The Weight of Words
"You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is observing things with logic. True power is restraint. If words control you that means everyone else can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass..."
I came across this quote the other day and loved it. The internet ascribes it to Warren Buffet, but apparently its actually from a fake Warren Buffet Twitter account. Either way, I absolutely love it. In this day and age of trigger warnings, safe spaces, and suppression of free speech, it serves as a reminder for why we cannot just give into this insanity. The old saying 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me' is a nice one, but not true. The fact is that words do hurt, and often they hurt a lot. But they only can do as much damage as we give them.
If we allow every mean spirited insult to damage who we are as a person, what does that say about us? We must have internal strength because of our own fire and resourcefulness, not because others have built us up. If we allow our value to be derived based on what others say about us, then it gives those people power to rip it all away. That's not to say however, that self built people are not hurt when other throw insults there way, but the damage is less and impact dulled because their strength and fortitude, comes not from is said about them, but because of what they know.
Its the difference between wisdom and knowledge. Its one thing to know something, its quite another to be wise. A person can know everything there is know, but be a fool when it comes to applying it. Whereas a wise man may not know much, but they have discernment to apply what they do know, and ferreting out the truth.
A good novel should make us uncomfortable in some way. It should evoke deep feeling that may be confusing, but cause us to think. Do I agree with that statement? Why or why not? Do I truly disagree or does it merely make me uncomfortable? Why do I believe that? All of these things are useful to keep in mind, especially in a world overrun by arguments that so often end in name calling for no other reason than its an easy way to win the argument. Racist! Bigot! Homophobe! Religious Zealot! {insert term} denier! And so on. These phrases make nice neat ends to arguements because all the other party can say is some version of 'nuh uh!' and effectively all debate is done. But instead of breaking down into these, what if we could have a conversation on why? Why do we believe such statement to be racist? Is it actually racist? Or is it that a true, but tough, statement was made about a person who happens to also be a minority? Are you a bigot simply for disagreeing with another person and having views? What if we had to use real, formed thoughts to defend our opinions, not just devolving into threats and anger? Words should make us uncomfortable. It is never a good place to be in, in life when all we hear are words of affirmation that lull us into a sense of complacency. This causes us to fall into the dreaded trap of group think which then causes us to shrink rather than grow as an individual. Pain, stretching, trying, failing, and discomfort will always make us into better, and stronger people, whereas complacency and being surronded by yes men are the death of growth.
If we allow every mean spirited insult to damage who we are as a person, what does that say about us? We must have internal strength because of our own fire and resourcefulness, not because others have built us up. If we allow our value to be derived based on what others say about us, then it gives those people power to rip it all away. That's not to say however, that self built people are not hurt when other throw insults there way, but the damage is less and impact dulled because their strength and fortitude, comes not from is said about them, but because of what they know.
Its the difference between wisdom and knowledge. Its one thing to know something, its quite another to be wise. A person can know everything there is know, but be a fool when it comes to applying it. Whereas a wise man may not know much, but they have discernment to apply what they do know, and ferreting out the truth.
A good novel should make us uncomfortable in some way. It should evoke deep feeling that may be confusing, but cause us to think. Do I agree with that statement? Why or why not? Do I truly disagree or does it merely make me uncomfortable? Why do I believe that? All of these things are useful to keep in mind, especially in a world overrun by arguments that so often end in name calling for no other reason than its an easy way to win the argument. Racist! Bigot! Homophobe! Religious Zealot! {insert term} denier! And so on. These phrases make nice neat ends to arguements because all the other party can say is some version of 'nuh uh!' and effectively all debate is done. But instead of breaking down into these, what if we could have a conversation on why? Why do we believe such statement to be racist? Is it actually racist? Or is it that a true, but tough, statement was made about a person who happens to also be a minority? Are you a bigot simply for disagreeing with another person and having views? What if we had to use real, formed thoughts to defend our opinions, not just devolving into threats and anger? Words should make us uncomfortable. It is never a good place to be in, in life when all we hear are words of affirmation that lull us into a sense of complacency. This causes us to fall into the dreaded trap of group think which then causes us to shrink rather than grow as an individual. Pain, stretching, trying, failing, and discomfort will always make us into better, and stronger people, whereas complacency and being surronded by yes men are the death of growth.
Comments
Post a Comment