In today’s world, we are all about talking. We love to express ourselves, share our thoughts and ideas, and be heard. I mean, who wouldn’t love to share their thoughts and ideas with the world? But as much as talking is important, there’s one crucial aspect of communication that we often neglect — listening.
Passive listening has become all too common in our society. We’re so consumed in our own thoughts and ideas that we forget to truly listen to what others have to say. We nod our heads, say “uh-huh” at the right moments, and pretend to be engaged in the conversation, but in reality, we’re not fully present. We’re more concerned with appearing to be listening rather than actually listening.
As we become more self-centred, less considerate and less caring, this trend is becoming more and more prevalent. Think about it- when was the last time you really listened to someone without thinking about your next response?
How often do you find yourself getting distracted by your phone, your thoughts, or the background noise?
The truth is, our ego often takes priority over others, and we tend to jump to conclusions and make assumptions based on past experiences or preconceived notions. We take mental shortcuts and already have our “about me” response ready in our heads. We just don’t “feel” another person’s soul anymore.
Is this why we are losing empathy and compassion as a civilisation? Is this why our relationships are becoming shallow and trivial? Is this how we are losing touch?
We, as a society, should revisit the notion of proper listening. We need to start paying attention, be genuinely interested in what other person has to say, try to understand their point of view. We just need to be present in the moment.