Words are stronger than two edged knife

One can damage the enemy with the every move of two edged sword.  For the soldier going to war, two edged sword is not alone sufficient to make him kill others. He needs inspirations to do it. He needs to be informed the purpose of the war with the carefully codified words for the purpose. Proper use of words can accomplish greater tasks which are not achievable by strength of armies and navies. Words can be used in both ways of negative and positive. If we look at history, words have been used to either create social orders and peace or to destroy the order and peace.

The writings of Rousseau and others inspired  great number of masses that led to French revolution, which familiarized the idea of freedom and liberty. Words were positively used by Rousseau. Contrary words were used by Mario Antoinette, the French queen at that time, in negative way which angered the same French people. When hungry people of France asked bread she replied sarcastically, “if they don’t have bread, let them have cake”. This statement angered the French people. The words of monarch could not prevent the revolution.

First world war could have been averted, if they handled words more diplomatically. After the French defeat by Germany, Germany took over the French parts of Alsace and Lorraine. France was treated badly by Germany. This happened in the course of Germany unification. This instilled a sense of revenge in French people. After first world war, the arrangements were done to create the platform to share and rectify the diplomatic disputes by creating League of Nations. But, this was a failure for variety of reasons.

Indian Nationalism and Gandhi

Freedom fighters along with Mahatma Gandhi were able to mobilize great number of masses only by writings and speeches. They had no swords and guns but their sharper words driven away the British from India. India had plenty of social problems more than today. The sharper words of social reformists  slayed the ills of the society.

During the inter war period, antisemitism was preached by Hitler. He was quite successful in it. He mobilized large number of Germans to support his attempt to eliminate Jews. His words had done a negative thing that will affect the peace of the society.

Its all about use of words

After second world war, world powers learnt their lessons and created a updated International Platform to address the issues between the nations in name of ‘Unite Nations’. Its purpose was all about brain washing the countries to not to opt for swords (War) but for words (diplomatic dialogue)

Nelson Mandela of South Africa was in prison for 27 years. He had no swords, but his sharper words made him powerful. Later his policy of non-violence and forgiveness towards whites helped South Africa to become one of the emerging economies.

Choice between word and sword

After independence, conflicts between India and Pakistan seem never ending. Every time if there was clash between two armies along line of control, they would stop the dialogue process, only to resume it after one year. Dialogue (Word) and war (Swords) have been chosen alternatively by the two countries. But now the two countries are having nuclear weapons which can devastate both the nations. Both nations should opt out dialogue process for the greater benefit of two nations which are having so many common problems.

Words can create revolutions

We can hear the words like “Arab spring, umbrella revolutions”. What are they? These pro-democracy revolutions organized by young people of those countries only by sharing words in the social media like Face book, Twitter. Now a days these sites are used by various pressure groups to mobilize support for various course.

In this globalised and polluted world the role of words and consensus achievable by it among countries are very essential for the very survival of biosphere on earth. Because of emission of green house gasses, the potential climate change is waiting to show its monster face. International dialogue process to avert the climate change is essential in this hour, so that every country will reduce its green house gas emissions in the future. No swords can be invented for the purpose. Thus the utility of words is broader than sword.

We have international groupings for all our common problems to make census by words, which cannot be achievable by swords (Domination). The use of words is not only sharper and stronger, but also desirable one in this globalised world to maintain peace.  

*******

Authour: Marxe Kalaimani