Lamenting the decline of good conversation
Boston Globe columnist Scot Lehigh's latest oped piece was inspired by essayist Stephen Miller's new book Conversation: A History of A Declining Art. Well, that, and the general banality that abounds these days. Sounds like a good read.
"Talk radio, which styles itself a democratic medium, rewards invective, insults, and idiotic generalizations - and that's merely to count the contribution from some of the hosts."
But what really grabbed me was this:
"A popular culture that legitimates boorish narcissists has devalued collegial communication...
"Aided by the Internet, more and more people are joining what Miller calls 'anger communities,' like-minded individuals who empower each other's pique and reinforce shared prejudices."