Too much sharing?

[CyanMaker]

Several times lately when I've been in a group of women the one sitting next to me will start showing me family pics on their phone. It goes on and on with detailed comments about these people I don't know. One lady bragged about her granddaughter endlessly and showed pics of her son's entire house. I try to politely keep from looking bored but this seems to be happening everywhere I go. I guess since I'm on the quiet side they have me pegged as a good listener. Does this happen to any of you?

This is something I've been on the receiving end of all my life OP. People going on endlessly about things and people on their own lives, talking about people I've never met, as though I should know all about them.
And there is no reciprocation: if I say anything about myself there is barely a pause before they resume their own agenda.

I'm very quiet too. I also had it instilled in me by my parents that it was " bad manners" to talk about myself and that I should always ask other people about themselves. This back fires time and time again because other people don't have the same inhibitions about talking about themselves and their lives in great detail!

My biggest ICK is people shoving their phone at you ordering you to look at something. Even worse if it's a video. BORE OFF! It's slightly different if you were maybe discussing a topic of mutual interest, but I DGAF about other people's holiday photos, kids or things they find 'funny'. I worked with a woman who used to do this in a daily basis and I had to ask her to stop as I simply couldn't work uninterrupted. Drove me insane.

Think yourselves lucky! I recently had this on a flight to Singapore. No escape for 13 hours!

Yes, but also colleagues and friends over sharing about anything gynaecological..period flow, menopause. I really don't want to know those details thanks. I think I preferred it when people were just a little more private generally.

Oh, didn’t you know we’re supposed to be more ‘open and honest’ about these things nowadays? And not all Britishly buttoned-up and reserved? 😉

But sharing those issues can help with understanding of our own bodies. That’s a good thing. We can now say words like period without it being something to be ashamed of.

I never said we need to be ashamed but I really don't need to hear Sandra from accounts telling me she's flooded through three pads this morning or Hetty from HR wanting to engage in "all girls together" giggly chat about hot flushes and memory loss. I don't really need that level of detail from anyone. It doesn't help me.

Thank you for responding. It might not be so annoying if these people showed some interest in OUR lives. I still couldn't go into so much detail though.