The difference between listening and hearing

Is there a difference between listening and hearing? As far as I can ascertain, hearing is perceiving sound by the ear; the vibrations on the ear drum. Listening on the other hand, seem a more complex  concept involving processing, a conscious effort, focusing and connection through little affirmations.
Listening involves acknowledging that what is happening in someone elses inner world matters.
Have you ever been told: "You never listen, you're not hearing me, that's not what I said", or maybe you have said those things yourself or at least thought them?
Feeling that no one listens to us can be a very alienating experience, a bit like being "naked" while everyone else is fully dressed, but being truly listened to, can be a wonderfully reassuring and validating event.
Why do we sometimes find it so hard to listen to others?
Is it maybe because we can't leave ourselves behind in order to truly focus on the other?
Do we feel unheard/unlistened to ourselves? Do we feel we need to have the answers and we don't?
Does listening involve us becoming more intimate with the other than we desire?
Does listening to others make us question our own situations and lives? Perhaps all the above and then some.......?
Our world is noisy and to find a spot void of sound would prove a challenge I think. Have you ever put in earplugs only to discover that you still hear things? You hear your body sounds, so in order to not go crazy with an overload of information, we learn to filter out sounds not consequential to us at the time. (Interesting side note: Heavy metal music played non-stop very loudly, has been used (maybe still is) as a form of torture of detainees in various institutions. Disclaimer: this statement does not reflect my opinion of heavy metal music) In this world filled with sound how can we become attentive and focused listeners?
In order to improve my own listening skills I have come up with a few possible ideas:

* Be there, be present and attentive to what the other is saying
* This is the other persons time
* Listen to the emotions expressed
* Slip in little encouraging affirmations: "I see, Mmm, yes, and then, etc"
* Listening itself is often enough
* Listening does not require answers only being available

Listening can be a very intimate experience and at times may require a willingness to engage with the reality of someone else, and in doing so, risk being changed by that experience.
The hear something requires functioning ears, to listen requires our attention and participation.