Everyone loves to talk about the weather. Even the New York Times "Strands" game hit on words that describe Summer Weather: BALMY, SWELTERING, STICKY, MUGGY, SCORCHING. It's been all of these during these summer months. One that isn't included is HUMID. You walk outside you instantly sweat. See I'm already talking about the weather.
So why do people like to talk about the weather so much?
Lots of people make fun of talking about the weather, but it's a really great small-talk topic. It's an equalizer because it affects everyone no matter who they are. You might be a CEO and I might just be serving you coffee, but if it's raining today we probably both got wet.
The weather is also a safe and neutral topic because it's unlikely to offend or cause disagreement, like religion or politics. If it leads to talking about climate change then things might get a little testy or if it shifted to raining for 40 days and 40 nights that could go down another path.
It can be an opportunity for bonding, for sharing experiences about the freezing cold or unbearable heat or marvel of last night's beautiful sunset. It impacts our plans, our clothing choices, and our moods. The weather is always relevant.
Today I'm working the morning shift at the farm. I'm wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and a long sleeve pullover. The sun is shining. It's cool to start and warms up as the day goes on. Layering is the way to staying comfortable. I will guess that 90% of the people who come up to pay for their produce will comment on this beautiful day. And that's OK because they're happy about it.
And so that, my friends, is a very quick run down of why we talk about the weather so much. It's not because we’re filling awkward space and time and trying to appear more interested than we are and not because we actually care about the weather. Because we are trying to build a connection. And if we have nowhere to begin, why not begin with the weather? And also share a poem about the weather? (We haven't had any rain in Ohio for a few weeks now and I found this delightful poem, so here you go!)
Weather
Dot a dot dot dot a dot dot
Spotting the windowpane.
Spack a spack speck flick a flack fleck
Freckling the windowpane.
A spatter a scatter a wet cat a clatter
A splatter a rumble outside.
Umbrella umbrella umbrella umbrella
Bumbershoot barrel of rain.
Slosh a galosh slosh a galosh
Slither and slather a glide
A puddle a jump a puddle a jump
A puddle a jump puddle splosh
A juddle a pump a luddle a dump
A pudmuddle jump in and slide!From Catch a Little Rhyme, published by Macmillan, 1966. Used with permission.
About 15 years ago, I read a book on the British personality, there were several chapters about why and how they always talk about the weather. It is one topic that few people are offended by, and we would never want to offend anyone.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post! I thought the NYTimes had discontinued Strands, one of my favorite games. Suddenly, while I was in London, it didn't show up in the games list I usually play from. Probably because I was on vacation, I didn't bother to investigate. Your post made me do a little research and I found it once again!
ReplyDeleteI just went and checked the mail (none, rats!) and noticed that the afternoon seemed quite pleasant instead of hot, hot, hot, and told Judy. We may just go to the patio for our cocktails.
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