Aliens in This World

Maybe it’s just me. I’m not particularly good at interpersonal interaction. But I thought the idea of conversation was something like this:

Person A advances a comment. “I like burgers. They’re meaty and juicy.”

Then Person B either agrees, disagrees, or expresses neutrality on the point, first providing a segue:

A. (Smile) “Yeah, burgers are yummy!”

B. (Frown) “I’m sorry, I don’t agree. Burgers are yucky. Hot dogs are much better.”

C. (Horrified look of disgust) “Are you nuts? Burgers are cruel to cows!”

D. (Shrug) “Aeh. I could take or leave ‘em.”

The thing I think I’ve noticed is this: Person B doesn’t feel any need to segue into a contradiction of Person A’s point. But he usually doesn’t provide a flat contradiction, either. In other words, Person B doesn’t scream, “Burgers are murder, you daft carnivorous monster!” Person B says something like this instead:

(smile and nod) “Oh, yes, I agree. Burgers are bloodsludge on a plate that only a serial killer would eat.”

This messes Person A up. Person A is busy listening and nodding to the nodding, agreeable Person B, who then delivers what can only be described as a direct contradiction right in the face, like a cut direct. No warning, no gear change at the natural places for it in a conversation.

Do people do this to you all the time, or is it just me? Why do they do it?

Is Person B trying to trick me into agreement? Is Person B so sure I must agree with their point of view that she didn’t actually hear what I said? Is Person B overly reluctant to contradict me, and only throwing in her actual opinion at the last second? Or am I missing some obvious non-verbal clue of disagreement that took place earlier?

Comments are earnestly elicited.