God's Debris

On my reading list was God's Debris by Scott Adams (of Dilbert fame). It is neither about Dilbert nor comedic. It is a self described "thought experiment" and tells a twisting story of a old man who knows everything. Its a little too nebulous for me, but there is a particular passage I enjoyed...

"Conversation is more than a sum of the words. it is also a way of signaling the importance of another person by showing your willingness to give that person your rarest resource: time. It is a way of conveying respect. Conversation reminds us that we are part of a greater whole, connected in some way that transcends duty or bloodline or commerce. Conversation can be many things, but it can never be useless."

For the next few hours the old man revealed more of his ingredients for successful social living. Express gratitude. Give more than expected. Speak optimistically. Touch people. Remember names. Don't confuse flexibility with weakness. Don't judge people by their mistakes. Remember that your physical appearance is for the benefit of others. Attend to your own basic needs first; otherwise you will not be useful to anyone else.