BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT IT ANYWAY?
Listening, at it's very basic level, is assigning importance to the person who is communicating. When my twin girls cough and sputter whilst munching on carpet Cheerios* I (usually) check on them to make sure they aren't choking. They are important to me.
When someone isn't listening to what is being said the presumption is that they don't care about the person speaking. Like if you're picking your nose and daydreaming, or simultaneously texting, or choreographing a dance to your favourite Adele song, or sleeping. Or saying "wrong" in the middle of their sentences.
Sometimes we listen, sometimes we don't. That's human. What irks me in the propensity to claim that you've listened, that you've designated importance to the person who is communicating, when you haven't. Be honest. If you haven't listened, if you have no intention of listening, don't confuse it with actual listening.
It's my belief that this simple understanding would solve, like, 89.7% of the world's problems.
* Exactly what you might think. Cheerios scattered like petting zoo feed on and around the carpet area of our living room. Don't judge. We have twins. It keeps them happy.
