Silence is unnatural to man.
Silence
is
unnatural
to
man
.
He begins life with a cry and ends it in stillness.
He
begins
life
with
a
cry
and
ends
it
in
stillness
.
In between he does all he can to make a noise in the world, and he fears silence more than anything else.
In
between
he
does
all
he
can
to
make
a
noise
in
the
world
,
and
he
fears
silence
more
than
anything
else
.
Even his conversation is an attempt to prevent a fearful silence.
Even
his
conversation
is
an
attempt
to
prevent
a
fearful
silence
.
If he is introduced to another person, and a number of pauses occur in the conversation, he regards himself as a failure, a worthless person, and is full of envy of the emptiest- headed chatterbox.
If
he
is
introduced
to
another
person
,
and
a
number
of
pauses
occur
in
the
conversation
,
he
regards
himself
as
a
failure
,
a
worthless
person
,
and
is
full
of
envy
of
the
emptiest-
headed
chatterbox
.
He knows that ninety-nine percent of human conversation means no more than the buzzing of a fly, but he is anxious to join in the buzz and to prove that he is a man and not a waxwork figure.
He
knows
that
ninety-nine
percent
of
human
conversation
means
no
more
than
the
buzzing
of
a
fly
,
but
he
is
anxious
to
join
in
the
buzz
and
to
prove
that
he
is
a
man
and
not
a
waxwork
figure
.
The aim of conversation is not, for the most part, to communicate ideas; it is to keep up the buzzing sound.
The
aim
of
conversation
is
not
,
for
the
most
part
,
to
communicate
ideas
;
it
is
to
keep
up
the
buzzing
sound
.
There are, it must be admitted, different qualities of buzz; there is even a buzz that is as annoying as the continuous noise made by a mosquito?
There
are
,
it
must
be
admitted
,
different
qualities
of
buzz
;
there
is
even
a
buzz
that
is
as
annoying
as
the
continuous
noise
made
by
a
mosquito
?
But at a dinner party one would rather be a mosquito than a quiet person.
But
at
a
dinner
party
one
would
rather
be
a
mosquito
than
a
quiet
person
.
Most buzzing, fortunately, is pleasant to the ear, and some of it is pleasant even to the mind.
Most
buzzing
,
fortunately
,
is
pleasant
to
the
ear
,
and
some
of
it
is
pleasant
even
to
the
mind
.
He would be a foolish man if he waited until he had a wise thought to take part in the buzzing with his neighbors.
He
would
be
a
foolish
man
if
he
waited
until
he
had
a
wise
thought
to
take
part
in
the
buzzing
with
his
neighbors
.
Those who hate to pick up the weather as a conversational opening seem to me not to know the reason why human beings wish to talk.
Those
who
hate
to
pick
up
the
weather
as
a
conversational
opening
seem
to
me
not
to
know
the
reason
why
human
beings
wish
to
talk
.
Very few human beings join in a conversation in the hope of learning anything new.
Very
few
human
beings
join
in
a
conversation
in
the
hope
of
learning
anything
new
.
Some of them are satisfied if they are only allowed to go on making a noise into other people's ears, though they have nothing to tell them except that they have seen two or three new plays or that they had food in a Swiss hotel.
Some
of
them
are
satisfied
if
they
are
only
allowed
to
go
on
making
a
noise
into
other
people
's
ears
,
though
they
have
nothing
to
tell
them
except
that
they
have
seen
two
or
three
new
plays
or
that
they
had
food
in
a
Swiss
hotel
.
At the end of an evening during which they have said nothing meaningful for a long time, they just prove themselves to be successful conservationists.
At
the
end
of
an
evening
during
which
they
have
said
nothing
meaningful
for
a
long
time
,
they
just
prove
themselves
to
be
successful
conservationists
.
Silence is unnatural to man. He begins life with a cry and ends it in stillness. In between he does all he can to make a noise in the world, and he fears silence more than anything else. Even his conversation is an attempt to prevent a fearful silence. If he is introduced to another person, and a number of pauses occur in the conversation, he regards himself as a failure, a worthless person, and is full of envy of the emptiest- headed chatterbox. He knows that ninety-nine percent of human conversation means no more than the buzzing of a fly, but he is anxious to join in the buzz and to prove that he is a man and not a waxwork figure.  The aim of conversation is not, for the most part, to communicate ideas; it is to keep up the buzzing sound. There are, it must be admitted, different qualities of buzz; there is even a buzz that is as annoying as the continuous noise made by a mosquito? But at a dinner party one would rather be a mosquito than a quiet person. Most buzzing, fortunately, is pleasant to the ear, and some of it is pleasant even to the mind. He would be a foolish man if he waited until he had a wise thought to take part in the buzzing with his neighbors.  Those who hate to pick up the weather as a conversational opening seem to me not to know the reason why human beings wish to talk. Very few human beings join in a conversation in the hope of learning anything new. Some of them are satisfied if they are only allowed to go on making a noise into other people's ears, though they have nothing to tell them except that they have seen two or three new plays or that they had food in a Swiss hotel. At the end of an evening during which they have said nothing meaningful for a long time, they just prove themselves to be successful conservationists.