Today, we mourn the passing of Good Conversation. In times past, people not so dissimilar from us, connected and bonded through simple acts of conversing. Baring souls and laying thoughts adrift in the sea of mutual discussion allows principle sharing and refinement of ones viewpoint.
We all have seen the slow and untimely failing of Good Conversation’s existence in these times. Technology, thought to ease the time and effort required to complete daily responsibilities, hinders more that it helps. People spend their days flying through work believing that faster is always better. Yuppie scum approach at the pub with the itemized checklist of putrid starters which do not lead to a conversation but rather a base of answers only utilized to measure their own self worth against. To hear, “what do you do?”, “where do you work?”, and “where did you graduate/where are you from?” all before names are exchanged should immediately flash warning signs to all that this is just someone not skilled in the dying art of conversation.
The quality of life provided by our dearly departed Good Conversation remained proportional to the quality of the conversation and the etiquette utilized during that cerebral/linguistic relationship. The ability to listen, to know when to ask questions or provide a comment, and the manners to allow one to finish a statement rather than cutting them off in the hopes of hijacking the conversation all signify the conversing party as one of respect and understanding of what made Good Conversation vital to an enjoyable lunch, a pint at the pub, or a walk in the park with a sweetheart.
Alas, there is precious little to keep Good Conversation alive in these trying times. Our only hope is that those who remember or were exposed to the beneficent nature of Good Conversation will keep it’s memory alive and try to educate those who lack the understanding.
Ashes to ashes…
Dust to dust…
Amen.
Tags: Conversation, Talking, Yuppie Scum
