Neil Humphreys wrote in his book that Singaporean students could talk for hours on the topic of World War II or Biology, but when posed with questions on subjects not taught in school, for example armpits or doorknobs, they would be blank-faced and silent.

At parties, it's always the case that people have nothing to talk about, especially if they haven't been aquainted before. Too often I've seen a bunch of fifteen-year-olds sitting at the dinner table, staring blankly into their food, mouths chewing mechanically, and eschewing conversation. That sight never fails to brings to mind the picture of cows grazing, unmoving and silent except for the continuous grinding of cud-in-mouth. And the occasional fart. Any talk is always between those already comfortable with each other.

Worse still is the fact that no one even makes an effort to get to know each other. I'd be in a room with some friends, and someone I haven't met walks in. In 95% of my experiences, he/she would not introduce him/herself to new people unless introduced by the host, and even then after their brief handshake they would part ways and probably never see each other again. Throughout the course of the night, they wouldn't speak. No attempt would be made. At the end of the day, no one's phonebooks or email list has grown. Not unless you make the effort to do so, and then continue to talk to them in the future, and meet up again. If not, everything shall be for naught.

So I utterly sympathise with frustrated parents who put up with one-word answers. But who takes the blame for this lack of social skills? I've been told that the situation gets better as people get older, but I'm impatient. It's getting extremely annoying. Bah.