When Conversation Stops Being Shared- When bores bore each other.

When Conversation Stops Being Shared- When bores bore each other.

From Mind the Gap by Michael Comyn

March 28, 2026 · 10 min · Season 4 · Episode 11

About this episode

Michael Comyn explores the nature of one-sided conversations and the importance of awareness in communication.

We’ve all met them. The person who can hold the floor without drawing breath. The one who doesn’t quite notice when someone else is trying to speak. The conversation that somehow becomes… one-sided. In this episode of Mind the Gap , Michael Comyn takes a thoughtful and quietly humorous look at what it really means to be “a bore.” Taking inspiration from a line in Dancing Queen by ABBA, “I’m nothing special… in fact, I’m a bit of a bore,” this episode moves beyond the joke to explore something more revealing. Because being a bore isn’t just about talking too much. It’s about awareness. Or the lack of it. It’s about what happens when conversation stops being a shared experience and becomes something more like a performance, with an audience that never quite agreed to be there. But rather than pointing outward, this episode turns the lens gently back on ourselves. Where do we miss the cues? Where do we hold the floor a little too long? And what does it take to bring a conversation back into balance? This also marks the 80th episode of Mind the Gap since the podcast began. A small milestone, and perhaps a fitting moment to reflect on something so central to the series itself, how we…

People in this episode

Host: Michael Comyn

Topics covered

  • conversation
  • communication
  • self-awareness
  • social interaction
  • listening skills
  • personal growth

Keywords

  • bore
  • conversation
  • listening
  • awareness
  • communication skills
  • social theatre
  • self-improvement

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Dancing Queen

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