text; un: taka

[retsuden]

[ There has been a great deal of things that Sasuke has learned about in the few weeks he's been here just from talking to new people. All of them have been extremely confusing concepts, like therapy and the idea that people take care of children when they don't have anyone else to take care of them.

Some of these conversations where he's learned things have ended in more questions than answers. He could ask for more clarification from the few he's already made contact with, but the more possible answers he can get, the better. He thinks.

He hopes.

This could be a mistake. ]

How would you suggest someone improve their communication skills?

If your go to response is "talk to people", spare me. I'm only interested in more thorough answers.

Comments

[retsuden]

I've always seen it as best to be aware of our own weaknesses. It's harder for people to exploit them when we accept them for what they are.

[hearthebell]

So long as acceptance isn't synonymous with complacency, I'm inclined to agree.

[retsuden]

Only fools don't aim to change and grow stronger.

[hearthebell]

It sounds almost like you've met a few.

[retsuden]

It's a fairly popular trait where I'm from.

[hearthebell]

That makes it sound wholly intentional, and not merely an unfortunate quirk of a personality. That kind of shameless audacity is a little awe-inspiring.

[retsuden]

Mostly it was just highly annoying. Though maybe that just comes from having to deal with their attitude personally.

[hearthebell]

Nothing kills awe like the drudgery of familiarity.

Boredom is worse drudgery, though. I think I'd rather be annoyed... having not met them, or had that opportunity, of course.

[retsuden]

Boredom came with less headaches. Their inability to change obstructed my reaching my goals.

[ Which we can all agree after the matter was a REALLY GOOD THING. ]

[hearthebell]

Do you think that, generally, vague things are exciting or foreboding?

[retsuden]

Foreboding.

[hearthebell]

Some would have answered that question by insisting that both are possible simultaneously. You err on the side of caution in most matters, I'm sure.

[retsuden]

Would you? Insist, I mean.

[hearthebell]

In this situation, I'm inclined to think that I would. But my experiences are unlikely to resemble yours so closely that I could expect your opinion on the matter to radically change.

[retsuden]

Normally that isn't something that stops people from trying to change them anyway.

[hearthebell]

I respect my own intelligence and persuasive abilities, but I also respect conviction. Caution isn't an unwise place to drive that stake.