Observation: People now use Google as a verb for looking anything up on the internet. Whenever we have to look up something on the internet, we usually say, “I’ll just Google it.” That’s how much the search engine has become a part of people’s lives. Also, people mostly open Google.com to check if their internet is working.
I am proud of myself for one thing… I can talk about anything with anyone and carry the conversation for as long as it lasts. It sounds boastful, but it also sounds like it is not a big deal. You are right! It’s not a big deal, and neither is it boastful.
To clarify, I mean meaningful, engaging conversations that go beyond greetings to form lasting relationships. As much as I would like it, I can’t call myself an expert at anything to carry a conversation without being thrown out of the room. You don’t have to be an expert. You need to know what’s happening and keep up with it. This is not in the “fake it till you make it” mix. In my experience of becoming “good” at conversations, I figured out the answer to staying in the room and keeping your audience engaged. The answer is “Just Google It!
Has this ever happened to you?
Scenario – Between Friends
I was sitting with the friends I had met after a long time. I am a digital marketing professional; one was an engineer, and the other was an entrepreneur. Professionally, there is little we can discuss, the overlap is there, but we only explore it a little. The conversation veers from one topic to another, and school/college stuff is discussed. I am paying attention to everything but need help understanding some of it. One of them mentions, ” …GDPR has made it even more difficult…. “
I am thinking about what GDPR means. (I am not stupid… I didn’t get it at that moment) From there on, I am missing context. You are in my situation. What do you do?
Scenario – Between Colleagues
I joined work less than a month ago. I am sitting with my colleagues. As you might expect, there is a discussion that I need to fully understand, given that I am new at the job. There is much more jargon and unfamiliar topics since I neither know the work nor the people. I am expected to contribute to this discussion at some point; I can only avoid it for a while. When my turn comes, I want to say something witty to make an impression (duh!). You are in my situation. What do you do?
Scenario – Between the Lines
I am reading a book alone. This is chilled out. There is no risk of being judged as dumb by anyone. In the book, I eventually realized I needed help understanding some terms. The author has no space to explain it in detail for a good reason. Could the terms be crucial for the remaining pages of the book? Would it be helpful if I knew what these terms are? When reading a book, it’s essential to read the lines but, more importantly, to understand what’s written between them. It makes sense to get the most out of that book and keep everything from slipping. You are in my situation. What do you do?
Here’s what I did…
JUST GOOGLE IT!
Scenario 1: I dropped out of the conversation without letting anyone realize it, opened Google on my phone, and looked up the term. GDPR was Europe Data Protection Regulation (Phew!). I was aware of it but didn’t know the time of GDPR. Armed with the context, I jumped back into the conversation as quietly as I had dropped out. No one knew what happened, but I had a meaningful discussion and learned something valuable. I learned about privacy and data concerns; it was all over the news.
Scenario 2: The terms floating in the room weren’t unheard of. I didn’t know about them. I began listing these terms on a notepad under “Google it, “not wanting to take my phone out during a meeting. When my turn came, I said my piece, and matter-of-factly, I was honest about not having an idea; people were empathetic. Later, I Googled all of the terms and built the context I needed for the next time. It was during this incident that I became consciously aware of this habit.
Scenario 3: Whenever I see something in a book, I Google about it. Reading books becomes an immersive experience. It adds to my knowledge, gives me information, gives me context, and helps me develop more profound insights. It helps me understand the subject matter better.
All of this Googling gives me conversational fodder. I can talk about finance because I have heard the terms. I still don’t understand things, but it helps me ask more intelligent questions. This, in turn, gives my conversation partners the impression that they are conversing with someone worthy of their attention.
It gives me better control of the conversation as I can change subjects if needed. I can renew a dying conversation without any awkward silences.
Scenario – Between the Scenes
Conversations aside, randomly Googling has its advantages. It leads me to the information I would otherwise never find. Sometimes, when I am done watching a movie. I Googled about it, opened its Wikipedia article, went through its cast, and then the Wikipedia articles of some cast members. I find some exciting trivia.
For example, while Googling Rocky 4, I discovered that Drago’s wife in the movie was married to Stallone then. It may not seem helpful, but it makes for an interesting comment when discussing Rocky (and you will be discussing Rocky sometime or the other).
Googling about a biopic leads to reading about the person, people related to him, people related to them, the causes they champion, and just all sorts of things. I came to know Scientology was a thing when I looked up Tom Cruise. I didn’t pursue the matter, but I know it exists. That’s good enough.
This habit of looking everything up on Google is a part of who I am now. It’s served me well even though I wasn’t looking to develop this habit. It has broadened my horizons, and I will continue to do so.
The Google Bonus
Did you know: The inventor of the radio, Marconi, was supposed to be a passenger on the Titanic, but he couldn’t make it. Also, something called Reporters Without Borders lists India and the USA as the enemy of the internet.
I don’t know what you will do with that information, but I found it on one of my online excursions. My challenge for you is to find the facts about Marconi by Googling Titanic.