I can think of very few things that annoy me more than when people interrupt me. You can be in the middle of the most interesting and intriguing story and you’re really getting into it and then here’s the climax and–! Someone just interrupted you. Uhm, hello? I was talking here!
When someone interrupts you, it shows that they don’t care what you are talking about and that what they have to say is more important than what you were saying. You could be talking about how your grandmother just died and how it was a hard time for you and they’ll interrupt and talk about how their cat threw up pink vomit yesterday morning. Sure, that’s definitely an interesting story, but there is a time and a place for that, which is NOT when someone else is talking. Show some respect!
It comes off as rude, snobby, and arrogant. People typically don’t like people like that!
Besides, how can you have a decent conversation with anyone if it’s completely one-sided? All you get is their opinion over and over and over. Whenever you try to get a word in, they completely plow over whatever sentence you were trying to form and chug along full speed ahead. The most riveting and intriguing conversations are ones where you go back and forth and feed off of each other and debate, not just listening to one person go on and on while you sit their quietly wishing you were somewhere else.
That’s another thing, no one wants to talk to someone who constantly interrupts them. I have a friend who goes to my church, and she can be really fun, but I can’t hardly stand talking to her! You can ask her one question and she goes on and on about this and that and she’s like this little baby tiger; Whenever you try to put a word in edge-wise, she feeds off of that one little word and she transforms from this cute little baby tiger into this human-eating monster! Because of this, I don’t like talking to her and try to avoid it at all costs. I’m sure I’m not the only one either. People tend to stray away from them interrupters and as a result, they don’t have many people that want to be around them! Life can be lonely for an interrupter!
I don’t appreciate people who only listen to themselves and not to others. It’s a very self centered way of living your life and something that you shouldn’t do. They then tend to be very close-minded. They think their opinion is right and only theirs is right, hence why they don’t even try to listen to what you have to say.
It is also rude to interrupt into a conversation you weren’t even a part of. You are not only interrupting just one person, but multiple persons, and destroying the pleasant conversation they were having with your unneeded and unnecessary comment. There probably was a good reason you weren’t invited into the conversation to begin with. The conversation could be something really private and personal, and you just come barging in with no remorse and interrupt any moment that they may have had. Don’t just assume that you’re wanted in the conversation. You know what assuming makes people…
So the point of this article is to not interrupt people. It’s rude and you make the other person want to pull out some duct tape and duct tape your mouth shut!
I totally agree with you, Becca…. I hate people interrupting me! And I’ve got a lot of friends who love interrupting me and telling their own story! And when they do interrupt me I feel shouting on them, but instead I simply end my story abruptly and keep quiet. This article was really to the point! I wish a lot of people would read it!
My boss is notorious for this, she wants to be in every conversation thinking she is the floor leader and the elementary “Show and Tell kid” on all topics (90% non work related) every single day while the rest of us work. She will finish a conversation on one side of the room only to pause for a moment to catch a few words from another conversation opposite side of the room and jump in with her “trump card” usually making it about her in one form or another. I even had someone ask me directly a question about my son’s building progress on his new home only to have another person chime in and answer it for me. Even though I have learned a valuable “how not to be” life lesson, it is still frustrating to not have a voice and to not be heard.
it depends, my family tends to do this to me only. It really p*ss me off, that when i am talking, they would talk and interrup my talking. (i know they are not gonna change) And they dont seems to understand how rude, and would start blaming me for getting angry.
Oh my goodness! My mom does that. Sometimes she walks into another room while I’m talking! When I do mention how rude it is, not only does she blame me, she gets really upset and walks out! Unfortunately, the only way to get her attention is by yelling. Of course that has consequences. I’m a grown woman in my forties. Very upsetting & frustrating.
I completely agree, and I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to deal with a person who repeatedly does this to you? I ask because I know this one girl who does this to me at work while I’ll be talking to someone and she’ll jump in and change the subject to talk about something about herself. What’s even more annoying is she usually won’t even look at me when she talks, and just seems to address the other person, as if to act like I’m not even there. So, I don’t want to be rude myself and call her out directly, but what would be a good way to
point out how disrepectful this seems?
