Enough small talk. Let’s get right to it: Why can’t we talk to each other anymore? What makes good communication? And how do we restore the lost art of conversation?

In the 2024 CBC Massey Lectures, Giller Prize-winning novelist and poet Ian Williams wants to start a conversation about conversations. Ever felt that no one is really listening, or that no one really wants to understand? We’ve all felt that at times – and perhaps conversations are even more complicated today, even with our fancy communications devices.

And communication is not just a problem between individuals – it’s also a problem between groups and entire societies. Conversation is our best tool for understanding, but it’s also a trap: misunderstanding lurks at every corner.

Both serious and playful at the same time, in the 2024 CBC Massey Lectures Ian Williams suggests we need to realize that one-half of our conversations is, in fact, listening. And aren’t the best conversationalists—like the best musicians—good listeners?