Why Trying to Be Less Awkward Never Works

You know that thing where someone is walking toward you, and you move one way but so do they, then you move the other way but so do they, and you repeat this dance until, inevitably, one of you says, “Shall we dance?”

Awkward moments like these can be panic-inducing, and judging by the number of books and articles and videos on awkwardness that have popped up in recent years, this is far from a unique worry. So many of these try to help by offering outrageously specific advice. Don’t let a conversational silence last longer than four seconds. Memorize this easy formula for politely ending a conversation: “Content Summary Statement, Justification, Positive Affect Statement, Continuity, and Well-Wishing.” Tilt your head and point your feet toward people you’re talking to, in order to show them that you’re interested in what they’re saying.

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