There may be an art to conversation, and some are better at it than others, but conversation's virtue lies in randomness and possibility: people, without a plan, could speak a spontaneous, unexpected truth, because revelation rules. Telling words recur in this smart, generous conversation between Stephen Andrews and Gregg Bordowitz: patience, responsibility, feminism, ethics, cosmology, AIDS, gift, freedom, mortality.
Interpretation
Conversation is a spontaneous art filled with unexpected truths and possibilities.
In this quote, Lynne Tillman emphasizes that while some individuals may excel at the skill of conversation, the true value lies in its inherent spontaneity and the capacity for unexpected, authentic insights to emerge. She highlights that meaningful dialogue can encompass a vast array of critical and complex themes, suggesting that the unplanned nature of conversation can lead to profound revelations about important social issues.
In practice
In a public seminar about the importance of dialogue in understanding diverse perspectives.
The truth isn't the truth until people believe you, and they can't believe you if they don't know what you're saying, and they can't know what you're saying if they don't listen to you, and they won't listen to you if you're not interesting, and you won't be interesting unless you say things imaginatively, originally, freshly.
Man's inability to communicate is a result of his failure to listen effectively.
In communications, familiarity breeds apathy.
So if you aspire to be a good conversationali st, be an attentive listener. To be interesting, be interested. Ask questions that other persons will enjoy answering. Encourage them to talk about themselves and their accomplishments
If you want to get an idea across, wrap it up in a person.
Your purpose is to make your audience see what you saw, hear what you heard, feel what you felt.
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