Quote of the Day (William H. Whyte, on ‘The Great Enemy of Communication’)

“The great enemy of communication…is the illusion of it. We have talked enough; but we have not listened. And by not listening we have failed to concede the immense complexity of our society—and thus the great gaps between ourselves and those with whom we seek understanding.”— American urbanist, journalist, and people-watcher William H. Whyte (1917-1999), “Is Anybody Listening?”, Fortune, September 1950

Quote of the Day (Thomas Hardy, on a Woman’s Communication of Feelings)

“It is difficult for a woman to define her feelings in language which is chiefly made by men to express theirs.” — English poet-novelist Thomas Hardy (1840-1928), Far From the Madding Crowd (1874)

One hundred and fifty years ago this month, Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd was published. It was a notable success that enabled him to marry Emma Gifford, and to give up architecture so he could concentrate on writing.

The novel also marked a turning point in his subject matter and setting, as he first used the name “Wessex” to represent an imaginary region of south and southwest England.

The heroine of the novel, Bathsheba Everdene, was played by Julie Christie (pictured here) in the 1967 film adaptation by John Schlesinger.

Quote of the Day (Anne Morrow Lindbergh, on ‘Good Communication’)

“Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee and just as hard to sleep after.” —American author-aviator Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1906-2001), Gift From the Sea (1955)

Movie Quote of the Day (‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,’ on Constantly Talking)

“Constantly talking isn't necessarily communicating.”—Joel Barish (played by Jim Carrey), in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), screenplay by Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry, directed by Michel Gondry