The dying art of conversation
is a sad fact of modern society.
Many people say that it is
already dead, buried by email, texting and instant messaging. Social media is
the final nail in the coffin of the art of conversation. Now we talk just to
exchange information rather than for the pure pleasure of a meaningful spar
between two people.
It all started with the
arrival of the email. What was envisioned as a business tool was soon turned
into a medium of personal messages. The email took the place of a phone call
and replaced this last mean of human contact. However, email did not receive mainstream
acceptance and social gatherings like dinners and cocktail parties kept the art
of conversation alive.
The arrival of cell phone was
the final straw. This device is the main reason why a whole generation does not
converse. They chat, message, email or send out instant messages, but never
converse with each other.
Having a good conversation is
not difficult. The rules have not changed much since the days of Greek who
first introduced the world to the delightful art of conversation. Every
educated person in ancient Greece was expected to hold their own in a
conversation and great matters were settled during casual conversations.
The Victorian era was the heyday
of the art. Everyone in the society from the lowly servants to the heist
aristocrats was an expert in the art and a good conversation was the common way
of spending a pleasant evening.
Modern technology has made
every person an isolated island, which exchange snippets of information with
similar islands. This situation is usually mistaken for a conversation. The art
of conversation, although dying, is not completely lost. The habit of
conversation requires careful nurturing to elevate it to the status of an art.
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