Alec Rich
Writer '18
In this modern age of technology which provides us with immediate gratification, the spoken word from one’s own mouth has become much more popular than listening to the words of others. Ernest Hemingway himself once wrote “I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” Why is it that we tend to speak in greater quantities now more than ever? Has the job of listening to others and what they have to say fallen out of favor with the general public? Like all things in life, listening is an art. It requires a keen sense of hearing to pick up on the slightest changes in one’s tone, or the intonation of their voice. Even the addition of a single word can vastly change what is being conveyed, which is why paying close attention is so important. I am not arguing that we should never speak what is on our minds, this would not benefit anyone or bring about change. I am simply saying that we need to redefine what it means to listen for the modern age. I think that we should speak often when it is necessary, and listen to others in an equally strong manner. There is balance that needs to be maintained between saying too little and saying too much.
In the past election, both candidates frequently interjected during each other’s debate speeches. If a message simply goes in one ear and out the other, how can the point be argued against? Simply picking up on one or two main points of an entire speech and harping on it demonstrates that people really are not listening to what others have to say.
An example of a medium in which listening is important is in film. Movies are an interesting entity because no one is speaking back to the screen. It is a true listening experience. There is a reason however, that the box office hits nowadays are predominantly action, adventure films. People are simply not inclined to watch a dialogue heavy film out of a fear that it will either bore them to death or simply waste their time. Take a director who has mastered the art of dialogue-Quentin Tarantino. Arguably his best known film, Pulp Fiction, garnered international acclaim in the 1990s. Tarantino proved that you can make a compelling story just through speech. In Pulp Fiction, Tarantino was able to make riveting, intimidating conversations with mounting tension just by having two characters talk at a table over dinner or in the car.
His most recent film, The Hateful Eight, is literally shot in one location: a log cabin saloon. Yet, he proves that with just the spoken word, an intense thriller can be made. It is not only the fact that Tarantino writes such great dialogue that makes him an influential filmmaker. He forces you as the audience member to listen carefully for the subtle changes in tone or word choice. Take another recent film release, Fences based on the play by August Wilson. The movie has one location- a run down, two-by-four house in the heart of Pittsburgh. Upon simply reading the location of the film, one may think to themselves: how can a movie about a family with some common problems and a father with a temper possibly be interesting? Dialogue which requires us to listen is the answer. Just one word can make a character snap instantly, and it is through these smaller sequences of dialogue which builds up to the main climaxes.
Although films such as these often perform well with critics, they are usually neglected by the average moviegoer (with the exception of Pulp Fiction). The point that I am making is that listening requires attention to detail, not just the one or two words which we can remember. The problem with our society now is that we no longer have the patience to listen. We read sound-bytes that flash across the TV screens and the small snippets which pop up on our Facebook feeds. Based on those things alone, many people think that they know everything there is to know about a topic, or a person. Without fully researching a topic, sound-bytes are usually not a sufficient way to gain information.
Communication has also become a major issue today. Even the most simple exchanges have the tendency to become skewed as a result of someone not paying full attention to the person who they are conversing with. An often repeated phrase is to “listen, not with your ears, but with your heart.” By embracing what others have to say and responding after, we can potentially solve lapses in communication. However, in order to truly understand a situation and comprehend what we are being told, we must first find the right balance between listening and speaking effectively.
Writer '18
In this modern age of technology which provides us with immediate gratification, the spoken word from one’s own mouth has become much more popular than listening to the words of others. Ernest Hemingway himself once wrote “I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” Why is it that we tend to speak in greater quantities now more than ever? Has the job of listening to others and what they have to say fallen out of favor with the general public? Like all things in life, listening is an art. It requires a keen sense of hearing to pick up on the slightest changes in one’s tone, or the intonation of their voice. Even the addition of a single word can vastly change what is being conveyed, which is why paying close attention is so important. I am not arguing that we should never speak what is on our minds, this would not benefit anyone or bring about change. I am simply saying that we need to redefine what it means to listen for the modern age. I think that we should speak often when it is necessary, and listen to others in an equally strong manner. There is balance that needs to be maintained between saying too little and saying too much.
In the past election, both candidates frequently interjected during each other’s debate speeches. If a message simply goes in one ear and out the other, how can the point be argued against? Simply picking up on one or two main points of an entire speech and harping on it demonstrates that people really are not listening to what others have to say.
An example of a medium in which listening is important is in film. Movies are an interesting entity because no one is speaking back to the screen. It is a true listening experience. There is a reason however, that the box office hits nowadays are predominantly action, adventure films. People are simply not inclined to watch a dialogue heavy film out of a fear that it will either bore them to death or simply waste their time. Take a director who has mastered the art of dialogue-Quentin Tarantino. Arguably his best known film, Pulp Fiction, garnered international acclaim in the 1990s. Tarantino proved that you can make a compelling story just through speech. In Pulp Fiction, Tarantino was able to make riveting, intimidating conversations with mounting tension just by having two characters talk at a table over dinner or in the car.
His most recent film, The Hateful Eight, is literally shot in one location: a log cabin saloon. Yet, he proves that with just the spoken word, an intense thriller can be made. It is not only the fact that Tarantino writes such great dialogue that makes him an influential filmmaker. He forces you as the audience member to listen carefully for the subtle changes in tone or word choice. Take another recent film release, Fences based on the play by August Wilson. The movie has one location- a run down, two-by-four house in the heart of Pittsburgh. Upon simply reading the location of the film, one may think to themselves: how can a movie about a family with some common problems and a father with a temper possibly be interesting? Dialogue which requires us to listen is the answer. Just one word can make a character snap instantly, and it is through these smaller sequences of dialogue which builds up to the main climaxes.
Although films such as these often perform well with critics, they are usually neglected by the average moviegoer (with the exception of Pulp Fiction). The point that I am making is that listening requires attention to detail, not just the one or two words which we can remember. The problem with our society now is that we no longer have the patience to listen. We read sound-bytes that flash across the TV screens and the small snippets which pop up on our Facebook feeds. Based on those things alone, many people think that they know everything there is to know about a topic, or a person. Without fully researching a topic, sound-bytes are usually not a sufficient way to gain information.
Communication has also become a major issue today. Even the most simple exchanges have the tendency to become skewed as a result of someone not paying full attention to the person who they are conversing with. An often repeated phrase is to “listen, not with your ears, but with your heart.” By embracing what others have to say and responding after, we can potentially solve lapses in communication. However, in order to truly understand a situation and comprehend what we are being told, we must first find the right balance between listening and speaking effectively.