Sparking interest » Talking less and asking more will make you more interesting Elliot Chan Opinions Editor tye, S opinions@theotherpress.ca very person in the world is filled with his or her own experiences, problems, and knowledge; therefore, everyone in : : backpacking trip to South : America is interesting. But : learning about your friend’s : new computer program may be : as interesting, at least to him. the world is interesting. However, in a social environment we are often put on the spot and are required to present ourselves in the most “interesting” way possible. That’s a lot of pressure. After all, we are all so interesting, and life is but a competition. It’s natural to list off the most unique things about yourself—things other people wouldn't have done—in an effort to appear interesting. You'll talk about the places you've traveled, all the cool hobbies you have, and even the accomplishments you've made. While it’s important to be entertaining, you must also remember that your interests are one-dimensional. In a conversation, it’s not something you can truly share. It’s reflex to talk about yourself when you are in a crowd, because that is what you know best. You may feel like the celebrity of the party, but in reality, you are probably : dominating the conversation. : You're keeping everybody : hostage, and that may taint : their engagement with you. The best way to appear : interesting is not to stand : centre stage, but rather to sit in the audience. Yes, your An interesting person is not : one that goes off on a tangent, : but rather connects interesting : : topics together, so search for ways : : to segue into your topics from : : theirs. While there may not seem : : to bea link between your vacation ! : and your friend’s computer : : program, there is, because we : are all part of this planet, we all : follow human customs, and we : all kill boredom with interests. : “How does he work on his : computer program when he is : on vacation?” you may wonder, : and therefore, you should ask. A great way to be interesting : is by being around people who : are different from you. It may : feel like you are on the verge : of an argument sometimes, : but that is perhaps just a : passionate discussion. So you : are not religious, but you want : to learn. Find someone willing : to share his or her faith with : you and don’t just talk about : how you don‘ believe it. Life is full of little mysteries : and each person is a clue. : The more people you meet, : the more you learn, and the : more interesting you become. : Being interesting is not the : experience that you have alone, : but rather what you can learn : from other people. Appear open Image via thinkstock : minded, with the capacity to : acknowledge other people’s : interests. That is more interesting : than dressing funny, buying : expensive items, and surrounding : yourself with people who : agree that you are awesome. My war on Christmas » As a Jewish kid who grew up in a Gentile neighbourhood, I hate December Talia Kollek The Silhouette (McMaster University) have completely different feelings towards the holidays than my father. It has never bothered him when someone wishes him a Merry Christmas. “I'm not offended if someone wishes : Christmas I will reply—at times, : coldly—that I do not celebrate. : Although on principle I haven't : seen any movies starring the : Grinch, I’ve been told that : my attitude is comparable. I fully recognize that | : am biased, but you should : understand that my resentment is not me happy unfounded. birthday While other when it kids my age isn't my It is a reminder that associated birthday,” he Christmas used to tell this holiday does not with gifts from me. “What Berltyeteprobit-moviaderiams santa, I was harm can left wondering extra good I can’t help but be why he hadn't i ” 4 od ‘ot wiheor involved in it whether [aie , my house. the other I want to be or not. Asa child of hand, European and despise Israeli parents, December. the promised Every sprig eight days of of mistletoe, every nativity scene, and every adorned tree drives me up the wall. As one of the few Jewish students at my high school, I ran a campaign to get music other than Christmas carols played over the PA system in the mornings. When someone asks me what I’m doing for : gifts for Jewish children was not : areality for me. This isn’t to say : that I now feel hard done by it; : Thad more than enough toys to : keep me busy growing up, but : it meant that I wondered what : [had done wrong to receive : the proverbial lump of coal. My : mother explained the truth to : me when she found me trying : to make a tree out of cardboard : and a green magic marker. : Finding out that I was different : from other kids in something : that is often portrayed asa : ubiquitous experience hit hard. : Every time a Hanukkah song : : was played at an assembly— : : inevitably the hateful and : nonsensical “I Have a Little : Dreidel”—people would look : tome as if to say “Is this what : : your religion looks like? Have we : : made you feel included yet?” The : : truth is that I feel no connection : : to the Hanukkah songs often : : played by Gentiles. To start, : none of my holiday tunes : growing up were in English, and : if you made a dreidel out of clay, : I guarantee you that it would : break. If you are going to include : : a token Jewish song, please at : least just do it justice. This type : of clumsy attempt at inclusion ; tends to just make me feel worse. : little that I can do about it. Every : : Perhaps even more upsetting : : tome than hearing “Jewish” : songs I don’t know is knowing : the Christmas ones a little too : well. You can only live in Canada : : for so long before you absorb : Christmas knowledge, and for ; me growing up, that was carols. : It never ceases to disturb me that : I know more tunes about the : time I get “Silent Night” or “Deck : : the Halls” stuck in my head, it : isa reminder that this holiday : does not belong to me, but that : Tcan’t help but be involved in : it whether I want to be or not. Thus, this December I 4 (S) iS) P=] mA a f=] “al G = @ a > Co) mn oo EE aa : have a simple request: please : stop assuming that Christmas : birth of Jesus than I do about the : : victory of the Maccabees. I feel : extreme guilt over being more is a universal experience. Any : holiday with “Christ” in its name : is nowhere near secular enough > assimilated than not, but there is : for the entire population to be celebrating. And please stop tokenizing our holiday in half- : hearted attempts at inclusion, : because as the kids who know : the truth about Santa long : before you do, we hold more : power than you'd like to believe.