What to do with a pointless conversation
Shallow, pointless topics commonly show up during excruciatingly casual encounters, like running into someone you barely know when you get in the elevator. We have to deal with them somehow, but listen, we could even turn it into a positive experience.
Please note that I, as the author, enjoy deep, meaningful and complex conversations. I have nothing against superficial topics, it's just that they don't interest me at all. Using strategies to approach conversations with less scientifically-directed minds is necessary to be able to enjoy people in general. So, here's my strategy:
Ask them what weather they like best, reply with a quick, honest opinion, and then ask why they like that weather so much or for an example of a good experience they've had in that weather. Let them ramble. It will be interesting in some way because they're deep-diving about themselves.
And then, if you want to, you can close it with a 'that's really cool,' with which they will be satisfied (because they've been approved). Or you can ask more direct questions about that particular experience, occasionally adding your own experience. In the future, it will be easier to put up with that person in particular and others like them because you'll know a little more of what makes them tick.
Suddenly, the weather won't be so bad, since you've added a pinch of psychology and neurology to the conversation. It might still seem shallow, but it really isn't. All you have to do is take the subject and turn it into a subtle investigation. With this, I hope I've improved your life in the long run by helping you manage small talk.