For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals. 

Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination. 

We learned to talk and we learned to listen. 

Speech has allowed the communication of ideas, enabling human beings to work together to build the impossible. 

Mankind's greatest achievements have come about by talking, and its greatest failures by not talking. 

It doesn't have to be like this.

Our greatest hopes could become reality in the future. 

With the technology at our disposal, the possibilities are unbounded. 

All we need to do is make sure we keep talking.

-Stephen Hawking-

There’s a song by Pink Floyd that uses this quote from Stephen Hawking with the same title, “Keep Talking.” It’s where I heard this quote for the first time. He has it right; communication is key, the most crucial thing for our relationships with others. So many ill thoughts and misunderstandings can be avoided by simply talking to each other. This happens at all scales, from personal relationships to official diplomatic relations with other countries. Far too often, attempts at finding a solution are just waiting for the other side to finish speaking so we can convey our own points, which also will not be heard. But we can work out our differences and find a way forward if we truly believe we want the best for each other.