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What makes someone dull / boring in your opinion?

103 replies

Teadrinker11 · 29/01/2022 15:39

What do you think makes someone fairly dull / insipid? What would make someone have no personality in your opinion? What would distinguish someone who is boring from someone who is fairly memorable and would make an impression on you?

OP posts:
OldTinHat · 29/01/2022 15:40

Not smiling or engaging, no eye contact, not listening and acknowledging.

MsTSwift · 29/01/2022 15:41

Mundane literal obvious opinions. Talks in cliches. Doesn’t listen. Or just doesn’t join in and talk at all. Never shows interest in others. Negative outlook.

Strugglingtodomybest · 29/01/2022 15:42

People with no opinions, or at least, opinions that they don't share, are boring. I know some lovely people, really nice, but so, so boring to hang out with (unless they've had a drink!).

ZenNudist · 29/01/2022 15:43

It's subjective. What I'd find dull e.g. reality star spouting self centred drivel about being kind and looking after themselves whilst going on about things they own / want / needless beauty treatments and relationship dramas is my idea of dull and may be a younger person's idea of really interesting.

Feather12 · 29/01/2022 15:44

Mansplaining, talking about money/possessions, always having to be right. My DH has friend who does this and he can be really sweet, but he is a fucking dullard.

EishetChayil · 29/01/2022 15:44

Self-involved people who talk only of themselves.

WheelieBinPrincess · 29/01/2022 15:46

Someone who doesn’t really have an opinion on things, or ‘doesn’t mind’ what we eat/watch/do. ‘Up to you’ or ‘I don’t mind’ ALL THE TIME- have some personality!

Stookeen · 29/01/2022 15:55

Do you mean in general, or as a one-off encounter? I'm sure I've come off as being incredibly dull at times -- if I'm thinking hard about something in my work, I can get very preoccupied and come across as a bit vacant. To put it mildly. Grin

If you mean that prolonged contact with the person in a variety of moods would still reveal them as dull, I suppose in my case I find people who lack awareness and self-awareness dull -- an observant person who can talk well about their life is never dull.

We've been doing renovations to our house for the best part of a year, and I have absolutely nothing in common with our contractor, whose life consists of working six long days a week on sites and being asleep, so in theory, pretty dull -- but he's brilliant fun to talk to. He's a great storyteller, very observant, an acute judge of character, funny.

My brother's girlfriend, on the other hand, whom I try so hard to like, is desperately dull, pretty much exactly what @MsTSwift has described. She talks in clichés. She repeats stories that really don't even bear telling once, and if you don't express the requisite surprise and impressedness at some minor coincidence, like her seeing a former teacher of her's on the street in another city, she'll keep repeating it until you do. Aargh.

Grinnypiggy · 29/01/2022 16:08
  1. Talking about themselves continually without the give and take of a conversation. Monologue-ing I suppose.
  2. Unable to discuss a reasonably wide variety of subjects. Eg is only interested in sport. Or only horses. Whatever. Unless you share their single interest, they are boring.
Francescaisstressed · 29/01/2022 16:14

talking about money is my main one. I have a relative who I regular have to have meals with and the conversation always somehow leads to how much he earns, how much is house is worth, how important his job is and how noone could ever do it.
I think talking about stuff like that is so boring. I'd much rather he talk about his hobbies etc
I know this won't go down well but people who only ever talk about their kids. Ie when asking what they've been up to they'll relay what their kids have been up to. It's not the same thing.

AffIt · 29/01/2022 16:17

A lack of intellectual curiosity - no interest in the world around them, or questioning or learning.

gettingolderandgrumpy · 29/01/2022 16:19

People who like to be heard you know the type wants to tell a tale of what happened at the weekend and it’s usually not very interesting as in when to the supermarket etc but then don’t ask anything about yourself boring!!. I also hate the don’t minders I have a mutual friend like this she is also a very much tells a extremely long story when it’s really not necessary the highlights will do .

