easier, but with their wide variation across cultures, generations, and societies worldwide, they can also become points of contention.
If you (like many others) think that the French are rude, you may just not understand “bonjour culture." Interrupting is not a universally impolite action, and some people consider, “No problem,” a dismissive statement. You’ll also hear about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our interactions, how computer scientists are using these rules of phatic communication to program robots with more human qualities, and how deviating from the script of polite exchanges can unravel the constructs of our social reality.

Key Points From This Episode:

Sidewalk psychology differs from state to state, and country and country.
Adjusting to a move away from Southern hospitality.
Possible factors which influence what is known as the “Seattle Freeze.”
How Nordic communities view small talk.
The experience of saying goodbye in the Midwest.
Power that lies in eye-contact, or a lack thereof.
What we can quickly learn from following the unwritten rule of greeting.
The definition of phatic expression.
Examples of phatic expressions which we commonly use.
Benefits of phatic expressions.
How rules around phatic expressions have changed over time.
Making use of phatic expressions through social media.
What social reality is, and how it is upheld by phatic expressions.
Types of phatic expressions that exist in other cultures.
Ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has altered our use of phatic expressions.
The artifice of hiring people as greeters.
Other unwritten rules which govern our interactions with people, and how these are being transferred to robots.

LINKS

The Bonjour Effect

FOLLOW THEM'S THE RULES: || WEBSITE || INSTAGRAM || FACEBOOK || TWITTER ||

Key Points From This Episode:

Sidewalk psychology differs from state to state, and country and country.
Adjusting to a move away from Southern hospitality.
Possible factors which influence what is known as the “Seattle Freeze.”
How Nordic communities view small talk.
The experience of saying goodbye in the Midwest.
Power that lies in eye-contact, or a lack thereof.
What we can quickly learn from following the unwritten rule of greeting.
The definition of phatic expression.
Examples of phatic expressions which we commonly use.
Benefits of phatic expressions.
How rules around phatic expressions have changed over time.
Making use of phatic expressions through social media.
What social reality is, and how it is upheld by phatic expressions.
Types of phatic expressions that exist in other cultures.
Ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has altered our use of phatic expressions.
The artifice of hiring people as greeters.
Other unwritten rules which govern our interactions with people, and how these are being transferred to robots.

LINKS

The Bonjour Effect

FOLLOW THEM'S THE RULES: || WEBSITE || INSTAGRAM || FACEBOOK || TWITTER ||

Previous Episode

Twitter Diplomacy: Twiplomatic Immunity

Welcome to the first episode of Them’s the Rules, a show that reasons you have to know the rules in order to break them. In this episode, Bronwen sheds light on Oregon’s very specific gas pumping laws. As one of only two states in the country that does not allow people to pump their own gas, Oregonians are in a very unique position. We hear about some of the reasons behind the law and find out the reaction when these laws have been altered. Bronwen also talks about twiplomacy, explaining what the concept is and how it affects all of us, even if we are not Twitter users. We find out about some of the rules around world leaders using Twitter and some proposed amendments that are in the pipeline. Tune in to hear this and more!.

Key Points From This Episode:

Details into Oregon’s gas-pumping rule and the reasoning behind it.
Seventeen reasons the state of Oregon has cited as to why Oregonians shouldn’t pump their own gas.
What the legal ramifications for pumping your own gas in Oregon are.
The reactions to the law that allowed those in rural Oregon to pump their own gas.
An unspoken rule about tipping Oregon fuel pump attendants.
The review Twitter is currently undertaking regarding world leaders using the platform.
Debates around political leaders on social media and different thinking on the topic.
Twiplomacy: what it is, what the drivers are, and where it’s headed.
When the current Twitter rules for world leaders were implemented and what does and doesn’t violate them.
If you have an opinion about world leaders on Twitter, share it!
Why banning Donald Trump was not a violation of the First Amendment.
What the new rule will aim to do and how it will be enforced.
The criteria laid out around whether a tweet is of public interest.
When the survey on Twitter was available.

LINKS

TwiplomacyFOLLOW THEM'S THE RULES: || WEBSITE || INSTAGRAM || FACEBOOK || TWITTER ||

Next Episode

Weather Warfare: Two’s Company, Three’s a Cloud

Weather modification might sound like a superpower a fictitious character may wield, but that is far from the case. Altering the weather is very much a human activity that has been used in a variety of ways. In today’s episode, we dive into weather modification and warfare, a topic Bronwen came across through lucky happenstance and fiber optic internet. We hear about The Geneva Conventions and the specific article that stipulates conditions around weather modification. The U.S. used weather modification during the Vietnam War, and we find out more about this and the surrounding debates. The weather has been controlled for other reasons, and Bronwen shedS light on some of the legislation in the U.S that outlines this act. These alterations or manipulations are incredibly contentious, and there are people with very strong opinions on both sides. Tune in to hear about what some of these are!

Key Points From This Episode:

An overview of The Geneva Conventions.
Honing in on Article 35 of The Geneva Conventions and the rules it’s comprised of.
The definition of weather modification and some of the most common forms it takes.
Protocols that protect the weather during times of warfare.
Weather modification was used by the U.S during the Vietnam War through Operation Popeye.
Insights into how Operation Popeye worked and how it used cloud seeding.
Debates around Operation Popeye; what those who were for and against it said.
A brief history of the act of enhancing precipitation starting from the 1830s.
When it became clear that there was a need for comprehensive weather modification rules.
Some questions related to cloud ownership.
Details into some of the lawsuits that led to the U.S. creating modification rules.
A look at the consequences of weather misconduct.
Weather is not just a local phenomenon; it’s an interrelated system that affects everyone.
Insights into Colorado's Weather Modification Program, the first of its kind in the U.S.
China's cloud seeding experiment and the damage it caused.
What rain theft is and examples of how and where it has happened.
A fascinating study that looked at the role that weather plays in warfare as a force multiplier.