Quote of the Week...from Yogi Berra

It was impossible to get a conversation going...everyone was talking too much.           ---Yogi Berra

Yogi Berra was the great Hall of Fame catcher for the New York Yankees, known for his many funny sayings that seem to contradict themselves...with the above quote this seems to be an example, at least on the surface.  For it would seem that this is what a conversation is...people talking to each other, right?  The other day my TV unexpectedly found itself tuned in to the Dr. Phil show and, as usual, he was doing his best to manipulate the emotions of his viewers by having on guests with diametrically opposed views on a hot-button issue.  They never did have what I would normally call a conversation, that is the two sides patiently alternating between listening to the other and speaking.  No, each side had their own rock-hard position, and they not only would refuse to consider the other's viewpoint but also seemed determined to prevent it from being expressed, with continual interruptions as it all degenerated into a shouting match...of course with the "good" doctor playing the phony role of neutral intermediary when he in fact was the one who instigated it all.  But you don't have to be on a reality/exploitation show to see that folks in general have problems with simple conversation, rarely ever changing their views on anything and viewing such a change as a sign of personal weakness with their standing in relation to the other side in jeopardy of diminishing.  Conversation isn't just talking...it's also listening, and doing so in an empathetic way so that although the speaker might not say everything you agree with, you can at least see where they're coming from and demonstrate this in your reply instead of "doubling down", a trend that is sadly on the rise...