“The great adventure of the last two centuries has been “Who am I?”  What I would like to know is “Who are you?”   (Theodore Zeldin, historian and philosopher).

Theodore Zeldin, a don at Christ Church, Oxford and one of the world’s greatest experts on France, it’s culture and history, has latterly concerned  himself with conversation, and has written a best-selling book on the subject.  He has started an organization called the Oxford Muse (web address www.oxfordmuse.com ) whose aim is to pioneer new methods to improve personal, professional and intercultural relationships and allow people to see and say what normally they dare not.  That is, to have open and honest conversations and to open up to other human beings.

What has this to do with Epicureanism? Well, Epicurus was the ultimate Ancient Greek conversationalist.  Through conversation with  slaves, with women, with Greeks and foreigners old and young, he learned about the human condition, the ultimate achievement for a philosopher.

Unfortunately, in this modern world the attitude seems to be, ” I am going to talk about myself, and unless you interrupt me I will assume that you are interested in what I have to say and that you have little to contribute”.   Thus we have people  of all ages talking about themselves and never asking, “what do you think” or “how do you feel about so-and- so?”

They are busy working out who they are, but seldom ask, “Who are you?”