Why is it so useful to know some interesting topics of conversation?
...Because as an interesting person, you have a stream of thoughts swimming around in your head, don't you? They range from the absurd to the practical and you can't wait to share them with the world.
And unfortunately, from time to time, you may run out of questions to ask: a silent, awkward blank appears. Maybe the girl you're talking to is giving you stage fright, or your discussion partner is as interesting as a wet plastic bag. What if you were the wet plastic bag? What can you do?
Well...
Nothing in life is achieved by skipping steps, including a successful and stimulating conversation. So when you run out of questions to ask, start again and think of a topic to talk about. Finding a topic to focus on is the perfect springboard to lead you into an interesting conversation. There are many topics of conversation, ranging from family to work to hobbies to dreams.
Once you have an idea of where the conversation should move, you can start thinking about questions that relate to the topic. Things will progress naturally from there and before you know it, you'll be looking at the clock wondering where the time went.
Below we have some interesting conversation topics for your enjoyment. The conversation questions cover a wide variety of conversation topics perfect for starting interesting conversations!
List of Interesting Conversation Topics
Conversation starters are the best way to get to know someone you don't know. They are meant to help you know who you are talking to and to make you feel comfortable with each other.
Here are interesting topics and questions to start a conversation:
Conversations on Beauty
Beauty is all around us, and strangely enough, we probably couldn't live without it. But can we define beauty? Maybe or maybe not, but at least you can explore the idea of beauty by having a discussion with these beauty conversation questions.
- How does the absence of beauty affect people?
It can be physical, emotional or abstract beauty. What are the results if one of these is not present?
- Is beauty only in the eye of the beholder, or can we say that some things are universally beautiful?
It's debatable. Something that you find beautiful may not be beautiful to someone else.
- What makes a person beautiful to you?
Appearance? Attitude? Personality?
- What makes a work of art beautiful to you?
Artists create art knowing that their pieces will not be appreciated by everyone. You have to have guts.
- What is the best compliment you have ever received?
My grandmother, what big teeth you have!
- How have beauty standards changed over the years?
- Where is the most beautiful place you have been?
- What is the most beautiful song you have ever heard?
- Are there any striking examples of beauty in art?
- What is the most beautiful thing in your life?
Conversations on Friends and Family
At best, these two are interchangeable. True friends are like family and true loved ones are friends.
We all have one, the other, or both, and talking about the people who can define us is a great way to know who you are talking to.
- Which of your friends or family do you admire the most?
Everyone has a friend or family member they wish they could be like.
- What did you do as a child that your family still doesn't know about?
Is it still buried in the backyard?
- What are the most common reasons why friendships fall apart?
Sometimes things just don't work out.
- What is the best way to make new friends?
How to Make Friends by Dale Carnegie is an excellent resource if you have problems with this yourself.
- What is the most annoying type of friend?
The freeloader? The gossip? The stinker?
- What separates true friends from acquaintances?
Friendships can be difficult, especially if they are not reciprocated. What is your definition of a true friend?
- Do you have any family traditions? If so, what are they?
Mothers are the masters of family traditions. What does she drag to you every year that you secretly love?
- Who are you most like in your family?
- Who is the most generous person in your family?
- Do you like to go to family meetings? Why or why not?
- How often do you see your parents?
- How important are family ties to you?
- How has your family shaped your personality and who you have become?
- What is the best and worst thing about your family?
- What quality do you value most in your friends?
- Are some of your friends completely opposite to you or are most of them like you?
- Do you make friends easily or do you find it difficult to make new friends?
- Who is your strangest friend? What makes them strange?
- Are you a good friend? Why or why not?
- What is the best way to make new friends?
Conversations on the Universe
Now here's a great topic to talk about! Space, the final frontier. The vastness of space is a real headache, but that doesn't mean you can't have an interesting conversation about it! Here are some questions to get you started...
- If you could go anywhere in the universe, where would you go?
A light year is the distance it takes light to travel in a year. About 6 million kilometres.
- What is the coolest fact about the universe that you know?
Thinking about the seeming limitlessness of the universe can be scary. But you can handle it.
- Would you accept a mission to colonise another planet if it meant never returning to earth?
