How to start an intellectual conversation? The struggle is real, and in the age of 140 characters and selfies that have more face than thoughts, it can be an ordeal to find thought-provoking intellectual conversation starters. But don’t you fret, we have you covered, mate. 
Here are some themes and subjects that can help you get started.
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Intellectual banters and intelligent conversations are a rarity today; many are even calling it a lost art, and we cannot not agree! Usually all we talk about nowadays is our problems (narcissism much?), and more than often they are really trivial struggles that are part and parcel of the human life, which we tend to overdramatize to bring attention to “our cause”.
Talking about your problems is not a bad thing, and yes, it should be encouraged, but if that is the only thing you talk about, then god help you!
Case in point: I remember having this conversation with a friend who through the entire chat (more like monologue!), spoke about how the AC in her in-law’s house isn’t powerful enough, and the television has no HD channels!! Yes, I have not met her after that.
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With such people, even trying to steer the conversation in another direction does not work! They are most likely to go off tangent in a minute or two of you starting a new discussion. So with these folks, you have no hope. But what about those with whom you have, and all you need to do is ignite the intellectual flame in them? Here are some starters that will help you do just that!
12 of the best intellectual conversation starters
You can be someone who has had enough of people who talk only about themselves or you could be someone who only talks about himself or herself, but wants to change that, here are some issues and subjects that will help you get started.
1. Theories about aliens!
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Did you just cringe? Then please explain how ET became so popular? Also, even if you disregard the concept of aliens, how can you ignore how cute ET was?!
Why is this on the list? Because everyone has an opinion about aliens: Whether they are real or not, whether they are coming for us or not, etc. etc. Moreover, a conversation regarding aliens just doesn’t end because it has so many offshoots. There will be reasoning, there will be arguments, and there will develop new theories.
2. UFOs
The discussions that develop around aliens and UFOs are not the same, and unless you have been in both these conversations, you will not know what I am talking about.
You may not believe in aliens or UFOs, but you cannot deny that there are people who claim that they have been abducted by aliens, right? You should read their stories, and even if you still don’t believe them, I guarantee that you will be fascinated about how compelling their stories seem.
Before beginning the conversation, ask Google to help you out a little.
3. Political inclinations and associations
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Many people say that they are not interested in politics, but little they know that how they are a part of politics. A human being is a political being, whether he agrees or not. And so, why not get a little educated about political theories and ideologies.
If you are not interested in party politics, no issue, because that is only the top of the iceberg. There is a lot to the science of politics than party politics. Read about it, and you will see how you cannot wait to share it with someone.
4. Talk about personality types
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You know what extroverts and introverts and ambiverts (people, who, depending on the situation, can be introverted or extroverted) are, but how about digging a little deep about the Myers-Briggs 16 personality types? Doing a little research on this will not only make you more aware of the people around, but importantly, it will make you more understanding.
Personality types are very interesting even as something to read about when alone.
5. Trivia time
Trivia is fun, and if you are good at it, expect people around you to be spellbound when you share your ‘random pieces of info’. You can even quiz your friends, because people love fun quizzers!
It is a fascinating subject, which again has no end to it, because one topic will unintentionally/intentionally lead to the next one.
Now trivia can be about anything. It can be about books, architecture, history, and it can also be about TV series, movies, songs, and cartoons!
6. The life after life
This is a captivating topic, unless you are conversing with someone so religiously inclined that he or she won’t “debate” on the existence of something which their religion has already established or refuted.
Also, talking to an atheist in this case, might be a drag, if he or she is not will to budge from their convictions, not even for the sake of a conversation.
But with open-minded people who like arguing and to analyze the possibility of everything, this can be real fun.
7. Reincarnation
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Reincarnation is a subcategory of the previous topic and a very controversial topic, but for those you are liberal in their thoughts and discussions, this can be an enthralling theme of debate.
Approach the subject with an open mind when you read about it. You can even steer the talk towards a fun conversation about which era would you want to live in or who you think you were in your previous life or who you would want to be in your next life.
8. The past
History is a vast subject, and conversation around it can never end because we will never run out of yesterdays if we have a today to discuss.
You can even talk about historical movies. You can even analyze the different personalities that we have gifted to history; talk about whether or not Hitler was a loony, and why and how Gandhian principles have captured the world’s imagination even after 69 years of his assassination.
History can be really interesting when you look at it with wonder and don’t study it to just pass in an exam!
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9. Conspiracy theories
These are my favorite on this list, because they are fun and there is no answer to them! Conjectures is all that you can rely on, and there are plenty of them to pick from.
Talk about why you think Lennon was shot Did Lee Harvey Oswald actually kill John F. Kennedy, or is that the biggest cover-up? Talk about whether or not Subhash Chandra Bose actually went missing or if he is still alive (yes, many people believe that!). Talk about all that you think the government’s hiding from its people. There are so may crazy facts out there that your conversation will never end!
10. Talk about movies, but on a deeper level
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There are so many movies that you can have intellectual conversations. Even movies that look dumb on the surface, have layers that no one never noticed. May be you missed a satire that the filmmaker was trying to make with a funny scene, so how about watching that again and talking to your movie buff friends to get their insight on the whole thing. Even a single line from a movie, like this line from The Truman Show, “We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented”, can make you think so much about life, and when you think, you have to share it with someone. J
11. Discuss the news
Yes, it can feel negative at times (all the time!), but you cannot ignore it. Also, the news will give you so many leads about diverse topics of interest. It could be something about caste, or religion-based discrimination, or cyberbullying, but following the new keeps you updated about what’s happening, and if you watch the discussions on the news channel (and survive the “shouting match”), you will learn how to analyze the same piece of information in different ways. This will widen your perspective which will make you a better conversationalist.
12. Aspirations and dreams
Talk about your dreams, the wildest ones. Talk about what made you relinquish them, or how you plan to achieve them. Talk about the fun things you always wanted to do once you grew up, but now they seem so foolish. You can talk about how you thought you will change the world when you were a kid. You will realize that you are not the only person who thinks that way. And who knows, these conversations might encourage you to take a small step to do something good for the planet or the fellow humans around you.
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If you want to have an intellectual conversation, then you MUST give these topics a try.
That’s a wrap on today’s post about intellectual conversation starters. Did you find this useful? Let us know.
Also, if you have some starters of your own, starters that we missed out on this post, please share them with us in the comment section. We love hearing from you!
See you again tomorrow!
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