The virtual world ~ T.V., radio, Internet, i-pods, cell phones, Black Berries ~ has to a great extent replaced one-on-one, face-to-face conversation. The New York Times ran an article announcing that soon one can have a virtual girlfriend on one's cell phone ~ that is, "a computer-generated woman who can converse on thirty-five thousand topics."*
We frequent the pubs, churches, cafes, bookshops ~ the community centers for the most part with the expectation that we will get into an interesting conversation with someone but how many places are conducive to good conversation? Loud music, crowds, multiple big screens ~ all compete for our attention.
A Neat Little Bookshop customer, while looking for books on humor, revealed that he is in Toastmasters International. One of the requirements of members in their quest for good communication is a series of speeches on humor.
We believe the real world is still out there. One just has to take the time to find it!
*Stephen Miller, Conversation, A History of a Declining Art, Yale University Press, 2006.
http://www.toastmasters.org/
We frequent the pubs, churches, cafes, bookshops ~ the community centers for the most part with the expectation that we will get into an interesting conversation with someone but how many places are conducive to good conversation? Loud music, crowds, multiple big screens ~ all compete for our attention.
A Neat Little Bookshop customer, while looking for books on humor, revealed that he is in Toastmasters International. One of the requirements of members in their quest for good communication is a series of speeches on humor.
We believe the real world is still out there. One just has to take the time to find it!
*Stephen Miller, Conversation, A History of a Declining Art, Yale University Press, 2006.
http://www.toastmasters.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment