Page 36 - July 2020

PERSPECTIVES

Words Have Power

Paul Fanning, DTM

Words. They surround us—the written word in nation of people to wage war upon one another.

signs, ads on television or other such devices We have too many dark examples of this in the
and platforms. Words are just not written but history of the 20th Century—men like Stalin,
are spoken as well. They inspire us, give us Hitler, Idi Amin and others of that ilk who swept
courage, and elicit a response—or bring fear, their nations into conflict causing millions to be

uncertainty, and despair. Words. The spoken exterminated, and the eventual fall of their reign
word can be effective, ineffective, or powerful as well as their own people. Words. Great power
beyond belief. Oration, motivation, elation, and that needs to be grounded in truth and justice.
jubilation. Powerful words may be positive, or We in Toastmasters understand the vital

negative. Benign or inflammatory. concept that words are power. Our education
I am reminded of the scene in the Lord of the program, primarily based upon the spoken
Rings movie “Return of the King” whereby King word, the art of speechcraft and inspiration,
Aragorn and his small army are facing the hordes has always advised us, cautioned us to choose

of Orcs pouring out of the gates of Mordor. His each word carefully. To bring about the full
army looks nervous, dazed, and you can sense the gamut of emotions, from pathos to delight, from
impending doom soon to come crashing down disgust to buying into the concept, of creating
upon them to their death. Yet Aragorn begins to word pictures which our best story tellers have

speak, “I can see in your eyes the same fear that effectively crafted.
would take the heart of me . . . but it is not this You have often heard it said that “a picture
day!” His words bring hope, a strengthening of is worth a thousand words.” How true is that
their backbones, and a grim determination to maxim! I was a “subscriber” to this thought back

stand their ground, even unto death. Powerful in the early 1970’s when I was at university taking
words delivered in a manner of rectitude and the modern “mass communications” course, i.e.
declaration of their place in history and the the “old” journalism for the modern age. The
destiny of all that is good. internet, cell phones, web sites. and networking

Yet we are all too aware that words of great (along with laptops and miniaturized processors)
power, spoken by men of great oratory skill, were all futuristic concepts best promoted in
may not be beneficial but create hate, discord, science fiction literature and movies. There
promote elitism, and empower and impel a was I as a “reporter” for the university student

36 ONE COMMUNITY