Are we losing the art of listening?
For the past decade or so, it has become clear that we are beginning to transcend into a technological era. Despite the development and modernisation, the sobering truth is that we are starting to become slaves to technology. Due to this, we have begun to neglect people as a whole, and instead pay more attention to portable inanimate objects even more than we pay attention to ourselves at times. Society and teenagers in particular, are so engrossed in smartphone usage and social media that they tend to isolate themselves from the real world. Trapped in a world of their own and completely oblivious to their surroundings, they walk around with earphones blasting in their ears, drowning their thoughts and worries in music.
Have we become a society that doesn’t even open our ears to anything other than our favourite music or hot online gossip? Have we lost those times when one could sit down, have a cup of coffee and have a full-on conversation without a vibrating phone or the constant need to update a status? Dear reader, take some time to look away from this article and look around you. How many people do you see every day without realising how many lives revolve around their handphone instead of a living, breathing human beings? Think about the last time you could have a real heart-to-heart conversation with someone without the distraction of a handphone.
Why is it that we don’t even listen to people anymore? It’s true, we use our handphones to interact with people through social media sites like Whatsapp and Twitter, but that’s not even close to the real deal. Sometimes we live for messages from the people we deem important in our lives to the point that we neglect those who are right in front of us. The prevalent issue within society now is that what we claim to be listening, but the fact is, we are just hearing. People generally have a huge misconception of these two words, deeming them as having the same meaning. However, the truth begs to differ as the one thing that differentiates actually listening from hearing, is in fact, ATTENTION.
When we really listen and pay attention, what is being said is not the only thing that we pick up on in a conversation. Non-verbal communication such as their tone of voice and body language gives us a deeper insight behind their words, and express emotions that cannot be verbalised. These are things that we do not realise if we only hear, instead of listen. It does not necessarily mean agreeing with them but it means the ability to see things from their vantage point and to understand their opinion on things. Listening, like other skills, can be developed through practice, but it is lost if not regularly used.
Living in a world of constant chatter, where there are so many words, stories, and emotions that flow out of us, it is truly a shame if these just remain hovering in the air, with no ears to go to and no hearts to touch. Why? Because nobody listens anymore. Are we losing the art of listening? After extensive research and surveying, I can safely say that the answer is sadly, yes. If you, dear reader, have ever felt that there is no one whom you can tell your problems to, but don’t know why, well - let me tell you. It’s because we are living in a world where everyone wants to be the one talking but never the one who’s willing to listen. So, take some time and think about it, when was the last time you sat down and truly listened and participated in a fulfilling, engaging conversation without any distractions?
If the art of listening was painted on a canvas, the end result would still be a blank, white canvas, because no one in this current generation is willing to lift the brush and take the first stroke. So, put down that handphone, pick up the brush, and start painting the canvas. Be the person who listens instead of talks, and you’ll step back and see what a beautiful masterpiece you have created on what used to be an empty white canvas.
Written by Daphanee Wong
South Australian Matriculation
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| Milk worries. |
Have we become a society that doesn’t even open our ears to anything other than our favourite music or hot online gossip? Have we lost those times when one could sit down, have a cup of coffee and have a full-on conversation without a vibrating phone or the constant need to update a status? Dear reader, take some time to look away from this article and look around you. How many people do you see every day without realising how many lives revolve around their handphone instead of a living, breathing human beings? Think about the last time you could have a real heart-to-heart conversation with someone without the distraction of a handphone.
 |
| "It's all your fault!" |
Why is it that we don’t even listen to people anymore? It’s true, we use our handphones to interact with people through social media sites like Whatsapp and Twitter, but that’s not even close to the real deal. Sometimes we live for messages from the people we deem important in our lives to the point that we neglect those who are right in front of us. The prevalent issue within society now is that what we claim to be listening, but the fact is, we are just hearing. People generally have a huge misconception of these two words, deeming them as having the same meaning. However, the truth begs to differ as the one thing that differentiates actually listening from hearing, is in fact, ATTENTION.
 |
| Nope. |
When we really listen and pay attention, what is being said is not the only thing that we pick up on in a conversation. Non-verbal communication such as their tone of voice and body language gives us a deeper insight behind their words, and express emotions that cannot be verbalised. These are things that we do not realise if we only hear, instead of listen. It does not necessarily mean agreeing with them but it means the ability to see things from their vantage point and to understand their opinion on things. Listening, like other skills, can be developed through practice, but it is lost if not regularly used.
 |
| 'Tis an art to be mastered. |
Living in a world of constant chatter, where there are so many words, stories, and emotions that flow out of us, it is truly a shame if these just remain hovering in the air, with no ears to go to and no hearts to touch. Why? Because nobody listens anymore. Are we losing the art of listening? After extensive research and surveying, I can safely say that the answer is sadly, yes. If you, dear reader, have ever felt that there is no one whom you can tell your problems to, but don’t know why, well - let me tell you. It’s because we are living in a world where everyone wants to be the one talking but never the one who’s willing to listen. So, take some time and think about it, when was the last time you sat down and truly listened and participated in a fulfilling, engaging conversation without any distractions?
 |
| "Your face is distracting." |
If the art of listening was painted on a canvas, the end result would still be a blank, white canvas, because no one in this current generation is willing to lift the brush and take the first stroke. So, put down that handphone, pick up the brush, and start painting the canvas. Be the person who listens instead of talks, and you’ll step back and see what a beautiful masterpiece you have created on what used to be an empty white canvas.
 |
| The last resort of sanity without human interaction -- art therapy, folks! |
Written by Daphanee Wong
South Australian Matriculation
