Conversation Partner

In elementary school, we would rush home after class to tell our family everything we had just learned, as if no one else in the world knew it. We would count the seconds on the clock hanging between the blackboard and the door, and as soon as the bell rang, we would run home eagerly. The moment we dropped our bags, we would begin sentences with “Today I learned…” and then eagerly ask, “Wait, didn’t you already know this, Mom?” or “Did you know this too, Dad?” We would continue sharing what we had learned, even with a slight sense of disappointment.

Over time, we grew accustomed to this pattern. We realized that much of the knowledge swirling around us was ordinary information already familiar to most people. Our desire to share gradually faded. As we progressed from elementary school to high school and then to university, what we learned became topics that others knew too, but were relatively less known. We still wanted to share them, but this time, the pure excitement of childhood sharing no longer stirred the same enthusiasm within us. Occasionally, we felt we might recapture that excitement, but now we could not find anyone truly listening.

Why do people who can patiently listen to topics they already know not make time for topics they do not know?

We call this era the “age of information.” Humanity is more preoccupied with information than ever before. Television programs, books, newspapers, the internet—everywhere is filled with information. Naturally, people wish to spend their time only on subjects that interest them. They struggle even to tolerate silence when faced with a topic they do not care about; they quickly change the subject or try to escape it.

In this age, finding a conversation partner who shares your passion for the topics you care about is truly difficult. Just like everyone else, you want to explore subjects that interest you and enjoy sincere conversations with friends without being judged. This is a natural desire. But consider this: If you were to talk about art to a group of young people sitting in a park in a neighborhood considered somewhat dangerous, what kind of reaction would you get? Would they politely show indifference, or would they dampen your budding enthusiasm with a mocking smile?

Almost everyone has experienced a situation like this at least once in their life. After reading a book or watching a film, you feel compelled to excitedly share the emotions it stirred in you with your friends. Your sentences tumble over each other; you cannot stand still, gesturing with your hands to convey your thoughts. But the people across from you merely nod their heads. The passion you felt inside begins to fade over time.

Then, suddenly, you realize: the topic is there, but no one is left to tell it.