Does one listen? Or pretend to listen? Having spoken does one listen to them, allowing for the possibility they might change one’s mind? Is persuasion a dialog or the imitation of one? There was a wonderful story, i think Chris Hedges related, of Buddhist monks line up in two lines at dawn and shouting at each other. Improvised or quoting bits of wisdom and poetry. It usually ended in laughter, he said. Woke up the mind. It seems very Greek to me. One is not trying to persuade so much as say ones piece. While others listen. Then they have their say. And I listen. What is revealed is that we believe what we need to. America is a particularly myth ridden thing. So lots of dubious beliefs possible. But superior condescension, concealed or blatant, wont get us very far. It has been tried. And failed.
Does one listen? Or pretend to listen? Having spoken does one listen to them, allowing for the possibility they might change one’s mind? Is persuasion a dialog or the imitation of one? There was a wonderful story, i think Chris Hedges related, of Buddhist monks line up in two lines at dawn and shouting at each other. Improvised or quoting bits of wisdom and poetry. It usually ended in laughter, he said. Woke up the mind. It seems very Greek to me. One is not trying to persuade so much as say ones piece. While others listen. Then they have their say. And I listen. What is revealed is that we believe what we need to. America is a particularly myth ridden thing. So lots of dubious beliefs possible. But superior condescension, concealed or blatant, wont get us very far. It has been tried. And failed.