100% agree. “Boring” intros like the weather are just a way of getting some words going back and forth with a universally uncontroversial topic. And sometimes just commiserating or bantering about something low stakes is nice when getting to know someone brand new.
I can even tolerate topics I don’t care about, as long as the other person is able to share their knowledge and passion in a way that makes you feel “talked to” instead of “talked at”.
People who just seem to want a passive receptacle for their blathering are the most boring conversations IMO.