Posts where this quotation is embeddedUnfortunately we are so steeped in debate, proving one’s point and challenging others, that alternative possibilities for interaction are often eclipsed from our view.
It is interesting to notice that even when we say we want to dialogue we commonly end up in debate.
We appear to have a longing to do something different but the vortex of habit confounds us.
As a result, our options for building mutual respect, deepening understanding among each other, and creating more beneficial outcomes than we experience currently are severely limited.
Credit: Theodore Zeldin
- Understanding Debates Argument is meant to reveal the truth, not to create it
Posts: Theodore Zeldin (5)
- A Conversation Dinner in Turin Knowledge menu à la carte
- Intimate Conversations Conversations with strangers
- Make Big Talk Make big talk not small talk
- Theodore Zeldin’s Conversation Dinners Dinner and a stimulating conversation with a stranger
- What Is a Real Conversation? There is more to conversation than just talking or exchanging messages
Books: Theodore Zeldin (2)
Quotations: Theodore Zeldin (5)
Videos: Theodore Zeldin (1)
Image Credits: Pixabay
(Pixabay)In-person, 7–11 September 2026
Warbrook House, Hampshire, UK
We are living and working in conditions of uncertainty, complexity, and rapid change. This week-long workshop with David Gurteen and John Hovell offers a space to practise Conversational Leadership as a shared, lived experience.