I love to meet new people. I talk with a lot of people online as a result of comments on blogs, photos, videos, and more, and I’ve had the chance to meet some great people through this kind of exchange.
Over the years I’ve tried to find questions to ask new people that don’t follow the normal “where are you from”/”how’s the weather there” flow. Here are three of the questions I ask just about everyone I meet, why I think they’re important to know, and how I’d answer them.
What’s your passion?
Passion is a weird beast. I’ve found that people often don’t even mention their passion outside of their close relationships, and it’s often something you wouldn’t expect. (I think it’s really unfortunate that people don’t follow their passion more; I mean, I can understand if it’s not your main job in life, but I don’t think you should hide your passion.)
I have two major passions, really. The first is pretty obvious: photography. The second is a little deeper: I enjoy looking at how new advances in technology are affecting society, and I like attempting to explain and use that in a way that people can understand. (That’s why I love working on datAvenger, and that’s why I occasionally keep up with writing at Another New World.)
Which photo of yourself do you like best?
When I first started asking this question, I was afraid people wouldn’t really want to answer; I thought it’d be limited to people who actually did photography themselves. I was surprised, though, that people really seem to think about the question and look for a photo they really like.
The choice really reveals a lot about the person. Do they like the photo because they look really good in it? (That happens a lot.) Is it because of the people with them in the photograph? Is it because of where they are? Photos speak to memories, and I think that tells a lot about a person without having to explain every detail about the choice.
Here are three of my favorites:
The first was taken by my good friend Cait on our trip to the Rockland Breakwater. The second is the work of Jeff at the AFF, and the third is my own right around college graduation time.
What do you like most about yourself?
This, ladies and gentlemen, is my go-to question. I ask this to everyone. It’s such a simple question, but it often makes people think much more than I expect.
The two most common responses? “I don’t know” and “physically or personality-wise?” I don’t accept “I don’t know;” I keep asking until I get a real answer. At the same time, I purposefully leave the question completely open; I don’t put any limits on it. It’s amazing what you learn about a person from the response, and it’s amazing how some people really do start to fit into a couple of pretty broad categories after you ask the question enough.
Personally, I like that I’m a good listener. I might not be the most talkative (more on that later), but I’m always there. I also like that my mind’s always active and thinking about what else is possible.
What are your thoughts? Do you have any questions you tend to ask new people you meet? How would you answer my three? I’d be interested to know. If you haven’t answered them already, tell me what you think sometime!