I listen, but am often, not always. quite bored at the nonsense about gosspiping about other people, talking about misplaced feelings of being disrespected and hurt, etc etc. It all seems petty and trivial to me after awhile.
My response, unfortunately, is often - Who the F$%^ cares?
Or, as put perfectly in the movie a Bronx Tale: "Nobody cares"
Nobody. She doesn't either. Why do you? In one ear, out the other. Start thinking about something else. That's the great thing about being a mathematician. I can listen to someone while working out a problem in my head, drifting in and out.
The best relationship book I've ever read is The Prince by Machiavelli.