Well said. A lot of online articles regarding this subject essentially blame the person who’s being interrupted. They assume that the interruptee is too long winded or is not speaking with authority. I disagree completely. The interruptors are the offenders and they are the problem. Some people just naturally have little consideration for others and a resounding need to be everyone’s focus. Unfortunately, our society is becoming more selfish, and interrupting is increasingly the norm.
I don’t advise people to follow my example, but I deal with interruptors by limiting contact with them, or cutting them out of my life completely.
You need not be nice to not-nice-people. Though interrupting is ignorant there is nothing innocent about it. It’s a censorship tactic to prevent you from being heard because you touched on a point they can’t refute. If they succeed in pissing you off it will wrongfoot your thought process (which is what they are trying to do). I treat them like the “invisible man” and will ignore questions/comments from them for the remainder. They talk then talk over you then they talk some more. Oh but they’re pressed for time? Guess what….so the @&$?!$ am I.
Sounds like people as so sensitive about what they are saying that any Add-on is taken as an insult. That their self esteemed is so fragile everyone must cater to their needs. Maybe instead it’s the person is so actively lelistening that the yy have something input that add to the conversation and if were to be brought up after they person. Is done talki g it would loose all effect.
Many times people who interrupt are not trying to Add to a point, they are trying to detract, negate, refute what is being said before the point is made by the speaker. You know: premise plus premise equals conclusion. I don’t think the original comment was referring to people who want to add to a point. It is also used as a tactic to divert and anger the speaker in an attempt to wrong foot his thought process. That’s why general Roberts deemed it out of order under Roberts Rules of Order. Sometimes it’s innocent: too many times it’s not.
I agree
My daughter will call me and while we are talking , she will suddenly have a conversation with someone who is walking by her…or she will scream at the dogs, etc. It is really rude especially when I’m talking and she totally interupts to so “hi” to someone.
I agree. The only people in the world who ever interrupt me are my parents, and they say it’s the way people talk? BULL****! No one in their right minds interrupt people in a conversation. Go and listen to Alicia Keys and get it through your head. No one! No one!
People actually blame the person who is interrupted !!!
People who interrupt generally do so to censor the other person because either they don’t want to hear what the person has to say because it’s a truth that they can’t refute, or what’s worse they do it in an attempt to twist your words around and make it seem like you said something you didn’t, that’s what happened when you only hear three words the person has to say and then assume the rest. It is very rude it is very unnecessary and someday I hope edicate laws become common law and maybe just maybe if an interrupter had to spend 6 hours in jail every time they interrupted someone they might not do it again. I know this seems harsh but hey that’s the only way they’ll learn sometime
I found this article because I am so fed up with my boyfriend trying to justify why it’s okay for him to interrupt me mid sentence. He says he’ll forget what he wants to say or, he’ll say, that’s how people have a conversation. I am at the end of my rope trying to make him understand
My husband do it all time and it really p*** me off I think it’s really rude. I thought maybe he got to have the floor so I just walk off. RUDE!!
Yes, very frustrating. I have a family member who frequently interrupts everyone. Some people are verbal processors, some are afraid their thought may get passed over if they don’t insert it quickly. I thought my family member was getting over losing a spouse that dominated their conversations in the past.
Nope. J**** just likes to talk.
All the time.
When someone talks over you or cuts you off (and it wasn’t you hogging the floor) it’s inherently selfish. Everybody needs to be heard at some time or another, but as we all learned in grade school, it’s important to take turns.
My family member (who has been scolded by all of the other members of the family for this bad behavior) now gets a steady dose of “I wasn’t done talking” from all of us.
It usually works. The instances when it doesn’t? We get up and leave the discussion/speech. Not in a huff or with a dramatic air. Just walk away.
If it’s in the middle of an argument, that’s a different scenario, but the two tactics still work remarkably well. Either explain you’re not finished completing your thought, or remove yourself from the debate before you get angry (which in some situations may be what the interruptor is trying to do), and walk away.