Can We Talk 2

The Power of The Pen

Prompt: "The pen is the tongue of the mind" Miguel de Cervantes Saaverda

         "The pen is mightier than the sword." Certainly, Thomas Paine with his pamphlets proved to wield more influence and power than he would have with traditional weapons in colonial America. If we think of "the pen" as any written word, which I believe was the intention of both quotes, we have evidence today of the power of that written word. Facebook and Twitter can do more harm and good than sit-ins, marches, and riots. Words written by misled teenagers have destroyed reputations and lives.

         In fact, in this culture of short attention spans, a Thomas Paine pamphlet would be read by only a few intellectuals. Snarky tweets and biased photo captions are the only news outlets for a lot of folks. Ill-informed politicians and ego-drunk celebrities can incite mass emotional reactions by what they thumb type in haste. The point is they type quickly without rational thought, instead of just speaking to those in the room, sending their thoughts out to huge followings.

         The first quote referred to the tongue. Yes, the writing is like the tongue, but without being face to face. I have seen notes or e-mails in the business place divide and alienate in ways the writers never intended. The written word is harder to retract than spoken words. The Bible tells us the tongue is a dangerous thing. It likens the tongue, or spoken word, to the rudder of a ship, which can lead it astray or stay on course if controlled properly. In another place, it tells us the tongue, or what comes out of the mouth, indicates what is in the heart. If venomous things are spoken or written, then that is because the heart is full of hatred and venom.

         Both the written and the spoken word reveal the inner thinking and feeling of the speaker (fiction being the exception). Both can do great harm, incite wars, sway a community, or lead someone to suicide. Both require a good deal of rational thinking and discernment.