Two tin cans joined by a loose string, one holding a pink flower, against a dusty rose background.

Original artwork, not a still

The Second Neurotic's Notebook · 1966

Mignon McLaughlin

No one really listens to anyone else, and if you try it for a while you will see why.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The speaker makes a sweeping claim that nobody really listens, then invites the listener to discover the reason by trying. The explanation remains unstated. One reading hears a cynical joke about finding other people's talk unrewarding, with the invitation supplying the sting.

Context reviewed

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