How do you politely change a topic of a conversation?

[kyrax12]

You know those conversations where people would go on and on about a boring topic that you absolutely don't give a fuck about.

How do you politely and discreetly change the topic without sounding too rude. I don't want to make it obvious that I don't give a fuck about what they were talking about.

Do you guys interrupt them mid sentence or do you just wait it out til they are done talking.

 

[rudeguy]

Usually start playing with my phone. If they don't get the hint, I walk away.

 

[lxskllr]

"That's nice. Let's talk about me."

 

[kyrax12]

Usually start playing with my phone. If they don't get the hint, I walk away.

But that is rude!

 

[rudeguy]

But that is rude!

so is being boring

There is one chick at my work who has to talk all the time. Can never STFU for two seconds. I'll be pouring a cup of coffee and she will want to tell me how she has to give her dog benedryl or some boring shit.

I won't even look up from my coffee, just walk away.

 

[dbk]

uh.. just interrupt them by saying something like, "alright, alright".. or put your hand up. The most important thing is to give them a compliment before you speak and change the topic.

 

[IronWing]

Whip it out?

 

[db]

Interrupt by saying: "but what about the children?"

 

[Agent11]

Just change the subject as often as required, they will get the hint or try to re establish their line of thought. Distract them sufficiently and that will be impossible.

 

[lxskllr]

Distract them sufficiently and that will be impossible.

Squirrel!

 

[PottedMeat]

Whip it out?

probably safer to stare at her rack

it's safe for women too:

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/10/29/shocking-study-confirms-men-love-looking-at-boobs/

“women also seem to view other women as objects.”

:awe:

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Short-term solutions never help, because even if you manage to subtly change the course of that discussion that day, the same boring individual will just find something new to test your attention deficit with. Instead, you should make your best effort to look as interested as possible, eyes wide and mouth agape as you egg them on with a brutal onslaught of "Oh my God!"s and "Wow, that's amazing!"s. If you appear genuine and not immediately sarcastic, they will open up to you like a lover and confide in you their deepest and most interesting secrets, like the dream about work they had that morning, or how their niece won Student of the Month at St. Indifference's School for Gifted Children. Then, after about three weeks of this, arrange a conversation with someone on your intellectual par (perhaps yourself) and talk about this one acquaintance you have, something like "Oh, but Tam doesn't have anyone else to talk with, so it honestly doesn't bother me... *choking back the tears of trauma*... it truly honestly doesn't bother me to give her the illusion that someone cares." Not only will she never bother you again as she realizes her own worthlessness, but she will remove herself from society on a whole and make the entire world a slightly less uninteresting place.

 

[Brigandier]

"Did you just say ball sack? Oh, well, _________"

 

[SlickSnake]

Many self centered clueless people I know (mostly older demented folks) will often ask you a question, then ignore most of your answer a few words into it, because they may not want to hear what you have to say, or because they are off in their own little world to begin with. Sort of like those brain dead thug types that repeat a catch phrase like "Ya know what I mean?" over and over again, in the same sentence, even. Here's a clue, stupid, If I didn't know what the hell you meant, I would say it.

So to change the subject politely, just excuse yourself to go to the bathroom or something like that, and when you come back, don't revisit the subject.

 

[Fayd]

push in the clutch, shift gears and ease it out while pressing down on the accelerator.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

If it's men you butt in and say "Wow!! Look at the rack on that broad!" and you're golden.

If it's women ask them why they're not home cooking for their men. They'll be happy to change the subject and start talking about you.

 

[mmntech]

I segue the conversation into something similar to what they're talking about, but know they're not familiar with. Works well with people afflicted with know-it-all-ism.

 

[silverpig]

Lady: OMG, I had to give my dog benadryl this weekend!

You: Really? I had the same thing happen to me. And that's on top of the fact that Peyton Manning is on a bye week this week, so my fantasy football team has to use my backup quarterback, and there aren't any decent ones left on the waiver wire, but that's okay because my opponent's RB2 is injured so he's gotta find a plug...

 

[HeXen]

I have said this on several occasions because I'm an ass.
"whoa, I'm sorry....I didn't mean to start a conversation"
A few times in the past I have said. "that's super cool, so anyway..."

 

[twinrider1]

Short-term solutions never help, because even if you manage to subtly change the course of that discussion that day, the same boring individual will just find something new to test your attention deficit with. Instead, you should make your best effort to look as interested as possible, eyes wide and mouth agape as you egg them on with a brutal onslaught of "Oh my God!"s and "Wow, that's amazing!"s. If you appear genuine and not immediately sarcastic, they will open up to you like a lover and confide in you their deepest and most interesting secrets, like the dream about work they had that morning, or how their niece won Student of the Month at St. Indifference's School for Gifted Children. Then, after about three weeks of this, arrange a conversation with someone on your intellectual par (perhaps yourself) and talk about this one acquaintance you have, something like "Oh, but Tam doesn't have anyone else to talk with, so it honestly doesn't bother me... *choking back the tears of trauma*... it truly honestly doesn't bother me to give her the illusion that someone cares." Not only will she never bother you again as she realizes her own worthlessness, but she will remove herself from society on a whole and make the entire world a slightly less uninteresting place.

Ok, I made it about one sentence into that response and just walked away. I hope I wasn't being rude.

 

[Fritzo]

"...and on a lighter note..."