The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-06-25
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The complaint is becoming general
aud growing into teriiable vail that
the art Of ,onversation is iapidly sink
into "innocuous desuetude," says the
SIemph Scimitar. Two causes are as
signed for this decay. One is that near
iy all the people 30 these days are suf-
fering from peculiar disease that
takes The form Of an exaggerated idea
u their own Importance, the effect OF
which IS TO do away almost entirely
with Che isteuer. So important fac
tor in the az Of conversation that ev-
rybody is sc ager TO talk either OF
himself. his ouairs or what interests
him 'Aciusiveiy that dialogue has been
almost annlhilated by monologue. 1t
Is declared that the modern idea or fad
"the dev ,iopment OF the individual Is
largely responsible for the disease and
its effects. this fad being carried to
such an extent that every individual
thinks he has right to alk and no
body wants 20 listen. Such menace
does the present situation appear 90
hold for the art OF conversation thai
able editorials are being written o.
leading newspapers on the subiect i1
the hope of doing something TO revive
| the listener. who. IL is feared. ia liable
to become extinct "in this age Of chat
terers" Another contributory cause
! for this decline in the art Of conversa-
/ ton is said 10 be the fact ,hat the ten
dcncy Of the ago is TO grapple with abb
struse questions. TO affect mental
depth. TO despise the ordinary Interests
and occupations in short, a foolish in
natlon of ideas has caused what may be
termed "small talk to be almost ban
| ished An editorial upon this subject
which appears in a contemporary OF
recent date not inaptly styles small
talk the Small change Of social in
tercourse" and declares it to be useful
/ and appropriate on certain occasions
and that the really interesting talkeT
/ is The one who knows when to be earn
est and when to adopt a lighter vein
| Writing of English society, George
! Smaley says: "Lccturing is not con
! vrrsation. Il was once tolerated in
/ England. II is tolerated no longer MOI
does a habit ot monologue recommend
any body to the good will of the com
pany Concision. l1ghtness OF touch
a quick adaptability. quick perception
OF the prevailing notc and degree oI
! conformity TO it-thpse are among the
qualities which are valued and which
give tone 20 conversation.
Conversation consists largely Of illu
sions. a There is a kind of so
cial Shorthand which expresses Who'll,
sentences by a - lines and dots
tragmentary phrase and perhaps
gesture. a look. an intonation NJ
less an authority than La Bruyere de
clares that the secret OF conversation 4
not so much In a display of esprit a.
in giving others a fair opportunity Il
shine The trouble seems 10 be tha
everybody wants to shine but nobod,
wants to give others the opportunity {,
do so. and the editorial previously re
forred to makes the,.fof0wing interest
ng and suggestive statement in refer
ence 10 file situation: "Thought-trans
:, 6efence would be a still further I'M
provement upon this social short
hand. and perhaps We shall come 4
that at last when the human race de
spairs Of finding anyone willing % as
sumo the modest role of listener"