from Verse Seventy-TwoSo when you do not listen deeply to something, you do not know it clearly; when you do not know it clearly, then you cannot plumb its essence, and when you cannot plumb its essence you cannot perfect its practice.~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~
I seem to be one of the few people in the western industrialized world who does not own, at least, one cellphone. I will certainly grant that some people need them for work or family reasons, but their ubiquitousness is much overdone in my opinion.
Wherever I go, people are talking on their phones. They talk as they drive and many don't pay as much attention as they should in operating a motor vehicle. They talk in the grocery store -- Honey, what should I buy? Ever heard of making a shopping list? They talk at public meetings, in restaurants, at the gas station, the library, the post office, the transit stop and while walking down the street.
Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk.
With everyone doing so much talking, I often wonder who is listening?
From the many conversations I overhear -- you can't but help it! -- most of these conversations are inane and no one is listening. People constantly talk over the top of each other and interrupt each other. It ends up being not an exercise to share information but just to exercise the jaw muscles!
Is it any wonder that we have so much strife in the world? Few people have cultivated the skill of listening. And then they wonder why no one understands each other anymore.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
Wherever I go, people are talking on their phones. They talk as they drive and many don't pay as much attention as they should in operating a motor vehicle. They talk in the grocery store -- Honey, what should I buy? Ever heard of making a shopping list? They talk at public meetings, in restaurants, at the gas station, the library, the post office, the transit stop and while walking down the street.
Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk.
With everyone doing so much talking, I often wonder who is listening?
From the many conversations I overhear -- you can't but help it! -- most of these conversations are inane and no one is listening. People constantly talk over the top of each other and interrupt each other. It ends up being not an exercise to share information but just to exercise the jaw muscles!
Is it any wonder that we have so much strife in the world? Few people have cultivated the skill of listening. And then they wonder why no one understands each other anymore.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
I'm not sure mobile phones per se are the cause of so much lack of listening. I've used my mobile device to have some fairly enlightening discussions--I use it in lieu of a landline, which I do not have. On the other hand, they have a really pernicious effect in that they allow inconsiderate persons to introduce noise pollution into libraries and computer rooms.
ReplyDeleteI've heard that if you use a mobile device at a filling station, you are liable to catch on fire. DOn't know if that's true or not.
Of course, cellphones aren't the CAUSE of the problem. I was writing a bit tongue-in-cheek. That said, the way some people talk so incessantly on them, I'm surprised that their heads don't explode OR catch on fire...wherever they are! :D
ReplyDeleteI see you've changed your virtual name.
I now have more Vitamin C than I did before. :)
ReplyDeleteI have a phone, a fancy one, but hardly ever MAKE calls on it. (In fact, I think I left it at home today. I'll get by.) One of the calls I received recently was from the service provider, apparently in Mumbai, to tell me I'm not "maximizing" my plan. I don't make enough calls, text enough, or surf the web on it to justify the expense. How weird is that? Of course they make their money when people "overuse" their plan.
ReplyDeleteI am reminded of the story about the guy who is talking to a farmer in his yard...the farmer's phone starts to ring in his house but he ignores it. The guy says, "Aren't you going to get that?" Farmer says, "Hell no, I put that in for my convenience, not theirs."
And don't get me started on call-waiting. Sorry, hold on, I have another call. What ego! Love that farmer.