--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conversation, which is supposed to be a…" description: "\"“Conversation, which is supposed to be a two-way street, is treated by many people as if it were a divided highway. They may acknowledge that traffic m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/judith-martin-1927_communication_conversation-which-is-supposed-to-be-a-t_1016173.jpg" --- # Conversation, which is supposed to be a two-way street, is… ![“Conversation, which is supposed to be a two-way street, is treated by many people as if it were a divided highway. They may acknowledge that traffic must go in both directions, but speed independently on their own way, expecting you to do the same on your side. If” quote by Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/judith-martin-1927_communication_conversation-which-is-supposed-to-be-a-t_1016173.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/judith-martin-1927_communication_conversation-which-is-supposed-to-be-a-t_1016173.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/judith-martin-1927_communication_conversation-which-is-supposed-to-be-a-t_1016173.jpg) > ““Conversation, which is supposed to be a two-way street, is treated by many people as if it were a divided highway. They may acknowledge that traffic must go in both directions, but speed independently on their own way, expecting you to do the same on your side. If”” [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many treat conversation as a one‑way flow, ignoring mutual exchange, leading to miscommunication. **In simple terms:** People often ignore two‑way dialogue. Key Takeaway Listen and respond, not just speak. Themes communication listening mutual respect Mood reflective concerned Type advice observational When to use this quote - meetings - team projects - customer service - personal relationships Key Concepts dialogue dynamics social etiquette Questions to Reflect On - How can you encourage balanced dialogue? - What habits hinder two‑way listening? A Different Perspective Assuming others will mirror your pace can cause frustration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acknowledge Traffic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledge-traffic-2236630/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation Supposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation-supposed-2236629/) [Divided Highway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divided-highway-2236628/) [People Divided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-divided-338501/) [Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road/) [Supposed Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supposed-way-678665/) ## Related quotes > [The issues of the day have never seemed more complicated, and yet the conversations over how to solve them increasingly resemble cars passing down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-holt/the-issues-of-the-day-have-never-seemed-more-complicated-and-yet-the/) [Lester Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-holt/) > [People say things like "it wasn't supposed to go this way" and "this isn't what I wanted." 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Let go and let God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/somethings-don-t-go-the-way-you-want-them-because-it-s-supposed-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Bipartisanship isn't an option anymore; it is a requirement. The American people have divided responsibility for leadership right down the middle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-daschle/bipartisanship-isn-t-an-option-anymore-it-is-a-requirement-the/) [Tom Daschle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-daschle/) > [“People are divided into two camps, the righteous and the unrighteous...the righteous do the dividing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michale-gray-calvert/people-are-divided-into-two-camps-the-righteous-and-the-unrighteous/) [Michale Gray Calvert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michale-gray-calvert/) > [Welcome to the brave new world of American multiculturalism. 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One--the inferior sort: the paltry, stupid, and, above all, ridiculous people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/in-his-petersburg-world-people-were-divided-into-two-quite-opposite/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [People can be divided into three groups: Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/people-can-be-divided-into-three-groups-those-who-make-things-happen/) [Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/) > [I never yet have known the Spirit of God to work where the Lord's people were divided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/i-never-yet-have-known-the-spirit-of-god-to-work-where-the-lord-s/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [Obstinate people can be divided into the opinionated, the ignorant, and the boorish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/obstinate-people-can-be-divided-into-the-opinionated-the-ignorant-and/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) ## More by Judith Martin > [Smart people duck when they hear the dread announcement 'I'm going to be perfectly honest with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/smart-people-duck-when-they-hear-the-dread-announcement-i-m-going-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [If you put together all the ingredients that naturally attract children - sex, violence, revenge, spectacle and vigorous noise - what you have is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/if-you-put-together-all-the-ingredients-that-naturally-attract/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [The one prediction that never comes true is, 'You'll thank me for telling you this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/the-one-prediction-that-never-comes-true-is-you-ll-thank-me-for/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Chaperons, even in their days of glory, were almost never able to enforce morality; what they did was to force immorality to be discreet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/chaperons-even-in-their-days-of-glory-were-almost-never-able-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [There are always proper responses, even to rude questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/there-are-always-proper-responses-even-to-rude-questions/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Perhaps the greatest rudenesses of our time come not from the callousness of strangers, but from the solicitousness of intimates who believe that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/perhaps-the-greatest-rudenesses-of-our-time-come-not-from-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [We are all entitled to our little harmless habits, but we are not entitled to demand approval for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/we-are-all-entitled-to-our-little-harmless-habits-but-we-are-not/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [“Lady” is not used before the lady’s first name unless she is the daughter of a duke, marquess or earl; those who come by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/lady-is-not-used-before-the-lady-s-first-name-unless-she-is-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Greece is a good place for rebirths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/greece-is-a-good-place-for-rebirths/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Adorable children are considered to be the general property of the human race. Rude children belong to their mothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/adorable-children-are-considered-to-be-the-general-property-of-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [I have always believed that the key to a happy marriage was the ability to say with a straight face, 'Why, I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/i-have-always-believed-that-the-key-to-a-happy-marriage-was-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [It is, indeed, a trial to maintain the virtue of humility when one can't help being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/it-is-indeed-a-trial-to-maintain-the-virtue-of-humility-when-one-can/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Honesty is a virtue, but not the only one. If you're in a courtroom you need the whole truth and nothing but the truth;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/honesty-is-a-virtue-but-not-the-only-one-if-you-re-in-a-courtroom-you/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Only a person who considers himself too good for you is good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/only-a-person-who-considers-himself-too-good-for-you-is-good-enough/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Society cannot exist without etiquette ... It never has, and until our own century, everybody knew that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/society-cannot-exist-without-etiquette-it-never-has-and-until-our-own/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) [Explore all 197 Judith Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. 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