Listen to him telling

At work we some times get the pleasure of listening to lectures, held by very competent people. They tell, update and demonstrate the art of telling a story.

We do have expectations to most things, and people, we relate to. The things we see, hear, feel and experience. Teachers can be a demanding audience, not many get away with their performance getting a heartfelt applauce.

Some time back we were given a lecture by a famous writer, artist, humorist, stand up comedian. He is also an actor and cabaret performer.

He was talking about classic literature and sense of humor.
Views were presented which introduced us to new and different perspectives on pulp literature, politicians, humorists, authors, culture and other so called high end cultural performances and publications.

It's funny how we really thought we had curriculum under control, and it turns out there is an important side to it all, the aspect which we discovered ourselves, but which we need to introduce to our students because that aspect is what makes culture entertaining. Some where along the way we forgot how outrageous, scandalous and still valid good literature is. And since we, who are experienced, skilled and fast readers take all of this for granted, we totally forgot it's not self evident to young teens.

Imagine to be so well-informed and reflected that you still remember what it was like to still be in the process of discovering the world and everything in it. How great it must be to be both conscious and confident about what you are saying, and then present it so effortlessly.

The way he read, in his tone, accent and stress was such an inspiration. And while he read, lectured, talked and made comments upon seriousness in a flourishing language, without belittleing it by using four-letter words, he awoke an understanding and associations I had long forgotten about.

At one point during his captivating loquaciousness it hit me how hard it must be to be a true humorist. I don't think humorists really want to be humorists. I think they would really like to be artists or authors.
True humorists master the art of Shakespearean insults: Insults disguised as poetic wordings, but with a solid core of harsh truth; When you can say anything without attacking people at a personal level, and yet there is a reprimand picked up by who ever the shoe fits.

It's the art the skalds and court jesters mastered. We tend to think about them as foolish and ridiculous, but the truth is they guided their chief or king in ways, and in matters, noone else dared.

I believe anything can be said, to just about anybody, as long as you say it the right way.
I am not good at talking. It doesn't come naturally to me to captivate an audience by the sole force of my storytelling skills.
However; being aware of this I can prepare to give good lectures and hold good meetings.

Funny how I am said to be an excellent people person in spite of this, but I think that is because I know the art of listening.




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