Is the Pen Actually Mightier than the Sword?
The Philosophy of Words #002 - Exploring Contradicting Idioms
Something that I’ve always found interesting is the way that people will so often lean on common sayings and idioms to assist their decision-making process.
In most cases, I believe that individuals will rely on idioms like this to comfort the logic used to come to a given conclusion when there is some lack of clarity about how exactly the logic entails the conclusion.
To break that down a little bit, if I were to say that “Time waits for no man” as my reasoning for why I needed to finish the draft of this newsletter by a given time, all other reasoning for why I should or shouldn’t finish the draft becomes symbolically obsolete as a result.
The logic has been summed up through an appeal to conventional wisdom, making it seem as though all other debate about the conclusion I had come to would be a waste of our time.
The thing that I find the most interesting about this though is how often a separate, equally-toted idiom will entirely contradict the sentiment of the one used to justify a given decision.
For example, yes, one could say that “Time waits for no man,” but one could also respond with “Haste makes waste,” entirely disarming the logic being used to prop up the decision being made.
There are likely hundreds, if not thousands of examples of occurrences like this in modern English.
Actions speak louder than words, but the pen is mightier than the sword. Ignorance is bliss, but knowledge is power. Look before you leap, but he who hesitates is lost.
It seems plain to see that relying on conventional wisdom to debate the reasonability of one’s line of reasoning is not exactly a practice that would lead one to come to any more sound conclusions than if one were simply to make their decisions at random instead of relying on any logic at all.
In the majority of situations where questions of the legitimacy of the place of idioms in logic, I would imagine that idioms are mostly being used to cushion the decision that the individual was either already leaning towards, or in some cases, one may be siding with the logic of the idiom that they either heard most recently or typically hear more often.
In any of these cases, again, we are leaning on fallacies far more than we are relying on sound logic and reasoning.
Because of these issues with how idioms are so often used in common speech, I believe that many should develop a healthy skepticism towards conventional sayings and their use in decision-making and argument.
Now, this isn’t to say that idioms don’t have a place in speech or in storytelling at all. Much like metaphor, simile, and other literary devices, we have the power to bend language to our will to emphasize and convey our meaning in ways that would often otherwise be difficult or impossible.
Though, I don’t believe it’s wise to actually use sayings as justification or reasoning for the decisions we make or the actions we take.
I believe by doing so, we are only sacrificing our autonomy in the process.
I’ll leave you here with a few journaling prompts for those who want to do a bit of guided thinking around this topic:
Consider the role of conventional wisdom in shaping our beliefs and behaviors. How much influence do common sayings have on the way we think and act?
Reflect on the limitations of relying on common sayings as justification for decisions. Do you think using these sayings in this way can sometimes oversimplify complex situations?
Consider the role of skepticism in evaluating the use of common sayings in decision-making and argument. How can a healthy skepticism towards conventional wisdom help us make more informed decisions?
If you have any thoughts on the topic and want to respond, the comments and replies are open! I’m still working out some of the details of this format, and I’d be open to suggestions as well.
For now, have a great rest of the week. Talk soon.