We enjoy the activity too much. There are so many interesting stories out there to hear and to tell. Participants can be family, friends or complete strangers. When personal contact is not available, there is always the phone. I've heard of conversation being compared to a ball game.
Someone pitches out a ball, another person catches it and pitches it back.
A conversation is started. Others may enter the game and take turns pitching it back and forth, expanding the conversation. More than one ball can be pitched into the game. Talkers enjoy the tossing and catching of the ball of conversation. They can't understand people who prefer to ignore the ball, or catch it and drop it, or throw it in another direction, to stop the game.