Great article. I come from what appears to be a successful functioning family but nobody in the family listens. Everybody--except for me--has become so monied and successful that all they do is talk about themselves. My sister, in international school, brags about the famous people whose children she manages. My brother, who sells wine, talks about all his jet-setting to foreign vineyards. Who wants to listen to the failed writer. When I got married--yes, for the first time at the age of 59--I told my brand new husband, "Nobody will listen to you. Nobody at the vast and yawning table full of food and family will ask you one damn question." And they didn't. I was so sad and ashamed. I have cried a lot since then. But you, chbartist, have such an important message here. I fear if we all do not start listening to each other, civilization as we know it will come to a screeching halt--or at best an ugly change--within the century. Thankyou for your wisdom.