The Prison Mirror

By Whitey

There is a little matter of affixation to be taken into account at this writing. You know whom (in this instance it is whom) I mean—the guy that always has something to add to what you have just finished saying. No matter how well you have presented your topic, he will try to take the conversation away from you by adding to it until it is out of all proportion.

Exaggeration has its place, but certainly it has no place in serious conversation where facts are the basis of the topic.

The addition of anything to a discussion should normally be to further understanding, not to addle the intended meaning by injecting superfluous and nonsensical imaginations. Such insertions are simply a running off at the mind—the gibberish concoctions of an excited and very small child.

When we augment anything, no matter how slightly, it should have some authenticity. At least make it sound plausible enough to create some thought of possibility. Even imaginative discussion can be constructive, so long as it is based on fact, and so long as it remains within the bounds of reason. Let it get beyond that, and what have we got?

A man would be much better off to sit in a corner and twiddle his thumbs than (Please Turn to Page 3).
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to enter into conversation with certain of the scatter brained variety in question. Definitely, nothing constructive is to be gotten out of it. And there is nothing we would care to impart that might be of interest to that particular person.

He will not engage you or anyone else in a discussion for any other reason than to hear himself talk, or to unload some fantasia of his upon us. After he leaves we can only sit and stare and wonder what in blazes he was talking about. It gives a person the "willies" just to listen to them at times.

Many people will garnish a relating that may be for the enhancement of an otherwise dry topic, which is particularly applicable to narrative. The inserting of a certain amount of drama always intensifies. It is like adding steak sauce to a steak. In the right proportion it heightens the flavor of the meat.

Interesting conversation arises out of knowing what to add and how to add it at the opportune moment to further constructive additions on the part of the other person or persons. In a sense it is a plotting of logical sequences as we go along to further addition.

Intelligent discussion is very much on the order of a well plotted story, with obstacles added to be overcome, and the building of new ones in an effort to acquire a clear and concise understanding of the point of objective.

Who likes to listen to a mess of twaddle by a scatter witted character who jumps from one subject to another, never remaining long enough on one to get any meaning out of it. It is little wonder that so many sensible people find solace in solitude and the company of good books.

The depth of the average conversation contains little to strengthen our belief in the axiom that "man grows weaker but wiser."

It is not difficult to recognize toward whom Solomon pointed the barb in his little proverb: "The tongue of the wise uses knowledge right: but the mouth of fools pours out foolishness."