Have you ever been to a live event where the host finds need to comment on every part of the event after it happened. The flow goes something like this:
Host introduction: “Here’s this cool person who’s going to talk about this cool thing.”
Cool person talks about cool thing.
Audience enthusiastically applauds.
Host returns: “This is why I think that cool thing was important to be shared, and why this cool person did a good job sharing it.”
The host’s comments make it seem as thought the speaker wasn’t good enough. Regardless of the audience’s reaction, the host had to reiterate the appropriate interpretation of the situation. In fact, a simple “thank you” from the host would have sufficed.
We live in a culture where everyone is making statements, and everyone else is making statements about those statements (these we incorrectly call comments). There seems little time or space for listening and processing before new statements are made.
Here’s the thing. Listening and processing are more important than the idea of just having your voice heard. Regardless of the pace of society we need to pause, take the time to listen AND process, before even thinking of making a statement.
And remember, not everything demands an additional statement.