[satisfice]

"People" don't hate small talk. SOME people hate small talk. But small talk is a gateway to connection. It is not to be avoided, but to be embraced-- if connection is what you want.

And the people the writer speaks of don't "hate" small talk, mostly. They are uncomfortable with it. This is not the same as hate.

I suspect some of the people who are uncomfortable with small talk are that way because they don't want to delay talking about big things. Others are uncomfortable because they don't WANT it to lead to big things. Others think it IS a big thing and are afraid to do it wrong. And finally others falsely believe that small talk means telling lies.

I like to talk about big things, but I don't mind starting with little things.