Are you a terrible conversationalist?

One of my biggest pet peeves: people who can’t hold up their end of a conversation.

Oh, I’m not saying that every single human being is obligated to bring jaw-dropping factoids, whimsical quips and provocative perspectives to every mundane conversation.

But listeners could at least honor speakers with something more interactive than banal “filler” material like “Uh huh,” “Well, I’ll be!” and “How...