Stopped at a traffic light, I observed a couple with their pet dog waiting to cross. The dog had caught my eye because it looked like a cross between a Greyhound, a Whippet and maybe something else, but also that most of its fur was like a small attempt at looking like the fur of a tiger. Hopefully that doesn’t draw the ire of the real tiger, but you know what I’m talking about. The head and muzzle really stood out because they were coloured differently from the rest of the body. I thought about what used to be called the Tasmanian Tiger and all the calls for its conservation or even now, its “resurrection”.
Which brings me to the point of this short post. What we really need to conserve is the need to converse. To parley. To debate. To argue. To cross-examine. To make diligent inquiry. To listen carefully so we understand what others are trying to say. To ask questions which draw out the truth. To reflect back to others what we think they say so that they also become aware of what they are transmitting.
Tasmanian Tigers are great conversation starters, if you can’t think of anything else. So are quaint-looking dogs. Want to talk about those with me? You’re welcome!
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