Lin Yutang Quotes

At a person-to-person level, I think that there's always something to be said for having some empathy for the folks who really, really disagree with you about a given topic.

You can spin stories out of the ways people understand and misunderstand each other.

Let us make a special effort to stop communicating with each other, so we can have some conversation.

In human intercourse the tragedy begins, not when there is misunderstanding about words, but when silence is not understood.

I think it's important for people to always understand what is the context is in what is being said, because that obviously determines what folks are talking about.

When men understand what each other mean, they see for the most part, that controversy is either superfluous or hopeless.

I think, in any debate, you have to respect the other person's point of view, if you agree or disagree.

In apartments and cottages, on the street and in the train... I listen... More and more, I turn into one large ear, always turning to another person.

What I've really learned is to be open to listen to other people's opinions and then question my own thoughts. And learn how to talk to people. The biggest gift from having one of these moments is that it gets people talking.

Before any of it could make sense, it had to be heard.

i can't understand her" well son, you might as well try to understand the sun". derived form the book:fires of heaven by robert jordan.

One says a lot in vain, refusing; The other mainly hears the "No."

If we go on explaining we shall cease to understand one another.

It's a very important thing to learn to talk to people you disagree with.

Speech is human, silence is divine, yet also brutish and dead: therefore we must learn both arts.

Different people, in good faith, can look at the same fact and interpret it differently. But that's where an interesting conversation begins.

Constantly talking isn't necessarily communicating.

We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.

Silence may be golden, but can you think of a better way to entertain someone than to listen to him?

It is understanding that gives us an ability to have peace. When we understand the other fellow's viewpoint, and he understands ours, then we can sit down and work out our differences.

I learned firsthand that there would simply be no wars if people engaged in real conversation.

Relationships survive on trust, and if that is broken at any point, it's pretty much the end of the relationship. Besides, inability to communicate leads to problems.

Dialogue means debates and everyone's point of view.

It's important for me who is at the table with me; the moment when everyone speaks to each other and everyone listens. If there's good food, it's much better.

Throughout my life I have always been amazed that people couldn't listen to other people, that they couldn't hear their best intent, that there seemed to be an enormous need to demonize.