Can we talk?

I observed two gents of my acquaintance engaged in a commonplace male-bonding ritual--discussing Monday Night Football. They had performed this rite many times before, with remarkably similar dialogue. Innocent enough. But this was the full extent of their infrequent "communication." They never progressed farther or delved deeper, never learned anything meaningful from each other about themselves or anything else. Just words. Blah, blah!

Chitchat, each distractedly half-listening to the other, may be a useful form of social intercourse, as long as both understand and accept the nature of the exchange; but if we are to converse, I must have your full, undivided attention, and I will give you mine.