Quotes about Communication

From Alexander the Platonist, not to say to anyone often or without necessity, nor write in a letter, I am too busy, nor in this fashion constantly plead urgent affairs as an excuse for evading the obligations entailed upon us by our relations towards those around us.

Accustom yourself to attend closely to what is said by others, and as far as possible to penetrate into the mind of the speaker.

Though silence is not necessarily an admission, it is not a denial, either.

Never injure a friend, even in jest.

This is how the girl who couldn't speak and the man who couldn't see fell in love.

Come away with me, he said, we will live on a desert island. I said, I am a desert island. It was not what he had in mind.

We have begun to slam doors, and to throw things. I throw my purse, an ashtray, a package of chocolate chips, which breaks on impact. We are picking up chocolate chips for days. Jon throws a glass of milk, the milk, not the glass: he knows his own strength, as I do not. He throws a box of Cheerios, unopened. The things I throw miss, although they are worse things. The things he throws hit, but are harmless. I begin to see how the line is crossed, between histrionics and murder.

Publishing a book is like stuffing a note into a bottle and hurling it into the sea. Some bottles drown, some come safe to land, where the notes are read and then possibly cherished, or else misinterpreted, or else understood all too well by those who hate the message. You never know who your readers might be.

You know I love you. You're the only one. She isn't the first woman he's ever said that to. He shouldn't have used it up so much earlier in his life, he shouldn't have treated it like a tool, a wedge, a key to open women. By the time he got around to meaning it, the words sounded fraudulent to him and he'd been ashamed to pronounce them.

She doesn't make speeches anymore. She has become speechless. She stays in her home, but it doesn't seem to agree with her. How furious she must be, now that she's been taken at her word.

At the very least we want a witness. We can't stand the idea of our own voices falling silent finally, like a radio running down.

I already told you," said Adam. "There is no need to swear." "Sorry, it just fucking slipped out," said Zeb.