Actions and words
by Bob on July 15, 2007
We have the old expression, "actions speak louder than words". How true it would seem to be, except perhaps in the political arenas of the world.
Words are very magic, and very rich in meaning, and also very tricky and sometimes misleading. But they are very powerful. They can stir in us emotions and memories. They can play tricks on our perception. We can read too much into a word or sentence.
But kind and nice words are very helpful in life. We appreciate them, especially from friends and loved ones. So these are seemingly less tricky. Maybe.
Actions transmit a message even without even trying. It's the ultimate non-verbal behaviour. If we want to do good works and deeds in life, we should just do them and not ask or expect recompense. We should not try to impress people by our actions. Just do them without strings attached. If we do good consistently, others might see our example. But we should not wait for that.
The word "love" in some cultures is not expressed. It is just felt and not communicated. Thereby it is protected from verbal whim and pollution of emotion. This may be a wise policy.
Many other people say "love" a lot but their intended meaning may not be the ultimate love one expects in the end.
We learn from the oldest cultures: love should be reserved for that special emotion.
But then there is even the question as to whether (a) the word "love" should be said at all, since it is so transcendent and powerful, and should be left expressed in other ways and simple actions, since when we are in love or feel love towards another, it is very obvious and needn't be said, and (b) if an emotion is not given a word, can it be written or conveyed in other ways in writing or poetry ?
These are interesting questions. I think certain words are over-used today. For example, if you ask someone how they are and they always say "excellent", then either (a) things are always actually excellent, which is rare, but possible, or (b) things are not excellent but it is just being said as a facade, or a way of hiding feelings and truth from others, which is not alrogether unethical but questionably useful in the long run.
We are stuck in the case when someone says everything is "excellent" in either not believing them or then, if things are always "excellent", then we must come up with a new word because the sense of "excellent" has been lost in usage. We need to invent "excellent" again.
We must reserve usage of these important words for those special times when things are actually excellent, and well above the norm, and also for "love" when it is that special time.
But we do realise that language is unstoppable in its colloquial usage, and as William S. Burroughs wrote that it is a virus, and so we must tolerate this slight bit of a mess in conversation and try to feel just how true its usage is, and sense how indeed the person or special the situation is, in vivo.
Still, The Beatles still sang, brilliantly, in 1967, "All You Need Is Love". Yes, and they were right. True love. Love is all we need. Were it only true that the world as we know it would be near-perfect.
Meanwhile, we must cope with things as they are and as best we can. Or appear to be. That's the quintessential human condition, or the magician's parlour trick. Real or a facade. Plato wrote on that and worried about that a lot. Or maybe be just reflected, since Socrates, like wise people from all cultures and nations, hardly every worry in the commonplace sense of the word. See ? Words are a bit complicated.
Even in holy scriptures of many cultures and religions, the word "word" is laden with rich overtones, undertones, and meanings. As an example, John opens his gospel with "In the beginning was the Word ...". One is reminded of the Logos. And the power of words and language as well as its shortcomings. Holding hands might be a bit more real and expressive. Hands say a lot, after all.
So it goes.