Etiquette Tuesday: The Dominator
©JohnnaKnowsGoodFood
Dining in groups can be fun, dining in groups when one person dominates the conversation is not so fun. We have all been there with the person who cannot seem to shut-up and let anyone else voice their opinion on the conversation. I admit there are times when I’m more passionate about a topic and have to catch myself before I take over the whole conversation. It’s not until I’m around “the dominator” that I realize how ridiculous I look trying to swallow up the discussion. This week’s Etiquette Tip goes to the motormouth: shut it.
We all know how fantastic you’re trip to Belize was or how your Philly cheesesteak spot is the one that we all must visit, but we might want to share our stories too. Dominating the conversation just forces everyone else to shut up and focus on the food, which can be a good thing. After a hard day, it feels good to let the dominator take over the conversation but what about when its a hard day and you want to vent about your bad boss of the day?? The dominator will not let this happen.
It literally becomes mentally exhausting trying to interject your comments in between their running off at the mouth. There’s a reason that you go to dinner with other people: so you can enjoy the good company and conversation of others. This is a joint effort. If it is going to be a one-man sport, then can I get my food to go??…
Category: Etiquette Tuesday
About the Author (Author Profile)
Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.Subscribe
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Gosh, I hope this isn’t about me … mental note to self: STFU!
…guilty! O_o
I thought I knew who it was but I was wrong. But not really.
LoL @ Lisa! No, you don’t do this at all. You like to share;-)
LoL @ L. Denise, I have definitely not seen this side of you;-)
LoL @Mary!!
But I love to hear myself talk. LOL!
LoL, you’re not a dominator, you’re actually an excellent listener:-)
Yeah the Dominator usually ends up being the friend or the associate of one of the originally invited dinner guests. If our dinner party us large enough, the person sitting next to or across from the Dominator is stuck while the rest of us start up another conversation. Oh, but the Dominator will usually take any topic raised by someone else at dinner and find some way to make the topic apply to him/her.
If it is a small group, e.g. 4-6 people, we usually cut the dinner short at the next course and meet up after the Dominator has left to get dessert or after dinner drinks. Life us too short!
True!