People who hate small talk misunderstand what conversation is for. Most conversations are not solely about exchanging information. This idea was developed by the biological anthropologist Robin Dunbar, who observed that for apes, grooming is not primarily about hygiene but rather about forming relationships, cementing bonds, and evaluating alliances. Dunbar advanced the view that for humans, small talk and idle chatter are the equivalent of grooming behaviors. That is, much of conversation is not entirely about exchanging concrete information (though it is often about that); it is also about building and maintaining social ties.

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