Ritwik Deshpande - Week #11 - The Power of Silence
(Source: NPR)
In this blog post, I’d like to deviate a little bit from what we normally consider as part of the theme “Power and Language.” Instead of focusing on an aspect of language and how that relates to power in our current society, I’d like to focus on something that may seem, at first, completely the opposite: silence.
Silence, although it may seem to have nothing to do with regard to the power of language, is a powerful form of communication. By staying silent, one can send an implicit message to those around them, which can mean many different things in many different situations. For example, people who are being oppressed may choose to stay silent instead of acting violently, because that could potentially send a message to the oppressors saying that what they are doing isn’t working.
Furthermore, silence can be used to assert dominance in certain situations, or even gain control in certain conversations. This can be seen in what many call, “the silent treatment.” If you aren’t familiar with this, it’s a situation in which instead of responding to someone or something by criticizing it/them, you instead cut off all communication altogether. This gives the message that they are uninterested in further interaction with a person, and allows them to send a cold message.
Many interesting examples can be seen of this throughout history. For example, Gandhi in India fought strongly for India’s independence through what many would have considered “silent” means. Although he didn’t fall into violent means, he sent a very powerful message. His actions could be considered silent, although his words definitely weren’t. Martin Luther King Jr could also be considered in this regard, since he propelled the Civil Rights Movement with similar ideals to Gandhi.
Hi Ritwik,
ReplyDeleteI found your title the most interesting because silence is definitely a powerful tool and weapon that speaks volumes of a person’s character and who they are. I appreciate how you make your blog unique and move away from the traditional sense of power and language. Though it is different, your blog is also different in the way that silence is viewed as the opposite of language and power and powerful characters are often great speakers who voice their concerns to people to gain their support. I agree that silence can and is used to assert dominance because it shows that you are unfazed by the other person’s opinion and do not really care about what they think of you. It is a way of telling them they are insignificant. I like how you use Gandhi as an example as he is an example of silence and peaceful protests being successful in a world where freedom is earned through battles and wars. Overall, I enjoyed reading your blog and see you on Friday!
-Krish
Hi Ritwik. Wow, that really was a clever topic to choose. I liked your examples of the nonviolence movement leaders in how their silence sent a powerful message. However, I think that silence can also sometimes be misinterpreted. Silence can be seen as indifference rather than resistance, so the context behind the silence is crucial; being quiet is not always the best solution. Silence holds great power, whether that be for the better or the worse. A bit unrelated, but I remember seeing a poster in 1st grade where the letters of the word "silent" also spell the word "listen." In that way, silence is crucial in order to truly listen, adding yet another layer to its power. Great blog post!
ReplyDeleteHi Ritwik! It was interesting to see your choice of topic since we often think of “loudness” and “expressing oneself” to have a higher association with power. Just like how the famous quote says: “Silence is sometimes the best answer,” I agree that silence can at times be more powerful than actually speaking up. I like how you described the different scenarios in which silence can be utilized, such as an oppressed person choosing to stay silent to confuse the oppressor and “the silent treatment,” which I think could also be thought of as “ghosting.” Silence used in forms of protests are especially effective and avoids harm to other individuals, evident through the movements led by Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King.
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