I know many people have wondered how it is that I'm so good at pretending to listen when I'm not, in a conversation with someone I think what they're saying is boring. So I wipped up a tutorial:
If you want to learn how to pretend to listen to something boring, you have to listen at first. Know the concept, or the topic of what the person is talking about before you stop listening. This is the key thing. Then while your mind starts wandering, you have to focus back to the talker every once in a while and snap up a few key words here and there. When the person is making more pauses it usually indicates they are about to stop, whatever they're babbling about. It's extra important you start focusing here, cause now is when they will be making conclusions you should have opinions on or asking questions. If you're asked a direct question and you're uncertain of what they want you to say cause you didn't pay attention (which is the whole point here), you have two options:
1) Be vague and say something understanding or empathetic, that you agree or disagree.
2) Be brave and say that you want them to elaborate.
The second is more risky of course, cause it might make the other person annoyed and accuse you of not listening, but on the other hand it can instead make them feel that you're not only listening, but that you're also interested in what they're talking about! It's a 50-50 chance. The better you become at this, the more you can zone out, but never forget that you have to know what their line of argument is!
# Word of advice from your friendly neighborhood sociopath.
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