--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Real-life discussions involve a great…" description: "\"Real-life discussions involve a great many bores and boors who have never learned that the art of conversation demands listening as well as talking.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/susan-jacoby-10682_art_real-life-discussions-involve-a-great-ma_3167580.jpg" --- # Real-life discussions involve a great many bores and boors… ![“Real-life discussions involve a great many bores and boors who have never learned that the art of conversation demands listening as well as talking.” quote by Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/susan-jacoby-10682_art_real-life-discussions-involve-a-great-ma_3167580.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/susan-jacoby-10682_art_real-life-discussions-involve-a-great-ma_3167580.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/susan-jacoby-10682_art_real-life-discussions-involve-a-great-ma_3167580.jpg) > “Real-life discussions involve a great many bores and boors who have never learned that the art of conversation demands listening as well as talking.” [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Conversation requires both speaking and attentive listening; neglecting listening makes dialogue shallow. **In simple terms:** Good talk needs listening too. Key Takeaway Listen as much as you speak. Themes communication listening dialogue Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice educational When to use this quote - classroom discussions - team meetings - family gatherings - online forums - networking events Key Concepts active listening conversation skills Questions to Reflect On - How can you improve your listening habits? - What barriers prevent you from listening fully? A Different Perspective Listening can be uncomfortable for those unaccustomed to silence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art of conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-conversation/) [Bores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bores/) [Bores Boors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bores-boors-5751757/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Conversation Demands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation-demands-5751756/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Demands Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demands-listening-4076356/) [Discussion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discussion/) [Discussions Involve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discussions-involve-5751758/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening/) [Listening Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening-talking-1437666/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) [Start Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-talking/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [“We talk later,” he demands. “Or now, with everyone listening.” “Go to hell,” I say. It worked before, but not this time. His voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrine-jackson/we-talk-later-he-demands-or-now-with-everyone-listening-go-to-hell-i/) [Corrine Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrine-jackson/) > [That awqward moment when you think someone is listening to them talking and they really aren't](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-awqward-moment-when-you-think-someone-is-listening-to-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im not listening, but keep talking. I enjoy the way your voice makes my ears bleed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curly/im-not-listening-but-keep-talking-i-enjoy-the-way-your-voice-makes-my/) [Curly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curly/) > [I have stopped listening, so why are you STILL talking?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-stopped-listening-so-why-are-you-still-talking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I prefer listening to talking, reading to socializing, and cozy chats to group settings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/i-prefer-listening-to-talking-reading-to-socializing-and-cozy-chats/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“God gave us two ears and one mouth to do twice as much listening as talking,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-o-neal/god-gave-us-two-ears-and-one-mouth-to-do-twice-as-much-listening-as/) [Mark O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-o-neal/) > [If there's anyone in space, what they'll learn about the human race will be listening to us talking on the car phone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcguinn/if-there-s-anyone-in-space-what-they-ll-learn-about-the-human-race/) [Roger McGuinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcguinn/) > [In prayer, more is accomplished by listening than by talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-frances-de-chantal/in-prayer-more-is-accomplished-by-listening-than-by-talking/) [Jane Frances de Chantal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-frances-de-chantal/) > [The key to acting has much more to do with listening than with talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leo/the-key-to-acting-has-much-more-to-do-with-listening-than-with-talking/) [Melissa Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leo/) > [Have u ever felt that God isn't listening when you're talking to Him? Well, He is. He's just planning something better to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/have-u-ever-felt-that-god-isn-t-listening-when-you-re-talking-to-him/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [ We should all know this: that listening is not talking; \[it\] is the gifted and great role and the imaginative role. And the true… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-ueland/we-should-all-know-this-that-listening-is-not-talking-it-is-the/) [Brenda Ueland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-ueland/) > [I think that being in politics, being in leadership should be as much about listening as talking. That's how I think you can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-that-being-in-politics-being-in-leadership-should-be-as-much/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I prefer listening to talking, reading to socializing ... I like to think before I speak (softly).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/i-prefer-listening-to-talking-reading-to-socializing-i-like-to-think/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-baruch/most-of-the-successful-people-i-ve-known-are-the-ones-who-do-more/) [Bernard Baruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-baruch/) > [Stay to yourself, just listen. Do more listening than talking. The more you speak the higher the chances you sayin the wrong thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/stay-to-yourself-just-listen-do-more-listening-than-talking-the-more/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) ## More by Susan Jacoby > [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [If you chose a particular religion, you were siding with the government religion of whatever region you were in. That's never been true in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-you-chose-a-particular-religion-you-were-siding-with-the/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [“The specific use of folks as an exclusionary and inclusionary signal, designed to make the speaker sound like one of the boys or girls,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/the-specific-use-of-folks-as-an-exclusionary-and-inclusionary-signal/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [People think that, that conversion to Judaism is just a modern phenomenon. But there was an era in the late Roman Empire Judaism was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/people-think-that-that-conversion-to-judaism-is-just-a-modern/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Atheism is not a religion. 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Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. 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