Evening star., 1932-05-03

There is no use trying to holo con-
versation with some people.
They think they know it all.
And, conversely, that no one else
knows anything.
Therefore, they can be only family
amused or terribly riled by what any
one else says.
If the former, they are mildly con-
temptuous.
If the latter, instead Of calling one
a multi -worded phrase which the Vir-
ginian said needed a smile to accom-
pany 1t, they use instead the single
word "bolShevist."
With such people there is no great
middle ground where decent, sane con-
versation can exist.
What they do not ordinarily realize
is that they cut themselves off sharply
as with a knife, from much excellent
and informative conversation.
All those who are able to converse
with some measure of give -and-take
soon cCme to know them and tend to
forego talking with them on account
Of the trouble it involves
Thus these egotiStic people are de-
prived Of one of the true delights OF
life. open to all men,, but not in the
same degree
Just plain. everyday conversation.
1t would seem, offhand, that any two
men, with an average decent regard
for each other, might plausibly talk
about any subject under the sun, SO
long as each RETAINED from insulting
the other.
Just the opposite, however, is too
often the case, as every one knows.
Many men are cranks on certain sub
Jects, SO that they become constitution
ally unable to talk about these things
Or they have secret axes to grind and
thus tend to become upset when an
other. not knowing these secret banker
ingS or dislikes, infringes on what seems
precious or dangerous ground to them.
Thus the primary fault Of these very
faulty conversationalists, If we may call
them that at all, is that they do not
play fair with their victims.
They withhold something, but dare
the other to discover it, upon pain of
their imperial displeasure.
What they suffer with. evidently. is
the imperial complex, as it might be
termed.
THE king can do no wrong" etc.
X
Wrong, of course. according to their
definition, is the opposition.
Because honestly they think they
know it all!
How any individual, in such a COM
pick existence as this can seriously be-
lieye that he is the repository of all
knowledge it is difficult for the modest
man TO understand
Yet 1t Is nothing new.
When the ancient drama of Job was
written, possibly following its enact
ment, one character was forced at last
to call down" another in these Sar-
castle terms
mo doubt ye are the people and wis
dom will die with you, but" etc.
X
The "know-it- all" disposition is as old
as the hills and as fresh as the latest
violets which have just come into bloom
in the wild places of the earth.
1t must be fairly comfortable feel
ing Most of us have never had it,
feeling doubts at times of our knowl-
edge Of anything at all.
In the face of an unknown universe
and an unknown God, it Is difficult for
the mind which seriously tries to look
at life fairly and honestly to believe
that it knows very much, after all
As for being so obsessed with a fair
amount Of what the world terms sue
cess that one is honestly Of the belief
that one really knows a great deal about
everything, the man honest enough to
know he knows little is utterly unable
to grasp such a viewpoint.