Lunificent · 29/01/2022 16:20

People who don’t allow a word in edgeways. People who talk endlessly about the different routines they did at the gym. People who don’t find a lot very funny.
On the whole though, I don’t come across many people like this. Most people have something to recommend them.

JohnMcCainsDeathStare · 29/01/2022 16:21

Someone who will respond to attempts at conversation with closed answers such that there is nothing to lead on to.

Lack of curiousity in anything external to them.

A negative attitude that shuts down conversation attempts.

Three word answers.

'I don't mind'

'Anything really'

Listing of things they hate and don't like but not discussing anything they like.

No passion or interests.

Reminds me of why i cannot watch soaps. The characters don't go out, don't talk about current events, never talk about ideas, have no interests not even the most mainstream ones, don't listen to music - nothing like actual people.

KatherineJaneway · 29/01/2022 16:21

Someone who goes on and on about something you are not interested in. They don't stop to enquire if it is of interest to you.

Someone who expects you to make all the conversation and do all of the 'work' while they just sit there.

People who blame the Tories for everything.

gettingolderandgrumpy · 29/01/2022 16:24

And also people that all they want to do is talk about their children . You see it on Facebook , I’m like funnily enough Susan I don’t care that little Jonny has done a wee on the potty .

Lunificent · 29/01/2022 16:36

@JohnMcCainsDeathStare

Someone who will respond to attempts at conversation with closed answers such that there is nothing to lead on to.

Lack of curiousity in anything external to them.

A negative attitude that shuts down conversation attempts.

Three word answers.

'I don't mind'

'Anything really'

Listing of things they hate and don't like but not discussing anything they like.

No passion or interests.

Reminds me of why i cannot watch soaps. The characters don't go out, don't talk about current events, never talk about ideas, have no interests not even the most mainstream ones, don't listen to music - nothing like actual people.

My partner has to list things he hates first before I eventually find out what he wants. I can’t bear it but his explanation is that the way he processes the question is to filter through what he hates first. I understand that, but I don’t want to listen to negativity. I’d love t9 hear what he wants, but he really can’t engage in that way.
shivermetimbers77 · 29/01/2022 16:44

People who show no interest in others or the world around them

Stookeen · 29/01/2022 17:02

@Lunificent, can't you encourage him to process through the stuff he hates inside his own head, and just share what he does actually want to do with you?

I mean, it doesn't actually need to be vocalised, does it?

Anjo2011 · 29/01/2022 17:04

Someone that has to constantly text, phone, take photos of themselves/the family, post this shit on Instagram .

TheYearOfSmallThings · 29/01/2022 17:08

I honestly think some people have a spark and some don't. If someone has a spark then even if they talk about themselves or model trains etc people will listen with interest. If someone lacks that spark then even if they are talking about an interesting subject, their words fall flat and people lose interest.

I suppose confidence is part of it, but definitely not all of it (I know some very confident bores).

LiveFromNewYork · 29/01/2022 17:10

People who go on and on about what they did when they were drunk, what they drank, how bad it is to drink so much.

People who are fixated on hitting 'life targets' and only want to know you/talk to you if you are, i.e an ability to be interested in different life experiences and show no interest in other people.

Someone who has has their entire personality wiped out by their children.

Someone who thinks they know everything.

People who take themselves very seriously.

I agree other things can be quite subjective so if you don't share the same sense if humour it can be dull talking to someone but it's just you not being a good match.

tiredanddangerous · 29/01/2022 17:11

Are you writing an article op?

BlusteryLake · 29/01/2022 17:14

People who constantly talk about only one or two conversational topics and refuse to be moved on from them. Also people who don't bother to find out what's going on in the world beyond their own front door.

DeeCeeCherry · 29/01/2022 17:17

Watches rolling news + wants to talk about the news all the time

Goal driven to point of never ever being happy and relaxed to just be in the moment

Rigid opinions, gets annoyed if another has different opinions and can't debate.

But you've asked a question OP and not bothered to come up with an answer yourself so I'd add:

People with nothing to say for themselves that are hard work to dialogue with, wanting you to make conversation whilst they just sit there

Doesnt like music at all

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