Discuss: A Failure to Communicate

At last!!!! What more need be said.

I agree 100% with this and would only add that performance skills are useful—no, essential—tools for communicating just about any serious message you can think of, environmental or otherwise.

Wonderful! Reminds me of my brother, who comes to the communications dilemma from the other end of the stick. As one of Texas’ most knowledgeable environmental restorationists, with only a GED to his name, he often shows up to speak to academic audiences carrying a post-hole digger—which he proudly displays to those assembled as his “P-H-D.”

We learn best to use all our organs in communicating as we go through the real-life learning process of walking the walk for real, rather than just being content to talk the talk. As Randy Olson has discovered in his own way, and has communicated so beautifully. Thank you.

Spot on! Thanks Randy for your contributions!

Such a great article. So many “well intentioned” citizens walking around with their tails between their legs. Being sincere as all get out does not make you a hit or lets face it it may not even make you likable.

I think there is one non-organ that could get a mention: the fists. Respecting can only be got by standing up to any kind of bullying and there are lots of kinds of bullying. Standing up ready to fight most probably shows a big heart. The big heart connected to the fits can be the ticket.

Yesterday, I was musing about the late great Tommy Douglas. The man is known to all Canadians as the founder of medicare in Canada.

Tommy was a wee chap who nearly lost a leg while a child but was saved by a kind surgeon. He was a minister and an amateur boxer and he taught the young boys in his parish to box. Though small he stood up for himself. He stood up for those who were good people but could not stand up for themselves.
And he taught them to meet the challenges. He was a determined young man and he built a better country.

I write environmental songs for children—and adults—and I know that humor and heart are what reach people. Once they are interested, they can always look up the facts and figures.
And I love the post-hole digger story.

Thanks for the thoughtful article. Not to be overly academic, but Randy Olson’s four organs closely parallel Aristotle’s three forms of persuasive rhetoric: Logos, Pathos and Ethos. For Aristotle, effective communication must appeal to the audience logically (logos), emotionally (pathos) and ethically (ethos). So that covers the brain, the heart and the gut (our instincts and basic values)... As for the fourth group of organs, I doubt Aristotle would have disagreed with the edition of “eroticos” to his trinity. The man clearly had a healthy appreciation for sex appeal.

The need for effective communicators on environmental issues has never been greater, and the reminder to go beyond the facts and figures is a good one.  Not many can come up with Aristotle’s three forms of persuasive rhetoric (Logos, Pathos and Ethos), but most Americans could come up with the Wizard of Oz version: The Tin Man looking for a heart, the Scarecrow a brain, and the Cowardly Lion the nerve.