Listening Quote by Javier Marías
““Everything that happens to us, everything that we say or hear, everything that we see with our own eyes or we articulate with our tongue, everything that enters through our ears, everything we are witness to (and for which we are therefore partially responsible) must find a recipient outside ourselves and we choose that recipient according to what happens, or what we are told or even according to what we ourselves say. Each thing must be told to someone—though not necessarily to the same person—and each thing will undergo a selection process, the way someone out shopping might scrutinize, set aside, and assess presents for the season to come. Everything must be told at least once, although...it must be told when the time is right, or, which comes to the same thing, at the right moment, and sometimes, if you fail to recognize that right moment or deliberately let it pass, there will never again be another.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Your Face Tomorrow, Javier Marías, 2002
Communication is a duty; every experience must be shared, timed, and filtered through personal responsibility.
In simple terms: We must share experiences responsibly and at the right moment.
Key Takeaway
Share thoughtfully, respecting timing and impact.
Themes
communication
responsibility
ethics
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- family discussions
- professional feedback
- public speaking
Key Concepts
philosophy
literature
Questions to Reflect On
- What determines the right moment to speak?
- How do you balance sharing with discretion?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on sharing can breach privacy or cause overload.
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