Words -- so innocent and powerless as they are,
as standing in a dictionary,
how potent for good and evil they become
in the hands
of one who knows how to combine them.
--Nathaniel Hawthorne
Please discuss the implications of this famous poem....
Freewriting
Freewriting is a great way to get started on any paper.
Begin with the basic idea or concept of what you want to write about. If you don't have a basic idea, that's ok. An idea will come to you as you freewrite.
Now, set your timer for seven minutes. Some say ten minutes is best. It's up to you. I find that the shorter amount of time doesn't allow too many educated thoughts to invade the intuitive mindset you're about to enter. This excercise is not about what's right. It's about putting your educated mind aside, giving yourself up to the universe, and allowing your cosmic AT&T line to connect with the blank page or screen in front of you.
Start your timer and write without stopping for seven minutes. Whether you believe your writing is good or bad, don’t stop. If you run out of thoughts, stay positive. Write “yes” or “a new thought will come in a moment,” or “I can do this.” Repeat until a new thought comes. It will.
You must not stop. That is the goal. You are forcing your innate intelligence to override your educated intelligence. You are turning on your creative engine by allowing your intuitive mind to take over.
Freewriting is a great way to get started on any paper.
Begin with the basic idea or concept of what you want to write about. If you don't have a basic idea, that's ok. An idea will come to you as you freewrite.
Now, set your timer for seven minutes. Some say ten minutes is best. It's up to you. I find that the shorter amount of time doesn't allow too many educated thoughts to invade the intuitive mindset you're about to enter. This excercise is not about what's right. It's about putting your educated mind aside, giving yourself up to the universe, and allowing your cosmic AT&T line to connect with the blank page or screen in front of you.
Start your timer and write without stopping for seven minutes. Whether you believe your writing is good or bad, don’t stop. If you run out of thoughts, stay positive. Write “yes” or “a new thought will come in a moment,” or “I can do this.” Repeat until a new thought comes. It will.
You must not stop. That is the goal. You are forcing your innate intelligence to override your educated intelligence. You are turning on your creative engine by allowing your intuitive mind to take over.
13 comments:
Many people say that words can't do anything. Words, though seemingly powerless, are indeed one of the most potent weapons of the world. Words, though only vibrations in the air, can mirror and enforce actions. A comforting word to a friend who is deeply hurt while handing them a tissue, or an insulting word thrown in with a punch--they definitely help. But there are those who know how to use words so well, so majestically, so convincingly, that they need not use action to reinforce what they say. A good example of a person like this, who used words to convince an entire country that they were the perfect race, is Adolf Hitler. Hitler was a shy and awkward boy who grew into a man who could use words as his ultimate weapon. With words alone, motivated a nation into believing that they were meant to rule the world. He held lengthy speeches to encourage the German people. He raised national pride and debauched the Jewish people's name. All he needed were the right words. On the other hand, there was a man we all know well who used his words to encourage people to fight for their rights and freedoms. His name was Martin Luther King, Jr. He spoke to everyone of equality and of brotherhood and accepting one another. He enforced strongly that violence was not the answer, and convinced millions that we should all unite for a single cause--peace. These two men are only examples of what words can do when used well. Words, indeed, seem like they can't do any damage from the inside of a dictionary. But words motivate us to work harder, strive, to correct, to insult--to do just about anything we can, for better or for worse. They make us laugh and they make us cry. In short, they make us feel. And when words invoke our feelings, they are used to their true potential. Like time words cannot be be taken back.
The pen may be mightier than the sword but a picture is worth a thousand of these "potent" words :P
there is a saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me" I dont know who said it. That is true in many situations. Now the way words are used they are mentally abusive and they can hurt people in certain ways. When somebody decides to put certain words together in a a certain order they can really hurt people. I dislike the way people misuse the words that they speak.
Words are often spoken but interpreted in many different ways. Some can be hurtful, while you can say the same things to another person and it can be taken a completely different way. It is all in how it is interpreted by the individual.
Yes the poem is very true. This can be especially true with today’s news media. By simply adding or removing a word, situations can be totally taken out of contents. For a politician having one of his or her quotes taken out of contents can be devastating for their political future.
I think that words are very powerful. My grandmother used to always say, you know what she still says it. a persons tongue can cut you so bad that it hurts more than being physically hurt. I think that the poem is true. People can get mad and say the meanest things that will hurt you deep to your soul. Sometimes you never forget it. It sticks with you for life. You will always remember the day you got cursed out by a friend or foe.
What are words? When written they are just visual representations of are verbal speech. Which are nothing more than a series of varied exhales, we have all been taught that these sounds represent tangible and intangible things.
The tangible words are easily, you know that when you are taking about apples every one is on board with the conversation. But when you’re talking about intangible things like thoughts or feelings how do you know they know what you’re talking about. Such words are not easily expressed with out using some example of an experience to give the word meaning. And every one has had different experiences that hey will associate with the intangible feeling words, whether they are written or spoken.
Some times it’s better to do what Colombo did!
To me the poem means, words alone are just words. How we place and combine these words whether on paper or in a speech can infect us on how we fill. We as people determine whether or not words have power. Some words can up lift you while other words can tear you down. I think the most important thing is at the end of the day words are all they are just words.
Words just sitting in the dictionary are just words, but put them in the hands of someone that an use them they then hold power. The power to insight great works such as freedom and peaceful acts. But in the wrong hand you can create hate, intolerance, and malice.
I feel like the implication in this poem about awareness. We should always be aware of our words and how they are spoken.
It's amazing to me, that you can speak a simple sentence but yet, it can be interpreted in so many different ways. I think that it's important to speak (or write) words that cannot be considered ambiguous; the speaker (or writer) should be trained in their abilities to make sure the audience can understand the passages in the way that they were intended to be.
When words are misunderstood, anything could happen. People have made drastic decisions in their lives based solely on someone's words. We as humans, change our opinions and thoughts about another person(s), change our beliefs and even change our opinions of ourselves just because of one person. Or one sentence in a magazine or paper or book. I think Hawthorne meant for us to realize this in his poem.
Words are obviously a very powerful tool. This is evident throughout history, I mean think about it, without words there would be no history. No knowledge of past experiences, other than your own, would exist. Think of how far humanity has advanced since writing was invented, or even speech, and then take it all away. Without words to express new ideas or bring up old ones in a new light, there would be no today. No computers, modern science would be a joke. Life as we know it would not be. That is about as powerful as it gets.
Well this one is easy. Just look at people like Hitler, Stalin, Manson, Washington, King, Franklin, and Saddam. These are all examples of people that discovered what words can do. Not saying that they all used words to benefit the people of the world. ( even though they might have though they were) Regardless of the ends they all found that using the right combination of words can produce a powerful effect. If you can convince a nation that your race is the only race that needs to exist. That is real power. Can you imagine what Hitler could have done If he tried to unite the world for the good. Other than the human factor we could be so more advanced in human relations, the sciences, and one step closer to the so coveted world peace. The problem is, it is easier to accept that it is some one else's fault. The blame is no longer hanging on your shoulders, and you can use your anger at yourself to instill hatred into everyone around you. This is truly the root of all evil.
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