My friend, Blair (who doesn't post near often enough, in my opinion), just posted about our lack of conversation in society today, and the tragedy that it is (he's also talking about some movies he really loves).
And he's right.
I heard recently that writing is the work of thought. It takes effort to organize thoughts into meaningful, non-nonsensical combinations of words and ideas. And I think good, deep conversation is the same way.
And that's why I crave it. And, I also think, why I see it all too infrequently.
Our quick-results, instant society too often wants to have something in our head (hey, I'm an info junkie, too), rather than analyzing to come up with some conclusion of our own, to have thoughts and ideas of our own, to have anything ideologically that (gasp!) wasn't planted in our head by another person putting it out there into the public arena.
Good conversation... so rare... so loved... so missed.
Have you had a good one lately?
- John
Currently listening to:
My kids playing.
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2 comments:
Hey John,
Thanks for the link to my post.
Like you, I literally "crave" the type of conversation we're talking about here.
I find that some people don't think it's missing from today's society. And maybe they're right; maybe it has just morphed from being face-to-face to text-to-text. Still, I don't see how such impersonal communication will ever replace what happens when people sit down together and "let it all hang out."
I think something similar has been lost since people stopped writing letters and took up e-mail. I find that sitting down with a pen and paper brings out a completely different side of my personality than when I just click away for a few moments and press 'send'.
Geez, when did I turn into my father? You know, always talking about how much better it used to be.
The circle of life continues...albeit at an ever-increasing pace.
Hold on. It's only going to get worse.
See ya!
Blair,
I hadn't really thought about the handwriting a letter versus the typing. I suspect that it has a lot to do with the fact that handwriting is a much slower process and causes/allows us to slow down and really consider what we're saying.
I'm going to have to start handwriting letters again. I haven't really done that in years.
And as for us turning into our fathers, hey, I can at least say that my Dad never (and still doesn't) listen to The Clash or The Sex Pistols or Nine Inch Nails, so I guess I'll never completely turn into my Dad. (Besides, I've got more hair than him. ;-)
We'll have to get together for good conversation at some point when I can get to Texas. I'm still holding you to showing me where the good Tex/Mex places are. :-)
- John
Currently listening to:
All That I Want - The Weepies
Weathervanes - Model Engine
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