Absolutely - I think
By p1kef1sh
@p1kef1sh (45681)
September 21, 2010 10:57am CST
Have you ever been asked to explain a difficult concept in a "sound bite"? I was asked today to explain the meaning of a medieval document that encompasses law, culture, the Law and a bunch of other things in just one brief sentence. Somehow I did it, but it got me wondering, just how easy do people find it to precis difficult ideas?
2 people like this
8 responses
@BarBaraPrz (51811)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
21 Sep 10
Are you talking about the Magna Carta?
That's a bit much to reduce to one sentence.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51811)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
21 Sep 10
I see that you are. I like Dawn's precis.
1 person likes this
@nannacroc (4049)
•
27 Sep 10
I have 3 very bright grandsons so obviously have had to do this. Not only shorten the answer but also make it understandable to their age and stage of understanding at the time.
I was often told at college that I never wrote enough although I got all the information into what I did write. If I find it too difficult it becomes 'Grandads department'.
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
22 Sep 10
Japan entered an alliance with the Axis powers after they had started their own hostilities. They entered the war because the island of Japan lacks many of the natural resources it needed to be a modern world power, and they invaded China to get them.
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Sep 10
oh pikey you know how many discussions come up here and ask
just what is the meaning of life? I answered one once by
saying you want this in twenty five words or less? How
do you sum up a large subject like that and how do you
know any universal answer to that? My ideas would surely not
necessarily be the same as others.,I feel we were put here by
our Almighty to help each other and to grow to our best
abilites,to be of help to each other, to find fulfillment
in reaching out and helping each other.
But I do not think that's a fair discussion in that is there
any just one univeral answer? I always feel like I have used too
many words and still not really explained it correctly.
1 person likes this
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
21 Sep 10
Probably people who have/had children and work with John Q Public have the easiest time of doing this, since they do it at home and at work on a daily basis. People who don't have/do either would have the hardest. Don't you think?
I'm curious what your sentence is now, and how law and Law are different. Or is that a cultural difference? 
1 person likes this
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
23 Sep 10
You are speaking of an absolute turn on of mine. I love to read or listen to a person who can write/speak concisely. It is an art form if you ask me..... the art of a well chosen phrase. I'm not speaking of summarizing the life out of something, rather skillfully choosing the exact words that paint a picture so inviting that the listener sees a beautiful meaning before them with little effort.
I imagine you did well in delivering your 'sound bite', my dear Pikey!
