Wow, thanks for the engaging thoughts! Really!
Yes, I agree the method is sometimes more important that the content. A brilliant conversationalist once told me that if you just listen and ask good questions, you'd realised you don't need to know so much to begin with. Best part, at the end of the conversation, the other party will be so in love with you because you listened to them! Works well with the ladies, mind you. :)
People tend to fear talking politics, religion, etc, thinking it can only bring controvery. To this I might ask: how can we evolve and adapt if we stubbornly refuse the conversations around these subjects?
Very agree. And here in Asia, we avoid "taboo" topics too like divorce, dropping out of school, drug usage, prostitution, same-sex marriages etc. And kids are left in the blur because they are just not exposed enough in those critical errors, causing them to made unnecessary attempts in the name of curiosity, only to be scarred for life at times.
A good conversationalist will be able to navigate through sensitive topics, ever mindful of the responses of the other party.
No wonder great communicators are always leaders, or the most in demand!
How did I just see this fantastic response?
I really have learned a lot from using that idea of listening and asking good questions. It seems like people a lot of time listen in order to say something back, not even necessarily to respond. By listening to what people have to say with an intention to find questions to ask to deeper your understanding, you move the conversation from being about yourself and your own topics to being about them. The difference is incredible, and can definitely be felt and appreciated by the other people in the conversation.
Plus, it allows such deeper dives into these conversations which are usually a bit more taboo. I was talking with a friend recently about how if we don't talk to children about these 'taboo' subjects they will end up trying to learn about them from whatever resources will let them, and that often leads down some poor paths.
Proper conscious engagement with these topics allows for conscientious decision making!
Thanks for your active engagement in the steemit community @maverickfoo