conversation as sport

Do you ever find yourself in a conversation that feels more like a rock scramble than a give and take of ideas? That was my experience this morning. The topic was a relatively difficult one (the human body as essentially whole and moving always towards perfection and what does that philosphy mean for those who experience mental illness) and I felt a high desire to impress the person I was talking with. The result of the whole thing is that I didn't listen very well - because of my need to impress, because of my confusion around the ideas and because of a low level sense of dissonance and dis-ease with the ideas being discussed.

Speak to be understood; listen to understand. Conversation should be an Olympic sport.