Anonymous wrote:It varies. It could be a genuine request for information. It could be a rude attempts to cut someone off. It could be a desperate third or fourth attempt to indicate that someone has been droning on about a specialized interest without bothering to notice that their conversational partner does not share this interest. So, yeah, it could be very rude. It could also be a response to the rudeness of ignoring the other person’s interests and patience.
I agree. It depends on the tone. I have a brilliant friends who is very wonky, could talk foreign policy till the cows come home, but also likes to keep up with People and Us magazines. I asked her once about why she cares so much about celebrity culture and she laughed and said she had no idea, but it was a fun diversion that became a habit. I think I asked her more nicely than just "why do you care?" But I legitimately was curious.