Mike

“The function of nothing here—of saying nothing—is that it’s a precursor to having something to say. “Nothing” is neither a luxury nor a waste of time, but rather a necessary part of meaningful thought and speech.”
― Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy

“The best conversationalists are curious about everything. That’s why they are good at listening and why they have broad horizons—they’re always learning something new.”
― Larry King, How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere: The Secrets of Good Communication

“We’re riddled with pointless talk, insane quantities of words and images. Stupidity’s never blind or mute. So it’s not a problem of getting people to express themselves but of providing little gaps of solitude and silence in which they might eventually find something to say. Repressive forces don’t stop people expressing themselves but rather force them to express themselves; what a relief to have nothing to say, the right to say nothing, because only then is there a chance of framing the rare, and ever rarer, thing that might be worth saying.”
― Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy