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Even without full Christian perfection, a good conversationalist can learn to "conceal his self-love" enough to do no harm. His greatest help will be in knowing when and how talking of self is legitimate and desirable, and when it is not. Bacon says categorically, "Speech of man's self ought to be seldom, and well chosen." That is exactly true. One never ought to indulge in it before thinking twice as to whether the time is apt. But Bacon's considered advice does encouragingly imply that one may at times do so, and possibly should. There are three types of self-talk which are proper. But they are proper only at restricted times and places. In the order of restriction, the first is one's innermost hopes and fears; the second is one's philosophy of life — one's political and religious views; the third is personalia, that is, impersonal chitchat about one's habits, routine, and experiences, comments on indifferent matters about ourselves. |
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