User:Tennessee Ernie Ford

Tennessee Ernie Ford is the nom de web of the author of RPG guides. No relationship to the fantabulous gospel singer of the same name is intended or implied.

Current rant
One practical definition of conversational listening is being willing to be changed by what someone else says. One description of effective aggressive salesmanship is being able to take what someone else says, in order to rephrase those ideas/concerns/goals as reasons that other party should agree to your own terms in the negotiation.

I have spent far too much of my brief stay on this planet engaged in what I hoped to be a conversation, but was really a negotiation; two cannot Tango if one is dancing the Fox Trot. So, going forward, when my interlocutor prefers responsive speechifying (my turn, their turn, my turn)...without a willingness to reevaluate their ideas...well, I'll just have to let them continue their monologue without me.

Unfortunately, a side effect of this will be leaving unchallenged claims, both outrageous and subtle, for which there is insufficient evidence, no consensus, and/or one/more alternative views. Some people will, wrongly, assume my tacit approval or endorsement. Still, life's too short to spend it arguing with someone who isn't willing to change their mind.