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TIL a 5-minute icebreaker game stops my uncle's political rants cold

Every Thanksgiving my uncle Larry would corner someone and go on for 20 minutes about whatever he saw on cable news. Last year I brought a simple card game called "TableTopics" (just random conversation starters) and handed it to him right when he started winding up. He actually got distracted answering "what's the best road trip you ever took" and the whole table jumped in. Has anyone else found a specific game or trick that works for rerouting a family member's favorite topic?
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3 Comments
terry_wood51
Oh man, that's actually genius. I've noticed this pattern more and more at gatherings where people just need a little nudge away from a script they've been rehearsing all week. It's like their brain is on autopilot until someone hands them a different button to press. The trick is finding something that's just engaging enough to grab their attention without feeling like you're trying to shut them up. A good question about a favorite movie or a funny childhood memory works way better than trying to change the subject outright.
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amy154
amy15415d ago
Does asking about their first job work too?
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terry_wood51
Haha exactly, that's a mental redirect not a shutdown.
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