"New Age language"

I hear a lot about not liking hippies, how they are all crazy, or elitist, or what-have-you. In theory, I disagree; I see myself as a hippie, as one of those weird people. However, I have had many attempted conversations with people who have that energy and yet I develop a rapid dislike for them during the conversation. I figured out that it's the phrases they use, and more than that, the phrases they don't use. See, I get the whole naming your experience on your own terms, that's great, that's getting the idea out there, that's beginning to connect it to language. However, often the next step isn't taken, the step where you attempt to connect what you are trying to convey to what the other person will understand. That's the point of speaking, of communicating. I get the impression, in these conversations, that the person does not care about communicating, they just want to talk. That is extremely offensive to me; I feel it is abusive of language, of communication, and of each other. If all you want to do is express yourself to yourself, then don't involve other people. If you really do want to connect and share your experience, share who you are, then use your words, use your phrases, use your made-up linguistic musings, and then translate. As best we can of course; after all, everyone's interpretation of any word is completely unique, so we can only get so far in understanding each other through language. The point is to try.
I also think it would help if we don't respond "yeah, man, I totally feel you" to the person talking. All right, so you feel them. Awesome. Do you understand them? ;) Because maybe, just maybe, they don't just want to be felt; they want to connect.

happily,
-nava