how do you tell people in a nice way that you really don't care about stuff they tell you?

[Candiru]

I cross my eyes and start drooling, pretend I'm choking, hunch over, stumble to the bathroom, escape through the heating vents, etc.

[Guest boo]

and eat raisin bran?

[doorjamb]

hell is other people—be other people's hell

 

[chim]

the general idea seems to be to just not say anything at all and go about your business

[Friendly Foil]

thank you watmm for listening to my problem. It's always good to have someone to go to, when you want to talk about something.

[chenGOD]

podcasts or music, etc, try to keep yourself occupied with that. Make some shit up that you're listening to something live.

 

Even better, start singing along passionately in the middle of the saddest part of their story! Excuse yourself with "sorry, this song is just so great man!"

this is gold.

 

 

If you do this one, please please surreptitiously record yourself and their reactions.

 

Personally I just nod my head and stare off into the distance at a point just above their left shoulder.

 

oooh, if you make enough, perhaps you could outsource this to someone in India - set up a skype link for them, and then redirect all the people with problems to the computer monitor.

[schlucharski]

Say "excuse me just one moment please", then duck behind your desk & put on a scary Halloween mask (I recommend a ghost or a bear). When you pop up it will scare the shit out of them & they will either run away or die.

 

reminds me of the john cleese stair trick

[Guest iep]

Look busy?

 

be busy

[o00o]

Dear watmm. I know you're all very good at people, so please help me out here

 

I'm surrounded by people all day at work who spends most of their time telling other people (including me) about their problems. like I'm their psychiatrist or something. I work with these people every day so I can't really risk pissing everyone off, by telling them I can't be bothered with all their useless whining every single fucking day. I need to tell them in the nicest way possible. what do I do? Look for new job? deal with it? cry in a corner? please share your wisdom, watmm.

 

drink a lot of coffee and take over the discussion.

[zazen]

try something along the lines of an "i'm sorry to hear you are having (troubles) right now, but i really need to get this work done, can we talk about this at our coffee break? or can i catch up with you later? that way it sounds like you are listening to them or are willing to listen to them but just can't right now. or try "that sounds like it is frustrating i really wish i had time to talk about it right now but unfortunately i am really busy with such and such task right now... this way it sounds as if you want to be friends but are inescapably busy with work. it's just advice so feel free to throw it out the window if you wish, and good luck! :)

 

This is tactful.

[Guest moonchild]

aw, thanks.

[Guest boo]

the only problem is, nobody believes those kind of lies..

 

but actually, i don't get what the problem is.. this should just be in the first world problem thread.

[Guest Franklin]

there's a big difference between people talking to you and people talking at you. the latter is really easy to fix should it arise by literally telling them to leave... usually they just then just go find somebody else to listen to them and don't feel so bad as they're used to rejection.