Listened to this What Now? with Trevor Noah episode with Lera Boroditsky, a cognitive scientist and linguist expert, discussing how language changes or affects your personality.

(Transcription courtesy of Overcast’s excellent transcription capability on my ages old iPhone 13 mini):

334 00:18:17,340 –> 00:18:24,540 My favorite quote on communication is the the biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place. 335 00:18:24,540 –> 00:18:37,980 We often think we have communicated, and all of us have had this experience of, oh, but I said clearly, and then you realize, oh, communication is actually about the receiving end, not about the sending end.

The origins of the quote is somewhere in this unravelling, attributed to an article in “Fortune” magazine titled, “Is Anybody Listening?”, by William H. Whyte in 1950:

LET US RECAPITULATE A BIT: The great enemy of communication, we find, is the illusion of it. We have talked enough; but we have not listened. And by not listening we have failed to concede the immense complexity of our society–and thus the great gaps between ourselves and those with whom we seek understanding.

I’ve been going through an internal process of letting go of what I think I know, to allow for a more natural/organic/whatever process of understanding of those around me (at work, at home, even with my son). I told myself something to the effect of “let go”, with whatever weight that carries.

I think I need to reframe that deeper into “allow for more understanding”.

BTW, this episode treats everything with such great humor, well worth a listen alone to hear 4 people speak with constant interruptions, laughter, dry or witty humor, but most of all, great comfort, grace, knowledge, and curiosity.