“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.”
― Ernest Hemingway
Tonight I had reason to think and write out a few principles of what listening to someone means to me and I thought it would make a decent posting.
Debate rather than dialogue… do we debate each other or do we champion the debate of ideas… thesis and antithesis bringing us to a synthesis..which becomes in turn a new synthesis…
Do we identify so much with our beliefs and hold so rigidly to them that we are unable to separate an attack on something we think from an attack on our being?if greater understanding is not our goal, than why are we here? This definition of debate as between people rather than ideas, an important distinction and tends to be a misapprehension fostered by American politics,
What if when we listen to each other and to ourselves, and we hear something that causes an emotional reaction, we look at why rather than assume ill intention or incorrectness on the other persons part? Can we learn to listen not just to words but to intent.What if the meat of the issue involves looking at your own reaction to what someone is saying? Listen to the space between their words and their phrasing. Do you listen to answer or do you listen to understand?
I know I would rather be incorrect and gain new insight and growth rather than be right and grow stagnant in my correctness.
Blessings,
I think it was Ernest Hemingway who they didn’t listen to. I don’t want to hurt his followers and readers but there was something morose and gloomy about him. I still can’t get his ideas. This quote is right only when you realize why people don’t listen to you. The answer is – we have different interests…or tired. : ) There are many reasons indeed.
In a way I see the subject of listening and the subject of courage to go hand in hand but yes being tired, angry, lonely etc are all things that interfere. Very often it ties into something being said that threatens our sense of being in some way. I always find it useful when I find myself not listening to someone to figure out why…
Valhalla Awaits by G A Rosenberg
Do you listen to answer or do you listen to understand — this is the question we should always ask ourselves isn’t it–I love that you brought this out
Gorgeous color palettes!
Thank you Agnes. Many blessings on this week and the full moon
I think it was Ernest Hemingway who they didn’t listen to. I don’t want to hurt his followers and readers but there was something morose and gloomy about him. I still can’t get his ideas. This quote is right only when you realize why people don’t listen to you. The answer is – we have different interests…or tired. : ) There are many reasons indeed.
In a way I see the subject of listening and the subject of courage to go hand in hand but yes being tired, angry, lonely etc are all things that interfere. Very often it ties into something being said that threatens our sense of being in some way. I always find it useful when I find myself not listening to someone to figure out why…
Thank you!!!