How many innovative ways are there of Not-Listening to the Speaker/s ?[/b]
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“This is a Boring Subject/Topic” ; We come into the hall and sit for a few minutes before shouting to ourselves that the Topic of the Talk is uninteresting and either disrupt the setting or find a fellow to rant to.[/b] [/b]
Finding faults with the way the speaker is talking --is one common way of doing it. We are very keen to look for certain mishaps or misspells in his speech. Any redundant phonetic blunder never escapes our notice. Indulged deeply in all this, we miss out on the core concept behind the speaker’s speech.[/b]
Jumping up and down, the moment you find something that either you have extensively looked at or just something that you have a rapport with/disagree with. You begin to look at it with your binoculars/magnifying glass even if the requiem is of a Telescope/Microscope.[/b]
Lying in wait for the speaker to utter the key facts and noting them down. This is a side-effect of our educational system; where we were forced to do it this way to cope with the massive course work, which you breezed by after browsing cliff-notes or Together-with series etc; and eventually aced the exams too. We never thought for a second that it won’t work all the time.[/b]
Trying to categorize the Speaker’s speech by your methodology. This again has roots in our education system. But I think that pausing a while to ponder over what the speaker actually wants to convey is more important than making a quick “TEXTBOOK” report and submitting it the other day.[/b]
Studies have revealed that our mind can process about 500 words per minute, but even the most eloquent of speakers have an output of 150 words at the peak of their discourse. The listeners, more often than not are wandering on the beaches of Goa with Edward Cullen / Scarlett Johansson ; In their dreams. This time should instead be put to use in summarizing and processing the information in your mind. [/b]
Feigning attention to the speaker by frequent –Hmmm or hmmhmmm’s. Nodding is also an effective way of doing it. This is a side-effect of hearing your Mum telling about the weather in your city over the phone; complete with metaphors , similes and onomatopoeia, when you are running late for a meeting.[/b] [/b]
This article humorously yet pointedly identifies several common and often subtle ways individuals engage in "Not-Listening" despite physically being present. It critiques these habits, many of which are rooted in educational experiences or social conditioning, and highlights how they hinder genuine comprehension and engagement with a speaker's message.
Common Pitfalls of Ineffective Listening
The author outlines several "innovative ways" people fail to genuinely listen:
Premature Judgment of Subject/Topic: This involves quickly deeming a subject "Boring" and consequently disengaging, either by disrupting or finding a fellow complainer. This highlights a closed-mindedness that prevents any opportunity for learning.
Focusing on Speaker's Flaws: A common tactic is to "Find[ing] faults with the way the speaker is talking," nitpicking "mishaps or misspells" or "redundant phonetic blunder." The core critique here is that this critical attention to presentation distracts from "the core concept behind the speaker’s speech," indicating a superficial level of engagement.
[*]Premature Opinionating/Narrow Focus: This describes the tendency to react immediately to a specific point that resonates or clashes with one's existing knowledge. The metaphor of using "binoculars/magnifying glass" when a "Telescope/Microscope" is needed perfectly illustrates a narrow, self-referential focus that misses the broader context or deeper nuances of the speaker's message.
[*]Selective Note-Taking for "Key Facts": This is attributed as a "side-effect of our educational system," where students were conditioned to extract only "key facts" for exams, often bypassing true understanding via "cliff-notes or Together-with series." The author warns that this tactical approach to information gathering "won’t work all the time," implying that real-world comprehension requires more than rote memorization.
[*]Imposing Preconceived Categorization: Again linking to the education system, the article points out the habit of "Trying to categorize the Speaker’s speech by your methodology." The author argues that "pausing a while to ponder over what the speaker actually wants to convey is more important than making a quick 'TEXTBOOK' report," advocating for deeper cognitive processing over superficial classification.
[*]Mind Wandering During Discourse Gaps: This highlights a common physiological reality: our minds process faster than speakers can talk. The vivid image of listeners "wandering on the beaches of Goa with Edward Cullen / Scarlett Johansson" humorously depicts mental disengagement. The author suggests this excess processing time "should instead be put to use in summarizing and processing the information in your mind," advocating for active internal processing.
[*]Feigning Attention: This final point describes the deceptive tactics of "Feigning attention... by frequent –Hmmm or hmmhmmm’s" and "Nodding." The relatable example of listening to a mother talk about the weather while running late for a meeting perfectly captures the social conditioning behind these superficial displays of attentiveness, which mask a complete lack of genuine listening.
In conclusion, this article provides a witty and insightful critique of common non-listening behaviors. By humorously dissecting various ways individuals disconnect from a speaker's message, it serves as a valuable self-reflection tool, prompting readers to reconsider their own listening habits and strive for more genuine engagement and comprehension.
