interesting lives

but they're not though are they?!?! so inane and noise making

This always intrigues me. As a factory worker at a small business, we work flat out all day. We talk at the same time of course, but mostly working at speed is a bit of a conversation killer so idle chat is occasional, brief and to the point. We're just too busy to indulge in the type of behaviour you describe. These people sauntering about the office with cuppas, yapping and whatnot: are they productive? Are they even good at their jobs? It would drive my colleagues, myself and most certainly my boss absolutely batty to have to deal with water cooler conversation overflow. It'd mean less focus on the work, less work done and potentially a lesser quality product.