Astronaut Scott Kelly has spent the last year in space and the effects it has had on his body are amazing.
- If you could ask god one question, what would it be?
Ignore your thoughts about the existence of God and use your imagination for this one!
- Where would you most like to travel in space? Assuming you could get there instantly and survive the extreme conditions.
- Do you think space tourism will be booming in the near future? Why or why not?
- What is the most important thing astronomers should look for?
Conversations on Travel
Travelling is essential to becoming a more worldly person. So get out and experience the world. It's easier than you think.
- What's the most interesting place you've visited?
Most travellers have a favourite.
- If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
Where would you leave everything behind?
- If you could travel anywhere in the world with anyone, where would you go and who would you take?
Who says you have to take anyone? Solo travel is great for exploring who you are.
- When you think of "home", what do you think of?
Home is where the heart is.
- Hotel or tent?
The great outdoors or the comfort of being indoors?
- Have you travelled to different countries? Which ones?
- What is the most relaxing place you have been?
- Do you prefer to travel alone or in a group?
- Where would you like to travel next?
- What is the best way to travel? (plane, car, train, etc.)
- What is the best thing about travelling? And the worst thing?
- What is the longest plane trip you have ever taken?
- What is the worst hotel you have stayed in? And the best hotel?
Bizarre and Unusual Conversations
These questions are just plain fun and can turn a conversation into a nonsense one!
- If you could add a word to the dictionary, what word would it be, and what would it mean?
- What is the most unusual thing in your wallet, pocket or purse right now?
- If all your furniture came to life, which one would scare you the most?
- If your best friend wrote a book about you, what would the title be? And your worst enemy?
- Time stands still for everyone but you for one day. What are you doing?
- If you could call anyone in the world and have an hour-long conversation, who would you call?
- You have to relive one day of your life forever. Which day do you choose?
- If your mind were an island, what would it look like?
- What flavour of ice cream would you like to see exist?
- What does your personal hell look like? What about your personal paradise?
- A portal to another world opens before you. You don't know how long it will stay open or if you will be able to come back after your passage. What are you doing?
- If you had a personal mascot, what would your mascot be?
- You find a remote control that can rewind, fast forward, stop and start the clock. What do you do with it?
- If you were king/queen, what would your throne look like?
- If you were on the run from the police for a crime you didn't commit, where would you go?
Conversations on Values
Everyone should have a defined set of morals and values. Think about what is important to you and make sure you live up to the standards you have set for yourself. No one can take that away from you.
- What is the one challenge you would never want to face?
- If you could, how would you change the world?
- What real life situation where you stood up for someone or something?
- When and where do you feel closest to yourself?
- Do you say "yes" too often when you really mean "no"?
- Why is it sometimes difficult to forgive others?
- What are the most positive and negative times in your life?
- How have your strengths helped you succeed? How have your flaws hindered you?
- What are your biggest goals for the future? What progress have you made in achieving them?
- Who are you really? Who is behind the mask you show to the world?
- What is stopping you from being the person you want to be?
- Where is your life going?
- How do you think you will die?
- How would you react if there was irrefutable proof that God does not exist? What if there was irrefutable proof that God did exist?
Conversations on Humanity
- If you had the world's attention for just 10 seconds, what would you say?
- What is the controversial issue - social or political - that you care about?
- What do you think is the most significant event in the history of the human race?
- What will the world be like in twenty-five years?
- Is human nature constant or shaped by culture? Can human nature be completely changed by culture or society?
- Are humans better at creation or destruction?
- What are the best and worst parts of human nature?
- If pushing a button meant that you got 5 million dollars but it also killed 5 people somewhere in the world, would you push that button? What if he only killed one person or what if he killed 20 people? What if the people were people you knew?
- If you had to sum up the whole human race in three words, what would they be?
- What aspects of humans have made us a successful species?
- What is the best way to explore human nature: psychology, philosophy or biology?
With the right questions to ask, the right topics of conversation.... and an open mind, you should be ready to start any conversation with confidence and enthusiasm. Of course, you are not limited to these interesting topics. Talk about anything you are passionate about and you can't go wrong.
So what are you waiting for? Go out and have your own interesting conversations!
