Perhaps it's me being dense here; what's the difference? Is talking
to people meaning that you're paying more attention to the conversation rather than talking at people, or...?
The way I personally would explain it is:
Talking
to people: having a conversation that is engaging for all parties, in which you are both speaking and listening
Talking
at people: talking to someone without really caring what they think or giving them space to speak, so you are the speaker and they are the listener
I have been caught in too many instances of people talking at me, where it felt like my thoughts or feelings weren't wanted, and the person might as well have been talking to themselves. I never really know to react in those situations, and in the past I felt like I was a doormat with no way or changing the dynamic or getting away. I have found this to be a very gendered dynamic, and that it usually happens where a man is talking at a woman (sometimes
mansplaining), though I have been in a couple situations where it was a woman talking at a woman.
I try to be a good listener in conversations and do my best to talk
to people, not at them, but there are probably some instances where I talked at someone. I generally try to be conscious of this and make sure everyone feels included in conversations.
~Psychic