THE ART OF LISTENING.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17748, 27 April 1923, Page 11

THE ART OF LISTENING.

to the ttrro* or "to* rixse." '. , Sir,—-There are signs that the art of. listening is fast becoming a lost art. There is no scarcity of talkers, but the trouble 18 to 'get people to listen. Those who taiir loudest often absolutely refuse to listen to anyone who may happen to disagree with them. This will, in time, of course, produce chaos, ill-feeling, and a state of society almost unbearable. I was struck with what happened in the British House of Commons the' other day. A member House, once famous for its good taste and breeding, wai iu the act of speaking. The speaker was a lady, too (Lady Astor), and she was almost drowned with tho interruptions from the Labour side of the House. Tho Speaker intervened, and had to remind the interrupters that they must learn to listen as well aa talk: "otherwise," he pointed ont, "there is no debate." I am afraid that the bad manners of people who refuse to listen to others if it doesn!t suit them are cultivated in early with the inevitable result that thay cannot behave decently to anyone—not oven to a lady—when they entff public life. I would bke to ask whether such a subject as "good mannerst should not be taught in our publir. schools. .In my opinion—and I speak from experience—tho general manners ! of many of our young people ate simply atrocious. —Tours, etc., MANNEBB MAKE THE MAN.. P.S.—Since writing above, I see that the Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania has been prevented from speaking by .MUIUS