Have you ever heard John Cage’s three-movement piece entitled 4’33”?  John Cage, a well known composer who wrote this creative piece, and David Tudor, an accomplished pianist, debuted it in a piano recital in New York in August of 1952. If you are not familiar with it, stop by the church and I will play it for you on the grand piano in our sanctuary.

It is a rather unique composition in that it is a four minute and thirty three second presentation without any note being played. Cage always denied that it was four minutes and thirty three seconds of silence because there was always sound, just not piano or music. There was the scuffling of feet, coughing of the audience, and the sound of a gathered crowd. The composer intended the content to the piece to be to be perceived as the sounds of the environment.

While Cage’s composition was very controversial in the music world, it has become an excellent teaching tool regarding listening.  4’33” is now used to help people listen to the incidental sounds of life. Every moment we consciously and subconsciously block out sounds we do not wish to hear. While such discrimination is necessary, it can also become dangerous and destructive. Blocking and filtering out critical information will result in having a wrong perception of reality.

Rather than looking through rose-colored glasses and listening through mellowed earphones, people of character do not filter out all criticism. They listen not only to what was intended for them to hear, but for the hurt and disappointment often conveyed by the people with whom we speak. While people compliment us and congratulate us because it is socially accepted and expected, we can often hear in their tones and inflections the disillusionment, discouragement and distress they really feel but fear to put into words.

When you are on the character path you not only listen to the words, but you listen the incidental sounds that may reflect reality better than words. While 4’33” may not be technically great music, it can be wonderful teaching tool.

Today after you have visited with a colleague or someone you supervise, ask yourself what you really heard—not just what words, but what was really being said.

If you do this you will be one step further down the character path.
Gary Fenton
Characterpath.com