Along those same lines, I never understood why bars and clubs have such loud music as to make conversation impossible. Especially if it's just canned music, so you're not there to listen. And especially more if the idea is to meet women (or guys).
As far as I can determine, it's fashion. It's not that games and videos are intrinsically more enjoyable than conversation, or that people have more success meeting the opposite sex if talking is impossible (granted that it might work very well for some people). I think it's more of a culture/fashion thing and this can change over time.
According to a friend with a restaurant, quiet restaurants get worse reviews and people don't seem to enjoy themselves as much.
Obviously there are exceptions, and some particularly expensive restaurants are pretty quiet (I have eaten at some of them with said friend and we have discussed this phenomenon).
I think it has to do with the clientèle. At restaurants, you want to be around the buzz of conversation but not be unable to hear the people you're with, so restaurants where both are possible are better places. There's a sort of privacy within the crowd. Whereas at a dead quiet restaurant it's impossible to have a conversation of any depth because anyone at a neighboring table can hear it.
At a club most people are there to drink a little and dance, and it's much easier to dance when the music and the bass are loud enough to make you forget yourself. If GP is looking for conversation over drinks, maybe go to a pub or something instead.
I remember reading a study stating that the louder the music, the more refreshments get sold because people drink faster/more when they can't have a conversation.
If you are struggling just to exchange a few sentences, suddenly the mindless wooden banter at the bar seems less pointless. It seems more like a real accomplishment.
>> Along those same lines, I never understood why bars and clubs have such loud music as to make conversation impossible.
Bars I can understand but the point of a club is the music/dancing. You go to a bar for some conversation before the club. Seems a lot of bars are becoming part-clubs though because that's what people want (local bars and pubs have been closing down pretty quickly in the last 10 years).
for regular bars I don't know, but if you want to score at a club, talking is often a hindrance. a few looks and dancing is usually enough to get started, and the loud music can even be a pretext to go elsewhere.
As far as I can determine, it's fashion. It's not that games and videos are intrinsically more enjoyable than conversation, or that people have more success meeting the opposite sex if talking is impossible (granted that it might work very well for some people). I think it's more of a culture/fashion thing and this can change over time.