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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... remark: “Iexpressed myself rather forcefully, [and]felt better afterIhad done it.” He alsoadded: “Ordinarily I don't ... remarks about Bush. “The former vice president of the United States,” Krauthammer said, “compared the current ...
... remark: “Iexpressed myself rather forcefully, [and]felt better afterIhad done it.” He alsoadded: “Ordinarily I don't ... remarks about Bush. “The former vice president of the United States,” Krauthammer said, “compared the current ...
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... remark : " I expressed myself rather forcefully , [ and ] felt better after I had done it . " He also added ... remarks about Bush . " The former vice president of the United States , " Krauthammer said , " compared the current president ...
... remark : " I expressed myself rather forcefully , [ and ] felt better after I had done it . " He also added ... remarks about Bush . " The former vice president of the United States , " Krauthammer said , " compared the current president ...
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... , I was a patronofsorts. Consequently, distinguished academics and deans wouldflatter me whenthey cameto Washington. Any offhand remark Imadeabout abookora moviewouldoftenbe greeted with an enthusiastic: “I agree!” I remember the Dean.
... , I was a patronofsorts. Consequently, distinguished academics and deans wouldflatter me whenthey cameto Washington. Any offhand remark Imadeabout abookora moviewouldoftenbe greeted with an enthusiastic: “I agree!” I remember the Dean.
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... remark on her t - shirt meant . She found my question annoying . " Warmonger ! " she yelled at me , and strode away . Recently I saw a man wearing a t - shirt that said : " You Can Either Agree With Me or Be Wrong . " Would this man be ...
... remark on her t - shirt meant . She found my question annoying . " Warmonger ! " she yelled at me , and strode away . Recently I saw a man wearing a t - shirt that said : " You Can Either Agree With Me or Be Wrong . " Would this man be ...
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... remarks cut close to the bone . I have often nodded while someone else is talking — waiting for my chance to say what I wanted to say . Swift — like Montaigne and La Rochefoucauld — also thought good conversationalists were hard to find ...
... remarks cut close to the bone . I have often nodded while someone else is talking — waiting for my chance to say what I wanted to say . Swift — like Montaigne and La Rochefoucauld — also thought good conversationalists were hard to find ...
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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Common terms and phrases
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