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    The science behind good listening and why it matters

    People. Don’t. Listen. “There’s so much in our society that is encouraging us not to listen," Kate Murphy says. What is good listening and can it make a difference?
    Nov 25, 2021 6 minutes
    Anne Brennan, right, of Hingham Mass., speaks as, from left, brother-in-law Steve Marshall, of Hingham, niece Rebecca Malone, and her husband Brian Malone, both of Duxbury, Mass., and nephew Andrew Marshall, of Quincy, Mass., are gathered for dinner in Hingham, Mass., where politics are a frequent, and divisive topic of conversation. (Josh Reynolds/AP)

    This rebroadcast originally aired on October 15, 2021.

    “How are you?” It’s a question you probably ask every day.

    But, how often do you actually listen to what the other person has to say?

    Or, think about the last dinner you had with someone. How often were you distracted by your phone? Or by the next table?

    How often did your mind wander off to something else – work, your next schedule, maybe the live sports on TV?

    So what makes listening so difficult?

    This hour, On Point: We look at the science of why you’re not listening, and why that matters.

    Guests

    Kate Murphy, journalist who has written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and others. Author of “You’re Not Listening.”

    John Wood, Jr., national ambassador at Braver Angels, a national movement aiming to bring liberals, conservatives and others together at the grassroots level. (@JohnRWoodJr)

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