About this quote

We fill our silences with noise because quiet makes us uncomfortable. Saying it is raining when water is visibly pouring down is just a social defense mechanism. We use these empty phrases to signal that we are safe and harmless to one another. But this constant chatter dilutes actual communication. Next time you feel the urge to comment on the temperature, try staying silent and see how the other person reacts.

When to use it

• Your manager starts a staff meeting by announcing that sales are down, right while everyone stares at a giant red chart showing exactly that.
• You burn your tongue on hot soup, and your brother immediately tells you that the soup is hot. You replay this line in your head to keep from snapping at him.
• During a freezing soccer practice, the coach yells out that it is cold today. You and your teammate share a quiet look of mutual exhaustion.