Word Power, Powerful Symbols, & Shootings

“The pen is mightier than the sword.”  I’m not quite sure about that, I thought.  I was in grade school.  The teacher was making a point: Learn to read and write, and to do it well, and you will be far more influential than using simple brute force.

Zero in…

Perhaps a questionable proposition when one is in grade school.  But the truth is: Sticks and stones may break my bones but words may break my spirit, cut my heart, and pierce my soul.  Words can actually do more than just hurt; they can kill.

Focus…

Words have power.  Words can be inflammatory.  Ideas inflame the imagination and well-chosen words move and ignite people to action.  Words paint a picture; and a picture?  Well, “A picture is worth a….”  Words are just symbols.  As to symbols, symbolic action, movement and gesture, and symbolic figures, they are powerful too, perhaps even more so than mere words.

Get the picture?

The burning of the American flag, a symbolic act against a symbolic figure, yet many would make this act illegal and with harsh consequence.  What’s the uproar?  It’s just symbolic speech, is it not?  But we don’t like its message and would make it a criminal act.  Why?  What happened to the idea of free speech and freedom of expression and the freedom to use potent symbols to get the point across?

Is this on target?

The reading of the Constitution by Congress, was this not also a symbolic act, a gesture of homage and respect for the foundation of our government?  Words!  Why waste time reading these words, if words have no power, if words and symbolic gestures, actions, and pictures have little impact on people?

Are you scoping this?

Billions of dollars are spent by major corporations each year for thirty second ads on TV shows.  If words and symbols mean so little and have so little influence on people, why waste so much money on what amounts to a compilation of words, pictures, and symbols within a 30 second time slot on TV?

Taking aim...

We can’t have it both ways.  We can’t say on the one hand that we are innocent and bear little responsibility with what other people choose to do or choose not to do, in response to our well-chosen symbols and choice of words or symbolic action, and then on the other hand use our words and symbols to influence as many people as we can so that they see things our way and buy into our vision and embrace our picture of reality.  Words!

Words and symbols are indeed used to influence the thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and the behavior of others.  Politicians are among the first to embrace the power of the word, for they most certainly do not hesitate to use their platforms, lecterns, and the media to state their case and defend their position.

Let us all take responsibility and own up.  What we say, how we say it, and the symbols within which we wrap our words around, do matter, do have impact, and do influence--for the good as well as for the bad, even if unintended.