Should one speak more or less? I think volume matters little. What matters more is to whom you speak.
Talking and cognition
We underestimate conversation's toll on cognition. Every exchange demands processing: formulating responses in real time (cognitive load 1), interpreting the other's words and intent (load 2), managing sensory input like tone, expression, environment (load 3). And the worst cognitive load is post-conversation rumination, where the mind replays and reprocesses long after the conversation is over. Whether the outcome of this much cognition investment is positive or negative, depends on the person with whom you are having conversation. The outcome hinges on their influence over your neurochemistry and trajectory.
The Energizers
Certain people elevate. Their presence, gaze, and words trigger a neurochemical cascade. You leave charged. Ideas flowing, mood lifted. Such dialogues can even redirect an entire life toward excellence.
The Drainers
Others extract vitality. Some people just suck out the energy out of you. Mere interaction fatigues, clouds judgment, and saps resolve. This is more dangerous when you are building or leading something, when you need to make a lot of important decisions daily. One toxic exchange, one wrong nerve firing, slightly less cognition, and there maybe game over for something important.
Should You Avoid People?
No. Judgment is often premature. We rarely know another's inner state. We never know what’s driving their words. We never know what chaos is there in someone’s mind - perhaps clinical depression, suicidal ideation masked as venting. Outright avoidance lacks compassion, and it’s just wrong. Instead, cultivate situational awareness. Engage briefly. In just a few minutes in conversation you can get the idea what to do next. If depth or crisis emerges, continue with presence. If superficial negativity dominates, disengage gracefully, or minimize investment. When escape is impossible (hierarchy, social obligation), voluntarily zone out. The mind often does this instinctively once it detects low value. I do this all the time. (During my MBBS internship, seniors frequently lectured on very trivial things. I would listen intently for seconds, register the irrelevance, and detach effortlessly. Mentally exploring Olympus Mons while nodding mechanically. They never noticed. This preserved my cognition without confrontation). You do not need to be conservative. You just need to be selective, and situationally aware.
An Observation: Power Resides in Silence
Intelligence and power is silent. Insecurity is loud. Stability is silent. Mastering impulsive speech grants control. Fewer words, greater impact. If there are a lot of far more intelligent people than you in a room, and you are silent just to hide your dumbness, still you are smart because you will end up learning a lot from this room. Just by being silent.
Words endure. They ripple through spacetime. A casual phrase like "Kya chal raha hai?" was once uttered by someone to check well-being. And now it's propagating across generations, embedding it in culture. A lot of such examples are there that have very different literal meanings, but are used in entirely different contexts.
Words are powerful. Speech is potent. Cognition is precious. Choose wisely what to speak, whom to speak. Always be in sense and ready to leave a conversation immediately. Conversation shapes cognition. Guard both fiercely.