Where are the Snowdens of Yesteryear?

Confidence is kind of like time, in that it is getting spent whether you like it or not. In many cases and situations I am not confident. Not with girls, there are simply not enough girls that meet my ludicrously high standards of virtually incompatible personality traits for me to bother approaching. It must be some recessive gene designed to preserve energy.
But many things I don't have confidence to do, like approach companies, ask for money or deal with French customer service reps.
Largely I don't like asking for things I want, and like even less asking for things I need. That is probably where I come across my most artificial.
Unfortunately I am confident at bludgeoning a conversation to death. The pleasantry 'what do you think of...?' can be a conversational kiss of death if directed unwittingly at me.
The art of conversation I learnt is a simple two step process, no more is necessary.

1. respond to the person's last statement.
2. ask a question.

1 I have down, and if people aren't confident to stop me, I will stay on 1 for half an hour at minimum and 4 hours at max. I am with time and many sessions in front of the mirror getting marginely better at remembering step 2.
But what really horrifies me, is that I act like I know, and I really don't simply by sensing an abscence of authority in the other person. That's why I say there's probably a certain fixed amount of confidence between two people, and it usually goes to the person who simply takes it.
And I just take it like a reflex, much like I am one of those people that will just keep eating the mixed nuts if they are put out for people to snack upon until its all gone.
I would have made an excellent oil tycoon.
But its scary when your mind drifts from the subconscious up to the present moment and you notice that rambling voice is your own and your conversation consists of you talking while someone else listens.
And that's when I normally remember step 2. And my responses will be '...but anyway you were saying...' and fortunately I have pretty good recall. But man is it painful to be self conscious of how self centered one really is.
Anyway enough with this post.