Apparently it's a version of star trek as if it were a serious drama - and looks idiotic to me. I don't really know either. But that's what she said.

So, about starting conversations, the obvious thing is to get used to smalltalk. Keep doing it; no one will think it's weird. It's space filler so they can make eye contact and interact to make sure you aren't a scary person. Ritualized interaction. If you have ever been in a country with a lot of scary armed guards, military police and random criminals, you might appreciate the value of safe and neutral interaction. Or, if you had someone who refuses to acknowledge you and say hi pleasantly in the morning, who takes their bad mood out on you, you might also appreciate it. So, these are some examples of how smalltalk is nicer than alternatives that can crop up in the broader social context.