I believe in the power of words. I feel like they can change me, change the mood I’m in, make me think. I believe that phrases like “I’m proud of you” carry weight and meaning. Sometimes, though, words that are intended to be powerful can feel hollow. If you’ve ever had to ask a child to apologise for something they clearly aren’t remorseful for, you know what I mean. I was always taught that I had to mean the words “I’m sorry” when I said them, or my apology didn’t count.
Almost no eye contact and a flat and unenthusiastic tone are the tools of that nine year old who isn’t really sorry, I’ve found. It irritates me to receive a false apology, but I think other falsely said phrases are more troubling. I worked at a theatre camp for a while and I love you’s would fly this way and that way with wild abandon. Perhaps those teenagers did mean it when they said it, but they way they acted towards someone they claimed they loved would sometimes surprise me.
Clearly I’m building to a point, and it’s this: perhaps words have no power at all, perhaps our intention carries all the power. This is not a new thought, in fact, it is vaguely reminiscent of a recurring problem with historical documentary photography. A question is asked, what power does the camera have? It can paint its subject in any light, it can tell any story, and because all the other photos seem to present the truth, this photograph must also be true. Is the camera a force for good or for evil, then? Well, as I am sure you can reason, a camera is just a camera. Hell, forget to charge it and it’s practically useless. It’s the person who uses the camera that decides how to wield the power they are presented with.
Perhaps words have no power at all, perhaps our intention carries all the power.
Just like that camera, your words are ultimately steered by your intention. Your words may sound as though they carry meaning, but I think that the way we say something is so much more telling that what we say. You and I know that already, but I want to be aware of it when I speak with someone. We live in a noisy world, full of articles, videos, ads, you name it. On the rare occasions when I do have meaningful human interaction, I want to make sure that whoever I’m talking to feels that I mean what I say. I want all of my I’m sorry’s, Please forgive me’s and I love you’s to count.