With the dawn of this storm swept year of Two Thousand and Thirteen, there’s much more than coastline geography, that appears to have been swept away. Most of those watching The TV Weather Channel or scanning their I-Pads won’t be aware of it but the Art of Conversation has also been swept away. Not much of a loss, to those hip-deep in complaints to local officials or state and federal politicos but a guy, named Jonathan Swift, who wrote about this subject more than three-hundred years ago, would counsel that the speediest way to action on any subject is via the path of free and forthright conversation. Of course, any of those struggling with the problem could tell him, that’s something we and our political operatives are fresh out of…. too bad for them and for us.
This commentator just happened upon a piece of ages-old advice, from Mr. Swift, that could prove truly helpful. Conversation, he wrote, is simply like carving:
“Give no more to every guest than he is able to digest. Give him always of the prime and but a little at a time. Carve to all but just enough, let them neither starve nor stuff……; and that you may have your due, let your neighbor carve for you.”
Wouldn’t it be great, if all those poor storm victims and their struggling political pacifiers and problem solvers might just stop and consider the down-to-earth wise counsel, available to them in Swift’s words, if they’d only stop to think about and follow it?
Of course it would, but this commentator will also make you a bet he’s sure to win….
They won’t!
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not reflect the views of this station or its management.
