“The techniques of opening conversation are universal.”

— John Steinbeck

Pt. 1
Travels With Charley: In Search of America (1962)
Context: The techniques of opening conversation are universal. I knew long ago and rediscovered that the best way to attract attention, help, and conversation is to be lost. A man who seeing his mother starving to death on a path kicks her in the stomach to clear the way, will cheerfully devote several hours of his time giving wrong directions to a total stranger who claims to be lost.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "The techniques of opening conversation are universal." by John Steinbeck?

John Steinbeck 366

American writer 1902–1968

Related quotes

“The art here does not exist to define conversations or generate dogma, it is here to open up conversations.”

Jacek Tylicki (1951) American artist

In Catalogue introduction to Dublin Biennial, 2012

“Mutual reflection. Open and candid conversation. Questioning of old beliefs and assumptions.”

Peter M. Senge (1947) American scientist

The Dance of Change (1999)
Context: Mutual reflection. Open and candid conversation. Questioning of old beliefs and assumptions. Learning to let go. Awareness of how our own actions create the systemic structures that produce our problems. Developing these learning capabilities lies at the heart of profound change.

“As your Bujutsu [Martial Technique] training approaches perfection you will be able to detect the suki [opening/weakness] [in your enemy's technique], even before he can, and as if to satisfy some deficiency in him, you can fill the suki with your technique.”

Morihei Ueshiba (1883–1969) founder of aikido

Source: Budo Training in Aikido (1933), p. 26

“Are we, like, having a conversation?"
"Did you just, like, ask me for advice and listen with an open mind? If so, then yes, I would call this a conversation”

Karen Marie Moning (1964) author

Source: Shadowfever

“Dialectic generally means "of the nature of the dialogue," which is a conversation between two persons. Nowadays it means logical argumentation. It involves a technique of cross-examination, by which truth is arrived at.”

Robert M. Pirsig book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Source: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (1974), Ch. 29

“Open your mouth wide
A universal sigh”

Thom Yorke (1968) English musician, philanthropist and singer-songwriter

Bloom
Lyrics, The King of Limbs (2011)

“Whatever its imagined virtues, faith is the enemy of open and honest inquiry. Remaining open to the powers of conversation - to new evidence and better arguments - is not only essential for rationality. It is essential for love.”

Sam Harris (1967) American author, philosopher and neuroscientist

2010s, Lying (2011)

“An earlier paper (Pask, 1976) introduced conversational techniques, some involving a human participant in dialogue with a student, others involving a mechanically or computer implemented 'participant' through which the student 'talks to himself' under restrictions imposed by the device. In either case (human or mechanical monitoring) the subject matter of a conversation is represented in a liberally conceived, but standard, fashion, as a conversational domain consisting in an entailment structure (embodying one or more description schemes and indicating the many ways in which one topic may be known in terms of or derived from others) and behaviour graphs (one for each topic in the domain) that prescribe what may be done to model or explain the topic in question. Within this framework, the conversational techniques secure, or approximate, a standard condition for experiments on learning.”

Gordon Pask (1928–1996) British psychologist

Source: Styles and Strategies of Learning (1976), p. 128: Pask is referring to the article: Pasc, G. (1976). "Conversational techniques in the study and practice of education". In: British Journal of educational Psycholy, Vol 46, p. 12-25.

“The heart that
breaks open can
contain the
whole universe.”

Joanna Macy (1929) American activist

“The only thing that guarantees an open-ended collaboration among human beings, the only thing that guarantees that this project is truly open-ended, is a willingness to have our beliefs and behaviors modified by the power of conversation.”

Sam Harris (1967) American author, philosopher and neuroscientist

“The techniques of opening conversation are universal.”

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

John Steinbeck 366

Related quotes

Related topics