For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. - Bible
If a story is not about the hearer, he will not listen. And here I make a rule—a great and interesting story is about everyone or it will not last. - John Steinbeck
Mankind are tolerant of the praises of others as long as each hearer thinks that he can do as well or nearly as well himself, but, when the speaker rises above him, jealousy is aroused and he begins to be incredulous. - Thucydides
Words are events, they do things, change things. They transform both speaker and hearer; they feed energy back and forth and amplify it - Ursula K. Le Guin