Well for me it requires less thinking. Like kinda just skimming the surface. Especially when im doing something else distracting like playing a game or watching tv. For me, small talk just means I’m not talking to in depth, just taking the bits and pieces of someone else’s reply and just answering that.

My brain hurts
I wonder what my difficulty with social interactions is. I don't think I need a roadmap to interact, I struggle more with starting and holding up a conversation. Maybe it's because I'm usually in my own head and my first instinct isn't to do the small talk, I do have to consciously remind myself to actively listen and ask follow up questions because it's expected socially. I do better with more meaningful conversations but those are rare and with a select few trusted people. Another part of my struggle is, I tend to listen more than talk. I take in the information given to me and nod but I don't know what to say after somebody feeds me information XD

I find small talk meaningless, I guess? Does that mean I'm stuck up? I don't think I'm better than anyone, at least not consciously. But right now I'm wondering if maybe not caring enough about the small talk makes me a bad person somehow. I guess that's my biggest issue with being social. I want to be liked and perceived as nice and polite but I either don't care or struggle, or seem aloof. I'm really self-conscious.

Also I haven't been taking my medication for a few days and now I'm beginning to see the effects. My thoughts are everywhere and I'm being very negative about everything.

Well sometimes meaningless conversation is relaxing. Like I’m fine with it. If I wanted in-depth convos, i probably wouldn’t do them here all that much. Id take it to a more private conversation lol. But having someone to rant to is always good therapy. I find getting stuff off your chest is good. Or even keeping a journal. Altho I don’t, it might be helpful to other ppl.

Anyways, I don’t really know, I’m currently distracted watching reruns on tv lol.

I've always found small talk to be "safe topics" that basically anyone could/would be more or less interested in. Like the weather, easy to find common grounds kind of topics?
Which is actually harder than it looks because, in my mind at least, safe topics are kinda hard to come by.

So I'm usually hanging on the topic decided by the person I'm talking to, unless I can see it turning to something I don't want to talk about with strangers.

I guess I'm a bit like you mem. Which might explain why I have few friends. Like, there are people I find fun to talk to at work but it will never go beyond that and I don't really want it to.

Social interactions are hard.

For me, sometimes I just talk about something totally unrelated if I can’t find something to say. Like what I’m watching right now.

I admire you XD

I'd be so scared the other person would be bored.

Me, I just keep on going. Go with the flow. If no one comments, I switch to something else. Just runs off my back lol.

I suppose it partly comes down to being willing to let the other party take responsibility for themselves.
If they're bored, they can change the topic too, right?
If they're part of the conversation, then they too have the options.

Of course, if you're talking to someone a lot younger or a subordinate or something, then they might be trapped.
Easier with peers, that way.

Iunno llol. I don’t talk much irl. I chat more online. I feel like irl, I’m somewhat obligated to talk about more personal stuff. At least online, I can press delete if I don’t want to say something lol.

And edit.
I love edit.
If you garble your words because you change you mind about which one to use mid-speaking, there's nothing you can do about it.

With posts?

You can edit!

I love that.