Life — March 27, 1931 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Art of Listening" - Life Magazine Page This page satirizes poor listening habits through Tom Sims's article and accompanying sketch. The cartoon depicts a scene where someone is clearly **not listening**—a figure appears distracted or disengaged while another person attempts to speak. The article argues that good listening is rarer and more valuable than good talking. It humorously notes that people interrupt, contradict speakers, or mentally drift away rather than genuinely absorb what's being said. The author uses the example of a Norwegian anchovy fisherman to illustrate how difficult true listening is for most people. The accompanying illustration appears to show a domestic or social scene emphasizing this disconnect between speaker and listener—capturing the satirical point that attentive listening remains an underappreciated skill.