What we do well to notice about ‘to converse’
“The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice there is little we can do to change until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds.”
R.D. Laing
In my observation there are two core elements of our ‘modus operandi’ as human ‘beings’ that we ‘fail to notice’ and, as a consequence, do not put into practice, often with most unfortunate and sad consequences.
These are, firstly :
“Whenever we treat each other well good things happen”
Have you ever found anyone who disagrees with this? I haven’t.
The other is that:
“Turning or dancing together’ is a lot more significant than we often appreciate.
For it has been well said that:
“I do not think most people realize how profoundly true it is that we indeed live in networks of conversations. Conversations are not just something we do among other doings; they are our human niche, we live in a world formed through conversation. Conversations make one world or another; not only in how we relate to each other, but in how the whole lived world arises around us. What we see, feel, do…. all of it arises through conversation. It is the matrix of our existence, so we do not see its presence in every moment.”
Pille Bunnell
Which can be taken to mean that, not only is getting together to converse often an enjoyable activity and deep experience of human warmth, it can also be the wellspring of new ways of being and new ways of doing.
And that, in contexts underpinned by mutual respect, we re-invent each other and the world around us. When this happens, wisdom – the intuitive knowing of how to act appropriately in the circumstances – just emerges.
Both of these are touched on in an article entitled ‘You can be a Messiah.’ Said the person who brought it to my attention:
“… a great reframe on a word I thought I knew! Have a read…”
http://www.avivconsulting.com/
I wonder if you also reckon that the author, Aviv Shahar, offers a remarkably new perspective of what to converse means in practice?
And that there is great truth in the comment of the 18th century novelist, Henry Fielding, that:
“The grand business of our lives, the foundation of everything, either useful or pleasant, is conversation.”
If you have been following (not on social media!) the development of Conversare, firstly in Hong Kong and more recently in Adelaide, you may have come to appreciate that it is thoroughly grounded on – and affirmed by – ideas as outlined above.
Go well
Alan Stewart
Social Artist
Adelaide
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