There is a line in a Simon & Garfunkel song, “People talking without speaking/People hearing without listening.”

Political discourse is reduced to sound bites. Words are being thrown out in print or in speeches and are left dangling in the air. Advertisements are confined to negative commentary about opponents, and listeners’ takeaway is confined to simple words like “liberal” or “conservative.” Each of those words carry their respective qualitative value but no real substance.

The words are “talked,” spumed out to maximize sound bite impact. Our retention is limited. Effort is not spent on “speaking,” elaborating on ideas, positions, strengths. We are “hearing” words that resonate with established positions but not “listening” to what is said and what is not said.

The success of our democratic experiment demands that we speak and listen.

David Hyde
Pownal