Actions often transcend language in both importance and in persuasion. This aphorism could be considered to be a condensed version of another aphorism by Mahatma Gandhi which reads: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” It is easy to boast or it is easy to cry or complain about injustice or corruption, but it is often ineffective and a weak attempt at success or problem solving. “You talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?” By moving to action, most people believe you directly affect the world in ways words cannot; you become a leader of the change you wish to see. In D1 athletics, for example, the coach does not look for people who say they are good. The coach looks for people who prove they are good through their actions.
The form of logic used in this aphorism is inductive reasoning. There is no premise that states that words are more powerful or more “loud” than words. The conclusion is deduced by means of examining contemporary society, revolutions, and striking events that have occurred primarily due to actions taken by individuals rather than being initiated with language alone.
This sentence, first of all, is perhaps the best way to get someone to reconsider the effort they are putting into written or verbal arguments that are pointless due to the context or audience they are trying to persuade. It is a choice of words that the reader must take an extra step to process, and that is why it is so effective. If we take this sentence literally, it makes no sense. Actions are not words, and we certainly don’t speak them. A more appropriate sentence might be: “Actions show louder than words,” where the word louder indicates more impact. The reader is queued into the idea of the impact of their ideas and how a complete revisit of which method of persuasion might be more useful and have the largest impact. Perhaps you are trying to persuade people to vote for a new president, but your audience knows that you have never voted for any president in your life. Your audience will not take you seriously until you vote. No word, verbal or written, will ever persuade them to vote in this context until you lead by example and vote yourself. Sometimes words alone are not persuasive because they are unbelievable, and when change is desired, people do not get their hands dirty with words.
Saying that one’s actions have their own unique voice places action in the same playing field as language but in a way that hints that action actually transcends language. This is a clever turn of phrase
This aphorism’s most powerful impact and effectiveness can only be seen in a world where an excess of information, opinions, and wanting for change exists across all mediums of information where people are constantly wading through it wondering what is believable, surreal, or simply a waste of time. It is a simple reminder of the cases in language where your audience and yourself is separated by a brick wall that is impenetrable by language alone. Throwing words at this wall, no matter how well written, how persuasive, and how meaningful or well packaged the words are, is futile. It is a humble reminder that action often initializes or acts as a catalyst for opinions and comments and language. It is the precursor for language, and often the most effective at persuading and reaching other human beings.
No comments:
Post a Comment