Thought~Byte No. 45
Concept and words by John Philipp. Drawings by Phil Frank.
(The comments below are where the wisdom is found.)
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Comments: 67
Internally as well.
They don't encumber me.
They inspire me.
As a fiction writer, they're my best friend.
As a romance, fiction writer, words can bring my characters to life. Make them have meaning.
Words can be used as weapons, only if you let them.
So much for spur of the moment conversation.
Kudos to the late Mr. Frank and to
the keeper of humor,
the potentate of thought bytes,
the west coast bastion of the keyboards,
the sometimes flinger of baloney sausage,
the Gather Humor Monster,
Mr. John Philipp.
Ah, Ruth. Yet another level to this Byte.
And an important one. It borders the discussion about the difference between knowledge and Knowing.
Thanks.
Agreed, Angela. And they still bind your mind in many ways even though they are assets and friends in others.
This Byte has several important facets to it.
Trust me, I did without words once for six months.
True, Linda. Also an aspect to this Byte.
As they say, Kamran, in more ways than one.
Haim, say more about the situation.
Definitely one of the potential liabilities of words, John. Thanks.
Well said, Larry. Another important layer to this Byte.
Thanks.
So much for spur of the moment conversation."
Yet, in choosing carefully, we also bind ourselves, JoAnne.
This is another level here.
Jeff, thank you for those nice words.
Remember what meds you were on this morning and take them frequently.
Enjoy your day.
I love words and value my freedom of speech very highly. All the more so because, as an Aspie, I have the most unsettling tendency to blurt out what I'm thinking before I can put the brakes on my mouth - which has not been pleasant, overall. I embarrass myself with this "insert foot in mouth" syndrome frequently... which reinforces my reclusiveness.
In a novel I'm writing (I say writing... I haven't added a word in two years...) there is an entire race of characters who are telepathic. They don't communicate in words for the most part, and their interaction is very honest and straightforward.
The Bible says that God spoke the world into being with a Word. Words can help us, harm us, heal us, make us ill... but without words, unless we were telepathic, we'd be little more than brutes wielding primitive tools.
The statement in the cartoon is so true because the language which enables our communication DOES also bind us and confer certain unique responsibilities to us.
Sometimes words can suffocate and then again, they can free us from that same bondage.
Not the only way that words bind us, Eileen, but an important aspect.
Thanks for the specifics.
Only if we let them.
As for the rest: there's a very fine line between absurdity and wisdom. Often it's all in the mind of the beholder.
"You jerk!" See what I mean. If you don't like being called a jerk, you will be imprisoned by your adverse reaction to my calling you a jerk.
"Right Sweetie." Don't be imprisoned by the flattery. I don't know you well enough to get that familiar with you!
Hi John.
Part of the answer, Stanley.
Also, words themselves carry assumptions and reinforce biases and patterns of thought. That's a more insidious prison because we are, for the most part, unaware of it.
You add the dimension of our reactions to others' words. Excellent build.
Thanks.
Rest easy
That's the external bondage.
There's also the internal bondage. How words affect your thinking ...
Fun one John. Deceptively complicated.
I agree and also while words can help communicate they also help to miscommunicate.
"and your truth shall set you free."