Calling it polished indifference seems harsh.
But it is true that what most people want in a listener is someone who will simply let them talk.
A perfect example of this is Greta Van Susteren.
For while other TV hosts shout over each other to get in the last word, Susteren seems to refuse to interrupt a guest.
This superpower made her the only news/politics show without a contentious atmosphere and rising energy level.
Or, maybe she just didn’t care.
Usually, what we call a “good listener” is someone with skillfully polished indifference.
-Nassim Taleb, The Bed Of Procrustes