Random chatting on the net with certain people bring in so much of perspective in ones thinking. I was just having this conversation with a friend from college who is probably the youngest in the class and is constantly reminded of the same by one of the oldest. Now what happens is that the young lady feels a little upset, notwithstanding the fact that if we stop considering relative age difference between them and start seeing the absolute values of her age and his… it reveals that she might be younger than most but not the most immature of the lot; which I agree with, totally.
I don’t know if it is really that difficult to practice this so called “fine art” of selective listening. My take on the subject is that one should ignore the words that don’t matter to him/her and that have no purpose of existence other than annoying the very life out of his/her brain. I can do it quite well to say the least and I never knew that having such ability was really worth a mention or even a consideration as strength. To my surprise, in these recent days, I have encountered people who are suffering from a deficiency of this ability to throw out what they can’t take. I have caught myself telling them (those who have confided in me with their dissonances with the world around) not to listen to things that put you down. “No Rakshit” they say, “it’s not that simple man. People are out to get you. All that they want is to bring you down. I don’t like him saying such things to me. I don’t want him to judge me. Why is he constantly drilling unfavorable thoughts in my head?” and so on. Now, tell me, what is the simplest solution to this? What can be easier than shutting down all receptors and staring back at the person yakking away, making him feel as if he is talking in Chinese, and blinking like a Barbie? Once the person is done jabbering, nod and say thank you and not have any more recollection of the talk than a bad hangover on a Sunday morning. Really, try it the next time without having any detestation for the orator. It works like a charm.
Having said that, you might as well have skipped this piece all together, don’t you think? Try it. Go back to the top and read the first few lines and say ‘bah, screw it…” and skip onto the next blog. Should work.
I don’t know if it is really that difficult to practice this so called “fine art” of selective listening. My take on the subject is that one should ignore the words that don’t matter to him/her and that have no purpose of existence other than annoying the very life out of his/her brain. I can do it quite well to say the least and I never knew that having such ability was really worth a mention or even a consideration as strength. To my surprise, in these recent days, I have encountered people who are suffering from a deficiency of this ability to throw out what they can’t take. I have caught myself telling them (those who have confided in me with their dissonances with the world around) not to listen to things that put you down. “No Rakshit” they say, “it’s not that simple man. People are out to get you. All that they want is to bring you down. I don’t like him saying such things to me. I don’t want him to judge me. Why is he constantly drilling unfavorable thoughts in my head?” and so on. Now, tell me, what is the simplest solution to this? What can be easier than shutting down all receptors and staring back at the person yakking away, making him feel as if he is talking in Chinese, and blinking like a Barbie? Once the person is done jabbering, nod and say thank you and not have any more recollection of the talk than a bad hangover on a Sunday morning. Really, try it the next time without having any detestation for the orator. It works like a charm.
Having said that, you might as well have skipped this piece all together, don’t you think? Try it. Go back to the top and read the first few lines and say ‘bah, screw it…” and skip onto the next blog. Should work.
:)
6 comments:
thank you anon... really nice of u to drop in. would love to know who u r though... do leave your name and e-mail if u get around reading this.
Rakshit,
You are right about not listening.
Just because someone says something. It doesn't mean we should listen. It doesn't make them right. People sometimes think the louder someone talks, the meaner the message, the more right it must be.
I know you see how this empowers the person who says these negative things. Sometimes I say "Thank you, I always suspected you thought that. Now I know for sure."
Tell your friend not to give himself/herself away so easily. Not that I haven't done myself often enough to know.
smiles,
me.
what the fuck you saying man?
whoooosh!
oopar se gaya...
Incidentally, the 'anon' you address so politely was an automated spam post.
lizzy: nice to see u back. its true that we chose to let people rule a lot of our decissions and thoughts also at times. i do believe in selective listening a lot and i have already had my talk with her about this... thanks for your views.
garg: jaane de yaar, just a view which if understood will make u realize it was not really worth the effort so... foggedit
loll: what can i say... oops... :P
:)so TRUE!!!
same talk i had with someone last evening...there's a story about the Buddha also...he said....'why must we accept gifts that we don't want to accept?' when a random guy was hurling abuses at him...Angulimaal was his name,i think...some kind of highway robber who got perverse pleasure out of cutting off people's fingers and wearing them in the form of a chain in his neck...hence the name anguli-maal and after the incident,Angulimaal fell at the feet of the Buddha...and became his disciple...
errr,umm...have we had this talk before?
khyatu
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