Monks, do not engage in the various kinds of pointless talk, that is, talk about Kings, thieves, and ministers of state; talk about armies, dangers, and wars; talk about food, drink, garments, and beds; talk about garlands and scents; talk about relations, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, and countries; talk about women and talk about heroes; street talk and talk by the well; talk about those departed in days gone by; rambling chitchat; speculation about the world and about the sea; talk about becoming this or that.

For what reason?

Because, Monks, this talk is unbeneficial, irrelevant to the fundamentals of the holy life, and does not lead to fading away of strong feelings, to freedom from strong feelings, to elimination, to peace, to direct knowledge (experience), to Enlightenment, to Nibbāna.

(Reference: SN 56.10)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares that Ordained Practitioners would be unwise to discuss topics such as those mentioned in this Teaching.

Gotama Buddha’s objective for Ordained Practitioners was to keep them focused on learning, practicing, and sharing these Teachings so that they could eliminate the discontent mind for themselves and guide humanity in eliminating their discontent mind. Therefore, Ordained Practitioners who discuss these topics of “pointless talk”, would be taking away from their effectiveness to share these Teachings with the widest audience possible.

Ordained Practitioners are sustained through offerings by Household Practitioners. So it is important that they develop their own practice of these Teachings and then share The Teachings with Household Practitioners so they can benefit from The Teachings and improve their life. If Ordained Practitioners are speaking in ways that is unbeneficial to those who are interested to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings using “pointless talk”, it detracts from one’s ability to be an effective Teacher.

Through an Ordained Practitioner or Teacher eliminating these topics of conversation from what they choose to speak about, they will be of more benefit to those who seek to understand these Teachings through staying focused on sharing The Teachings, not “pointless talk”.

Additionally, if an Ordained Practitioner or Teacher is looking to have the widest audience possible to be interested in learning with them, if they did speak of these topics, it would alienate a large segment of a population based on having opposing views.