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Everyone, the man with the two talents as well as the man with the five, can and should train himself to enjoy thoughtful conversation. The most effective step is a simple act of the will. In such conversation, it is probable that more of the talking will be done by the man with the five talents, and more of the listening by the fellow with the two. But this need not make it less enjoyable for the latter. Many a college student has enjoyed a lecture thoroughly even though the presumably five-talented professor did all the talking. Learning something new is in itself one of mankind's most distinctive pleasures. If a person determines to learn something new out of a discussion of the relative merits of classical music and "swing," or the difference between socialism and democracy, or the quarrel between the American Federation of Labor and the CIO, or the meaning of secularism and personalism, then he will get something from the conversation, and deep down in his heart he will enjoy it. He will also be an asset to it, a stimulant to the conversation, for he will be a constructive listener. He may next manage to read a few articles on those themes, after which he will enjoy conversation about them actively as well as passively and begin to throw his weight around in it. |
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