When you meet someone new, what do you want to know about them?

Their hobbies and interests. These two things say alot about a person.

@daloon lurve for the question

I want to know what they do for a living and what they’re interested in, then take it from there.

If Its for relationship purposes I’d like to know:
*How often he/she brushes their teeth.

If It’s a buddy I’d like to know:
*What they do for fun.
*If they’ve ever traveled outside of the country & where.
*What nationality he/she is.

I feel that asking too personal question will sound like invading their personal life dont you think. So no personal questions. Depends really in which situation i am in also. if for example, i am in my working place and i meet someone new, i will ask what is his profession and go on from there. If im in party , then thats totally out of context. If im stil in school, i will stretch the conversation by asking his hobbies and so on.

@mea05key: oh dear me. I probably didn’t write the question well. I want you to feel free to spread your wings. What would you ask if you could ask all the questions you really want to ask. I know what happens in real life. I want to know what would happen if people could have all the information they really want!

I would want to know if they are armed, have killed anyone for fun, have stalker tendencies, been in a maximum security insitution and just escaped…. This is so I can increase the spatial distance between myself and the other person, as quickly as possibe.

Beyond that, I would prefer someone to reveal what they want about themselves at their own pace or comfort level. Sometimes it’s not as fun knowing a lot of raw data about someone, since it doesn’t really define them as a person to me. I mean, their life may look good on paper, but what does that really tell you about an individual’s personality? The conversation itself is the key to learning about a person.

The thing I’m most interested in, underneath it all, is whether this person and I have anything in common that we can build a relationship on. Doesn’t have to be a romantic relationship—I’ve made a lot of friends at work because we have a shared interest in good tea, for instance—but there has to be something in common.

I’ve found that the question of what someone does for a living is only occasionally interesting or useful—there are many people who do what they do for a living because they have to do something to pay the bills, but whose true passions and interests lie elsewhere.

I want to know:

-what they love in life
-what they do for work
-whether they love it (and if they don’t, what they do love about their work)
-where they live

And as I feel into this question, I realize I am also sorting for something else, underneath our conversation.: How interested are they in me, and how much capacity do they have to listen? Do I enjoy this person’s energy?

Most communication is non-verbal. I learn a lot about people from watching them. I pay attention to how they interact with me and others, especially in conversation, and how their body language and voice changes with respect to what’s being talked about. That tells me a lot about what kind of person he or she is and what interests they have.

I know I’ve mentioned it before, but the I believe the Eddie Izzard remark is true; 70% is what you look like, 20% is how you say it, and 10% is what you say.

I usually ask what they do for a living.
What is that like?
Are the ropes to tight?
Stuff like that.

I want to know how many people they’ve had sex with and how many different drugs they’ve tried. What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made in your life?

What? I’m just being honest…

Of course I just end up asking them something boring like, what do they do for a living. But we all really want to know the dirt. That’s just how we are. Well, I guess I can’t speak for everyone, but that’s how I am.

Good point, swingliner. That reminds me, since we’re imagining here and it doesn’t necessarily have to be realistic, I’d love to know:

-What’s the boldest, most honest thing they could say to me (while still being kind)?
-What’s the most intimate, revealing thing they could say to me?
-What’s their motto? What pain in their life inspired them to hold that as their truth?

If it’s a woman I’m attracted to…
-Is she single?
-Is she attracted to me?
-What are we waiting for?

Basically everything. But the thing is, I am too much of a listener. SO will be like “Hey I love going shopping at this mall!” Then, later in life, I won’t forget that, and SO will mention something and I will eventually say “Oh yeah, you like shopping at this mall!” Then SO will be like “STALKER!!”
Hard life…

What do I wish I knew?

Their prejudices, their level of knowledge, their quirks and fetishes.

I just want to know if we will be able to get along.
Can we talk longer than 5 seconds?
Do our personalities clash or flow?

If the “new person” is a male then there’s 2 questions I use to find out all I need to know.
Women are different. Usually that “relationship” can be decided by body language and mannerisms.

I like to know if they’re packing any weapons!

Will they have sex with me?

@TitsMcGhee: Have you actually said what you want to say, and, if so, does anyone ever say “no?”

If I were single, I don’t know if I could wrap my head around the idea of saying “no.” Then again, maybe I could. The way I see myself, if you were to ask me that, I’d think you were crazy! I was always afraid of crazy people… until I became one.

I like to know if it’s a good idea I run a background check on ‘em before it goes any further.

Everything! People are endlessly fascinating to me. If I have to narrow it down, I’d like to know their politics, their capacity for tolerance, their level of intelligence and if they are kind.

@aprilsimnel I completely agree with you on that. That’s why I hate the telephone and until recently the Internet. I would much rather talk to someone in person.

I usually ask them how they feel about seeing me naked. That is a REALLY good way to learn about someone, trust me. :-)

I’m an introvert in person. I’d want to know how they got into my cave!

i’m really music oriented i guess, because usually within 5 minutes of meeting someone i want to know what they listen to. there’s a lot i want to know about people though, but not much i usually ask.

@tiffyandthewall: Me too! But I listen to almost anything, so it’s hard to disagree with anyone.

if they have something in common with me.