Are Words as Powerful Weapons as Swords?
During my morning walk (the tredmill is broken), I started thinking about how people can destroy each other in so many different ways. The ultimate destruction, of course comes physically, in terms of death, as a result of war or the taking of a human life.
It seems that most people, in the real world, and in blogsville, are affected negatively or destroyed more frequently by words. Being a word person, I try to measure what I say before I write and/or speak it, as to me, this form of interaction is as if not more powerful than any type of sword that can be welded.
The post that I have below about the Moschiach made me think about this as a topic since some believe that once there is peace and unity, that is to say, perfection, then the Moschiach will come. Is it not complete hyprocricity, and contradiction, in some ways, that those very people who seek perfection can be those with the most biting and harsh tounges? If so, what does this say about us as people and how we treat each other? Is it enough to seek some type of redemption after living a life of contradiction, or is it better to lead a good, honest and caring life, but be flawed?
Here is the question of the day: Can it be argued that words, in many instances are as powerful and can cause more destruction than swords?
Thank you for your minds.
It seems that most people, in the real world, and in blogsville, are affected negatively or destroyed more frequently by words. Being a word person, I try to measure what I say before I write and/or speak it, as to me, this form of interaction is as if not more powerful than any type of sword that can be welded.
The post that I have below about the Moschiach made me think about this as a topic since some believe that once there is peace and unity, that is to say, perfection, then the Moschiach will come. Is it not complete hyprocricity, and contradiction, in some ways, that those very people who seek perfection can be those with the most biting and harsh tounges? If so, what does this say about us as people and how we treat each other? Is it enough to seek some type of redemption after living a life of contradiction, or is it better to lead a good, honest and caring life, but be flawed?
Here is the question of the day: Can it be argued that words, in many instances are as powerful and can cause more destruction than swords?
Thank you for your minds.
20 Comments:
Very good point Doug. And you are so right. Life is messy, and can be even messier if the inappropriate words are spoken.
I think words can influence people's actions. The weaker the mind, the more impact words can have on them.
But, in the end, a word, no matter how vile - is just a compression wave. Particles of air moving back and forth, converted to electrical impulses by your ears and sent to your brain. They are in and of themselvs harmless - IF the listner is able to say "what a crock of poop" and walk on.
I don't know much about Judiaism, but I think it is a principle of your religion that you have to be very careful to never slander another... or even say bad things about them even if those things are true? That we shouldn't judge each other? Isn't it called "Lashon Ha-Ra"?
I think that is a great idea, even if I can't always live up to it. I do think words have the power to harm others. I will try to be more aware of my speech today. Thanks for the reminder. Hope you are feeling better.
You are right Kate, about Lashon Haha. It is prohibited, and means gossip and bad or negative speech. Sadly, many Jews aspire to its principles, but fall down in its practices.
My motto for the week is that learning to stay silent is a true gift.
No matter how many times my mother's husband beat me, the blows weren't as bad as the comments: "You're just a girl" "You're stupid" "Who do you think you are?" "You're a whore"
The physical bruises healed, the mental ones have not. And I'm not sure if they ever will.
So yes, I think words are more powerful than swords.
niobium,
As someone who specializes in child abuse, I can imagine the pain that you have felt while growing up in that type of home. My heart goes out to you.
My wish is that you will come to peace with these harsh issues, for your own sake, walk through the pain, and emerge victorioiusly on the other, more serene side of it all.
Barbara, thanks. I'm getting there, slowly.
Words can do a tremendous amount of damage, especially if they come from someone whose opinion matters to us (e.g., an abusive parent). However, I think it's impossible to separate, measure, and compare the damage done by words from that done by violence, because physical and sexual abusers are also almost always verbal/emotional abusers too. People don't smile and say loving things while they ball up their fists or unbutton their pants. They say degrading things to convince the victim of their abuse that s/he deserves every bit of it.
