Conversation: A History of a Declining ArtEssayist Stephen Miller pursues a lifelong interest in conversation by taking an historical and philosophical view of the subject. He chronicles the art of conversation in Western civilization from its beginnings in ancient Greece to its apex in eighteenth-century Britain to its current endangered state in America. As Harry G. Frankfurt brought wide attention to the art of bullshit in his recent bestselling On Bullshit, so Miller now brings the art of conversation into the light, revealing why good conversation matters and why it is in decline. Miller explores the conversation about conversation among such great writers as Cicero, Montaigne, Swift, Defoe, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and Virginia Woolf. He focuses on the world of British coffeehouses and clubs in “The Age of Conversation” and examines how this era ended. Turning his attention to the United States, the author traces a prolonged decline in the theory and practice of conversation from Benjamin Franklin through Hemingway to Dick Cheney. He cites our technology (iPods, cell phones, and video games) and our insistence on unguarded forthrightness as well as our fear of being judgmental as powerful forces that are likely to diminish the art of conversation. |
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... political philosopher in theBritishpolitical tradition” ofthe twentieth century.) Myinterest inconversation increasedabout a decade ago, when Iwaswritingabookabout eighteenthcentury British thought. I noticed that manyeighteenthcentury ...
... political philosopher in theBritishpolitical tradition” ofthe twentieth century.) Myinterest inconversation increasedabout a decade ago, when Iwaswritingabookabout eighteenthcentury British thought. I noticed that manyeighteenthcentury ...
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... political effects of anger. Politicalanger, of course,isnotanew thingin the United States. Electioncampaigns have often been acrimonious. Whatis new isan ideology ofanger thatarose inthe 1960s.Championing authenticity, theorists ofthe ...
... political effects of anger. Politicalanger, of course,isnotanew thingin the United States. Electioncampaigns have often been acrimonious. Whatis new isan ideology ofanger thatarose inthe 1960s.Championing authenticity, theorists ofthe ...
Page ix
... political philosopher in the British political tradition " of the twentieth century . ) My interest in conversation increased about a decade ago , when I was writing a book about eighteenth- century British thought . I noticed that many ...
... political philosopher in the British political tradition " of the twentieth century . ) My interest in conversation increased about a decade ago , when I was writing a book about eighteenth- century British thought . I noticed that many ...
Page xi
... political stability and the extent of what Hume calls the " conversible world . " Like Hume , Addison and Johnson thought that if Britain's educated classes neglected the art of conversation , Britain could become em- broiled in violent ...
... political stability and the extent of what Hume calls the " conversible world . " Like Hume , Addison and Johnson thought that if Britain's educated classes neglected the art of conversation , Britain could become em- broiled in violent ...
Page xii
... Political anger , of course , is not a new thing in the United States . Election campaigns have often been acrimonious . What is new is an ideology of anger that arose in the 1960s . Championing authenticity , theorists of the counter ...
... Political anger , of course , is not a new thing in the United States . Election campaigns have often been acrimonious . What is new is an ideology of anger that arose in the 1960s . Championing authenticity , theorists of the counter ...
Contents
29 | |
EighteenthCentury Britain | 79 |
A Conversational Triumph Lady | 119 |
Raillery to Reverie | 150 |
From Benjamin | 194 |
From | 242 |
NINE The Ways We Dont Converse Now | 264 |
TEN The End of Conversation? | 291 |
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According Addison admired agree American anger appeared argues asked attacked attended avoid became become Boswell Britain called century cities civil clubs Coffee coffeehouses common continually conversationalist conversible world critic culture describes dinner discussion easy effect eighteenth-century England English enjoyed essay feel Franklin friends give guests human Hume ideas implies important Instant Messaging interest Italy Johnson Lady Mary leading learned less letter listen live London look mainly manners means meet mind natural never one's opinion party passions person play pleasures poem polite popular praised questions raillery reason refers remark salon sation says seems sense social society Socrates solitude sounds speaks Spectator sublime suffering Swift talk thing thought tion told turn versation wants women Woolf writers wrote young