At one time, good conversation advice was 'stick to the weather', but today even that can be treacherous.
Satisfying conversations are still possible, and the rules are easy.
1 Enter a conversation to learn about the other person, not to lecture them on yourself, according to Malavika Varadan, a Bollywood radio host.
2 Don't be afraid to ask a somewhat personal question, within reason of course. A good opener is to ask where a person is from.
3 Focus on the conversation and put your phone away. Then listen. Don't think ahead about your related story, according to radio host Celeste Headlee.
4 Don't equate your experiences with theirs. They aren't the same.
5 Eliminate details. Don't add obscur details of time, place, or names into your conversation. If a detail is important, your conversation partner will probably ask about it.