To the donkey that borrowed this, please return it. This book changed the way I present the thoughts I articulate in speech and writing. I was at Wardah Bookstore in Singapore today and came across it.
Edward Said is legendary. A Palestinian Christian academic later based in USA, he fought long and hard for the Palestinian cause.
He wrote the famous book Orientalism which is also a text used in post graduate courses in universities. Orientalism basically makes you realize how you may have been viewing the world a certain (distorted) manner, due to how you’ve been influenced without realising it.
*For those who dig this stuff, read The Myth of the Lazy Native by Malaysia’s Professor Syed Hussein al-Attas, which was written a few years before Orientalism and given similar respect by their peers. Said quoted al-Attas a few times. It’s remarkable that Hussein al-Attas isn’t nearly as celebrated specifically by his countrymen.
Google more on him and this book. Orientalism too was loaned to a friend but have yet to be returned. For this one, it’s okay. I know where you live.
Ways to present thoughts. Or make your points.
You may learn this from other people and books too. It’s not exclusive. In The Pen and The Sword, a collection of interviews, I noticed a pattern as to how Said answered most questions.
He would give his general sentiment, positive/negative, for/against, subjective, etc. Then he would state an over arching brief explanation which leads to the next part.
Which is, a point by point or a reason by reason, that explains or makes up his sentiment. And he’ll begin each point with either ‘One….. ‘ then ‘Two…. ‘ So forth. Or Firstly, Secondly, or any other way to clearly indicate he’s moving to a next point.
This is important when explaining things verbally, especially if it takes a longer time than a usual short answer. It allows the listener to mentally visualize your whole speech without any visual aid and it also helps the receiver of your message extend their attention span.
For this reason, if you are able to put ego aside, when you notice people zoning out, then either do something different or just stop talking because there’s no point other than letting go what you want to say for the sake of it and achieving no impact. That is not the point of a conversation.
I was advised by a journalist friend once, that when doing interviews, if the journalist is not taking notes when you answer his questions, then move on to another point. They’re only listening to be polite (while you are being shiok sendiri).
Niki Cheong I think u were that journalist friend
Annisa Rochadiat let’s see. I’m still learning.