"If one could only teach the English how to talk, and the Irish how to listen, society here would be quite civilized"

This quote by Oscar Wilde is a humorous yet insightful talk about the state of society in Ireland. Wilde is recommending that if the English could find out to interact more effectively and the Irish might discover to listen more attentively, then society in Ireland would be much more civilized. This suggests that the English are bad communicators and the Irish are not good listeners, which can cause misconceptions and dispute. Wilde is highlighting the value of interaction and understanding in order to create a more harmonious society. He is also recommending that if both sides could discover to interact and listen better, then the stress in between the two groups would be lowered and society in Ireland would be more serene.