The thing I find fascinating is what accounts for people's different responses to being verbally abused. My dad told me once that his father told him he'd never amount to anything. My dad's knee-jerk reaction was, "I'm going to prove you wrong, old man." I, on the other hand, would have been devastated by a comment like that (and indeed was devastated by the insults my mother and brothers hurled at me). I'd like to distill and bottle that "screw you, idiot" essence that was a natural part of my dad's chemistry. Wouldn't it be wonderful to truly be unharmed by words?
Two things:
1) In Jewish thought, embarrassing someone is equivalent to killing them. And in terms of Divine punishment (either now or later), it's the same. Words are the easiest way to embarrass, and therefore the easiest way to "kill."
2) It IS hard, though, not to speak badly about someone else if they've caused you or someone you know pain. One thing that I know many people do is to take an hour out of your day and make it "Lashon Horah Free." During 60 minutes, be extremely vigilant of what comes out of your mouth. Even that's pretty hard! But it's amazing how different things turn out an hour later if you don't react immediatly with a sharp retort...
I definately think that words can be very damaging. Remember 'sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me'? It's wrong. So often hurtful things that are said can lead to depression or anxiety (or both). Words are very powerful. Who said 'the pen is mightier than the sword'? He got it right.
P.S. Something else that argues that the spoken word is powerful: the concept of affirmations.
Read more about it here
Saur,
Thank you for that great article.
Politicians, past and present know the value of words only too well, both spoken and written.
And they are extremely powerful.
They can wound or bring great joy, calm or incite, start revolutions and wars, or end all wars and bring peace.
In the wrong hands they are dangerous weapons, in the right hands, they are inspiring sublime poetry.
It all depends, of course, on which side of the words we are on at any one time.
Martin Luther Kings famous speech "I have a dream..." is one of those outstanding resonating speeches which will live on forever. It is poetry for all humanity, but there were people, (and still are, unfortunately), who will not see the poetry in the words, but will see them as dangerous weapons.
Poets often get shot, or imprisoned,
but the words survive, and usually change things.
But always, one persons poetry will be seen by another as dangerous.
Words are indeed more powerful.
I know how bad words can be, when aimed to do harm. Trust me, been there. I try and take the high road and kill people with kindness, as they say. Also, I try and stand by, if you dont have anything nice to say, then dont say anything. These two thoughts have kept me out of a lot of trouble.
The important thing is to ignore the words which are designed to be cruel.
Absolutely correct, Zeppelina.
This past week, I was in that situation, and experienced some cruel language directed towards a family member, said out of anger by her daughter to me. A letter was sent by the mother, and I ripped it up un-opened, as I felt it would not be positive, and would just continue with the negativity.
I was proud of myself.
That was the best thing to do, Barbara, most people would feel compelled to have read something like that, and then regretted having read it later.
You should be proud of getting rid of the letter, well done!
Words are certianly as powerful as swords. Jesus never picked up a sword. Neither did Buddha. Or Moses. Or Ghandi. Death is forgotten. People cover it up and try to forget about it. The written word lives on. It can be used and reused. It can be edited and manipulated. The word changes the history of the use of the sword, and therefore, the history of the world.
I wonder if it's possible to condition ourselves to be unharmed by words. Can we decide that if someone doesn't like it's not that big a loss and teach ourselves to just move on? Why would we want to remember time spent with a person like that, anyway? Words are powerful, but I think we give them power. We chose to believe them or urn away from them. Words that have power to you may mean nothing to me. This is a paradoxical question.
Words can kill the spirit. There is a Russian saying-Sorry I don't know Russian that mentions "Soul murder".
I think that is what words can do, especially to those who are particularlly sensitive and vulnerable-like children.
People do heal, but not all, and it takes a lot of time. Yes, I'm speaking from experience.
Swords kill quicker and there is no time to heal.I guess in that way words are not as powerful as weapons....but part of me will always believe that words are as powerful as weapons. They just kill slower. I'm very careful (sometimes too careful, I think). I try to measure my words.
There is something in the Bible... I'm not religious, but it makes sense. "The tongue has the power of life and death." Maybe that's stretching it, but as a survivor of great deal of verbal abuse as a child-I tend to agree.
Signed,
An Anonymous, but non-Sarcastic person who just wants to be part of a good Blog.
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