It is no secret to my closest
friends that I am not
much of a conversationalist.
Perhaps I am a reaction
to a mother who loved conversation
and ranked it right
up there with other forms of
expression that she revered:
theater and art. Ironically, so
long as I can stay awake, and
no matter how vibrant any
conversation might be, my
preference has always been
for listening.
The only conversation arena
that appeals to me is the
classroom, a place where
for thirty years I encouraged
discussion for the sole purpose
of developing critical
thinking and reading skills.
Get me out of the classroom
and my conversation skills
disappear. Who knows
why? I have always been
comfortable in my own skin
and have never needed
thought to be fueled by talk.
I enjoy writing because I can
communicate with others
without the immediate give
and take of conversation.
Of course, writing requires
a conversation with the self
that emerges as black letters
on a page.
My most prized form of
conversation is either with
my inner voice, which does
not hesitate to put me in
my place when I get a bit
high minded, even unintentionally
disingenuous, or
a private chat with a close
friend. Lively conversations
do energize me from time
to time, but they are as rare
as the chance appearance
of a sand hill crane in my
neighbor’s pasture.
I have been thinking a lot
about communication since
reading this passage in Reinhold
Niebuhr’s book ``The
Irony of American History’’:
``The inventions of writing
and printing represent two of
the most important chapters
in the history of culture. But
the further elaboration of
communications in the arts of
mass communication have led
to the vulgarization of culture
as well as to the dissemination
of its richest prizes among the
general public.’’ We hear a lot
about twittering and tweeting
these days. Curmudgeon that
I am, I will never be caught
either twittering or tweeting.
Actually, as a birder I will
tweet once in a while to cajole
a bird out of hiding, but that is
as far as it goes.
Young people especially
seem to be drawn to instant
messaging, as if waiting were
some sort of spiritual sin.
I have never quite figured
out what all the hurry was
about anyway. Most of the
public chatter that I hear
these days is utterly useless,
insignificant, and often quite
inane. We rightly lament the
loss of those cultural practices.
Hawthorn Hill
January 26, 2010
Hawthorn Hill: Prefers listening over talking
- Hawthorn Hill
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- Swallow talk and bluebird vigilance I assume the swallows have returned to Capistrano. They have returned to Hawthorn Hill as well.
- 'Geezering: an act of doing stuff with another old guy It is a bright sunny day. I should be out back in our woodlot geezering with my neighbor John.
- Winter tree sparrow visitations have been rare on the hill Tree sparrows are lovely little birds, most conspicuous for their russet caps, white breasts and a distinctive charcoal smudge about mid-breast that makes one think that they are perpetual Ash Wednesday celebrants.
- Of Carolina wrens and crossbills We will remember this year for a number of reasons, among them first-time visitors to our bird feeders. Aside from reporting data to Cornell every five days as part of the Project Feeder Watch program, I keep on close watch over all the avian activity up here on the hill.
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Think before you speak, tweet
One of our dearest and most valued gifts is our ability to both think about and talk about ourselves. That is the gift of language. I have always felt that every living thing has some sort of language, but we are so lucky to be able to communicate through speech and writing.
- Of bikes, fishing rods and philosophy Every time I go to the garage, either to get something or start up the car, I am reminded of at least two activities that I thought I might get to at some point, even in earnest. Intentionality is something philosophers give some thought to. I suspect I would be an ideal case study.
- End of the season; time for a break By tomorrow afternoon we will have harvested the last of our vegetables. Two lonely stalks of kale, today snow capped and a bit bent over after being buffeted by the hurricane's winds last week, will take up primary residence in a kale soup whose makeup we have yet to determine.
- Election Day thoughts I have voted, and despite my strong feelings about who the winner should be, I intend to focus on other things the rest of the day. Let the talking heads spin themselves into rhetorical dizziness until the wee hours of the morning. The sun is shinning. There are some late fall chores to turn to. I look forward to an outside day preoccupied with sunny thoughts.
- Walking, across the pond One of the best reasons to travel is to get out of one's cultural skin for a while. It is also a great way to pick up some pretty useful ideas.
-
Gabby
This is not an essay I want to write. We had to say good-bye to Gabby several weeks ago.
- More Hawthorn Hill Headlines
