The Art of Conversation

Have we forgotten how to talk to each other?

The rise of smartphones was meant to leave the world more connected, but for many it’s had the opposite effect.

The average Brit spends nearly seven and a half hours a day looking at screens, and nearly half of us socialise with family and friends once a month or less. What was meant to bring us together has contributed to half of us experiencing loneliness.

A lack of meaningful conversations is at the heart of this; mental health charity Shout says they’re an important means of staving off loneliness and maintaining mental wellbeing. While they were once a part of everyday life, in the era of isolation, the art of conversation is becoming just that: an art.

Many of us are turning to other means for our fix of chat, though. Podcasts have seen huge growth, with one in five adults now listening, and plenty develop cult followings as listeners feel they’re dropping in on personal conversations with their favourite celebrities – a closeness few other mediums can replicate.

The result is a conveyer belt of podcasts and ‘in conversation’ events touring theatres and arenas across the country, drawing crowds which major bands and musicals wouldn’t sniff at. Conversation might be in shorter supply in daily life, but it’s never been more available on stage and on air.

“You’re listening to these people being highly conversational, so you feel like you know them. Most people listen to podcasts in very intimate spaces – a lot of........

© HuffPost