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Tuesday, March 20
The art of talking...
"What
makes a good conversationalist has changed little over the years. The
basics remain the same as when Cicero became the first scholar to write
down some rules, which were summarised in 2006 by The Economist: 'Speak
clearly; speak easily but not too much, especially when others want
their turn; do not interrupt; be courteous; deal seriously with serious
matters and gracefully with lighter ones; never criticise people behind
their backs; stick to subjects of general interest; do not talk about
yourself; and, above all, never lose your temper.' But Cicero was lucky:
he never went on a first date with someone more interested in their
iPhone than his company." (Excerpted from "How to have a conversation," John McDermott, Financial Times -online, March 9, 2012.)
