mousegray

Completely agree, so why do so many of you keep coming back and responding? So you can put him down some more? Granted, OP seems kind of inured to this treatment and seems to be enjoying this negative attention.

AnudduhMom

^^
I know, right? I think galoisien is fascinating. Wish I had the background (Psy.D. or whatever) to understand/help/ or just to know how to talk to him.

Mini-theory, mousey -- people keep coming back because the subject keeps getting bumped up, and it's irritating to read "why do adults seem to be passionless and uncurious?" I think the 121 posts on this thread rather put the lie to the "passionless and uncurious" question, wouldn't you agree?

Northstarmom

"Completely agree, so why do so many of you keep coming back and responding? So you can put him down some more? "

We're not trying to be intellectual. We're trying to tell him that when he scorns others because they're not interested in his tedious discussions of arcane subjects, he isn't being intellectual, just being annoying.

Pizzagirl

We're also pointing out the irony that he wants his mother to take interest in the topics that interest him and doesn't like when she shunts the conversation elsewhere -- but if his mother takes interest in topics that interest her (her son and his well-being), he finds the conversation boring and tedious and shunts the conversation elsewhere.

blankmind

Well we don't want to seem all passionless and uncurious, now do we? Or perhaps it's just biological, you know, like, fossilization of our brain structure and all, which we can't really help, so we just.must.respond, heh.

I have to go take my senior nap now.

ziyou

From your first post:
"I don't think I'm alone, as many of my friends sometimes talk about the same thing ... one once complained to me that her mother didn't really seem to care about the specifics about what happened during her day or her escapades into science ... she was just asking for the sake of asking."

I am NOT your friend, galoisien, and STOP referencing me on CC.

I also agree with a great deal of the discussion on this thread... and let me just point out that by your definition, it's not just adults who are "passionless and uncurious", most of your "friends" are too. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone of any age who can stand your discourses, marvelling that people don't know just what "H5N1" is, when you could say "avian flu" instead.

Northstarmom

"
I don't think I'm alone, as many of my friends sometimes talk about the same thing ... one once complained to me that her mother didn't really seem to care about the specifics about what happened during her day or her escapades into science ... she was just asking for the sake of asking. And that's why it's so tiring! But maybe adults are like that because they've "been there, done that""

I'd be curious about how many teens ask with interest about their parents' days. I've found that teen-age years tend to be self-focused times, and many teens are very self absorbed, yet at the same time, want to assert their independence by keeping much of their lives -- even very ordinary parts of their lives -- from their parents. Many feel parents are being intrusive when parents ask, "How'd your day go?" Meanwhile, the same teens aren't particularly interested in or curious about their parents' lives.

burningbright

OP, please continue writing on this forum! I think you're very cool. Maybe you should create a separate blog for some of the juicier details? Screenwriters at HBO and Showtime are starting to repeat themselves! This all would make such a show... Pizzagirl should be in it too.

Naturally

Regarding the question of why your mom doesn't seem excited about her job . . . It's something she does every day and probably has a lot of repetition. The end result might be exciting (Naval destroyers!), but what's the process like? Maybe it's not any more exciting than designing a sewer (also important to the well-being of society, although usually not regarded with the same flurry of excitement.) Office politics have a direct effect on her and social interactions are interesting to most people, which is probably why she focuses on them.

I know what it's like to have relatives who aren't really interested in the same things you are or who only ask to be polite. The difference is not due to a lack of passion or to an age difference, but simply due to personal interest. My older sisters are avid gardners, I am not. They get into very detailed and passionate discussions about gardening when they get together. My approach to gardening, on the other hand, is to dump a packet of Wildflower Mix seeds into my windowbox and let them do what they will. My sisters' debates over soil pH, loam, and God knows what else do not interest me because their passion is not my passion. That is just the way it is. On the other hand, my father and I are both interested in science and have had some great discussions based on articles in Scientific American.

galoisien

Huh???

It's not an irony. Just a mutual uninterest.

The thing is I don't force my discussions on her, but she keeps forcing her lectures on me. I do care what happened during the course of my mother's day, but she doesn't usually discuss that.

ziyou:

Still mad at me? I thought you wanted to cease all interaction...but anyway

I disagree. While most of my peers aren't interested in the nitty-gritty details of /my/ interests, they are actively pursuing their own interests, e.g. they do exhibit passion and curiosity. This is so evident. So please note that I am not judging my peers -- they're quite fine and dandy. Adults on the other hand, are another thing... is it because one becomes less ambitious (more realistic?) as they become older?

(I also note the irony of your discourses, your posts and your obsessions, and random, excited remarks over the arcane thoughts that YOU have, but oh hey...)

If you want to nitpick over my H5N1 remark, that was totally out of the blue, plus I don't know where you get the idea that I don't use the term "avian flu" -- it's just less precise, there are a lot of avian flus out there. H5N1 is *the* avian flu, but at the time I was talking to you (newsflash, if you didn't know by now: you do tend to be generally-informed of most things). I do choose the right terms for the right audience, you know. And that bacon bet we made, I made only was only because you-know-who was quite familiar with Taiwanese issues.

galoisien

I'm not scorning anyone. You're not a bad person if you're passionless and uncurious ... it's just a different personality to be approached differently, and it's a generalised trait.

CC parents I think are exceptions almost by definition, but I was referring to adults you would meet on the street (or at school) and see face to face.

owlice

So all those teen-aged slacker dudes I see hanging out on the streets smoking, the ones wearing gang colors, the ones trying their hands at spraypaint art on the playground equipment at the local park are filled with intellectual passion and curiosity, are they? Who knew?

sorghum

Passionate implies human emotions. Obsessive-compulsive may better describe the OP's style.

emeraldkity4

You're not a bad person if you're passionless and uncurious ... it's just a different personality to be approached differently, and it's a generalised trait.
IMO-You are not hearing what is being said.
You are seeming to perceive those who are not interested or passionate in the things you are interested in- or compelled to discuss them to the minute detail that you are willing to go, as " boring".
Nothing can be further from the truth.
When you are interested in people, what they care about is interesting.

I would also like to share my experience with conquering fear, since you cite being intimidated by those who post on a cooking forum as your reason to look for information elsewhere, although a cooking forum would be the logical choice.

I have learned that when you challenge yourself, even when you do something that is difficult and or scary, that is when you expand your own possiblities.

For example, I was raised by parents who were afraid of the water, while I had learned to swim, I was not a strong swimmer and I did not enjoy it.
However I live in an area with lakes,rivers,ocean and I wanted to be more comfortable so I could enjoy it.

I decided to take a big step, I started white water rafting. I went with a guide and others, not by myself, but even though it was scary, it was very exhilarating and it opened the door to other new experiences.

atomom

Why am I "passionless and uncurious?"

Been there. Done that. And I'm just plain tired.