Conversationally Deaf

We are mentored by our favourite screen faces, which do everything so loudly, cleverly and colourfully that we lose our ability to hear, and become conversationally deaf. You notice it when you have stumbled on a great idea and try telling someone about it but within moments they have changed the subject and are talking about something else, probably themselves. You quietly realise that they were not listening at all—at least not hearing. Love is not like that, it is so interested in others that it is ingenious at entering into the speaker’s inner world and allowing itself to be immersed in their imagination and thoughts. Soon it is asking questions—real ones—not just contrived ‘showing an interest’ questions, and you know that this person has seen what it is that made you so excited.