We don’t need to be in debate mode all the time. Learn to listen

We Indians are (in)famous for being great conversationalists, but are we great listeners too? No. The charged and argumentative political atmosphere in the country today proves that. And, if we look around, we will find that most of the problems/misunderstandings are happening because Indians don’t want to listen to each other.

We need to develop a culture of listening. To become good listeners, we must have the patience to hear others out, and be open to new ideas.

In addition, one must listen to others with the intent to understand and not with the intent to reply. Let’s not be in debate mode all the time. Moreover, listening with the intention to understand the other’s point of view fosters love. Having said that, we must also be wary of “fake listeners”, who pretend to listen but actually do not, because their mind keeps on drifting. So, next time before plunging headlong into an argument, first patiently listen. Sometimes all a person wants is an empathetic ear; all he or she needs is to talk it out.