Listening, Silence, Conformity, and Authenticity

In the interest of elucidating active aspects of listening processes (interpreting, evaluating – etc.), I, along with many academics, have neglected the aspect of silence. There were obvious reasons for dispelling the idea that listening meant being silent; this...

Preparing to listen in difficult situations

We all are faced once in a while with situations where it will be difficult for us to listen, and we really need to listen well in many of these situations even if it is hard for us and will take a great deal of effort to do it well. When there is any time available...

Being Listening and Transcending Will

I wonder about the capacity for openness and intimacy when listening.  Though I’ve defined listening as the desire to be intimately present to the meaning of another, I readily admit this seems a rare occurrence.  A significant factor is the impediment of will, i.e.,...

Listening Begins in Social Community

A few of you may have read a bit of this content posted elsewhere sometime ago (on FB 2013) while I was still teaching at Boise State (my last semester was fall of 2015). In spite of my retirement status, now that it’s fall 2017 I can’t suppress the feeling – that I’d...