'What do you do?' Being defined by your job

I dread this question when meeting people for the first time, what do I say? I'm not working and haven't for a while due to all my health probems ganging up on me, so do I say that, (usually) do I say what my last job was, self employed hairdresser, what my current and over riding interests are gardening, cooking and history, so should I say I'm a gardener, a cook or an historian? Do they count as I'm not paid for any of them. Or should I say that I'm a human being rather than a human doing?

Why is it so important to NT's to know what work you do, what your profession is so as they can decided whether to talk to you or at you or walk away and ignore you? The only equivalent I can think of for ND's would be 'whats your special interest?'

What do you say when asked this question? 

Do you conform and say what your paid work is/was? 

How do you feel about having to play this game?

Does it put you off socialising?

Parents
  • I don't know why you can't have a conversation with someone which isn't intrusive.   Which works along the lines of listening to what the OP wants to say, and responding, rather than to 'interview' them.   Is it that hard??  

    They call their conversations 'socialising'  when they aren't - they are horrible, and pressurised.  

    The truth is that people say far more when they aren't being questioned anyway, so their tactics are absolute rubbish.   

Reply
  • I don't know why you can't have a conversation with someone which isn't intrusive.   Which works along the lines of listening to what the OP wants to say, and responding, rather than to 'interview' them.   Is it that hard??  

    They call their conversations 'socialising'  when they aren't - they are horrible, and pressurised.  

    The truth is that people say far more when they aren't being questioned anyway, so their tactics are absolute rubbish.   

Children
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