In most seminars held in the Kingdom and elsewhere, participants are often overcome by boredom and exhaustion. This is particularly true during the second half of the day which is often given over to conferences, forums and workshops. None of these sessions and sub-sessions, in my opinion, really differs from the other.
The most common thing I have noted in all of them is that participants doze or nod off, particularly after lunch and particularly if the presenter has a low or monotonous voice.
Was it Napoleon who said the best cure for insomnia was having to listen to a long speech?
Sleeping during work is universal. Some British judges have been caught dozing when the lawyers are making their lengthy final arguments in support of their clients. Some newspapers have even published photos of the sleeping judges. A magazine for judges came forward to defend them.
According to the magazine, the judges were not dozing or being negligent; they were simply listening with rapt attention and closed eyes. Had their eyes been open, they might have been distracted by something in the courtroom. And this might influence them unfairly when the time came to make the judgment. Thus the best course was for them to keep their eyes shut and listen.
Remember the ancient Arabic poet who said, “He sleeps with one eye and guards against death with the other.”
