At times, silence sounds more eloquent

Life, for most of us, is full of distractions and responsibilities. Constantly surrounded by noise and chatter, most of us have forgotten, or even fear, quietude.

But, then, there are those of us who are exceptions, who value the benefits of being alone in a quiet ambience. In fact, the Tamil saying goes, ‘alle vutta pothum’, or ‘all one wants is to be left alone’, is the feeling many of us often experience. As originally said by Scipio Africanus, a Roman General of the 3rd century BCE, and repeated by English essayist, and historian, Edward Gibbon, and poet Lord Byron, one is never less alone, than when alone.

Saadi Shirazi, also known as the ‘Master of Speech’ or the ‘Wordsmith’ among Persian scholars, is widely recognised as the greatest poet of the classical literary tradition. In his magnum opus, ‘Gulistan’, he tells us that, “to the ignorant man, nothing is better than silence, …… either adorn thy speech with the intelligence of a man, or sit in silence…”. It is, in other words, “better to remain silent, and be thought a fool, than to speak and to remove all doubt”, as Abraham Lincoln according to some sources, is supposed to have said.

If speaking out of turn, or when uncalled for, is bad, the weakness of ad libbing, or speaking without previously preparing one’s words is worse. Words, once uttered, can never be taken back. Therefore, a rash or careless remark can cause harm, or injury, even if not so intended.

One will, therefore, do well to remember the words of Xenocrates, ancient Greek philosopher and disciple of Plato, “I have often regretted my speech, never my silence”.

Quite apart from the maturity, and wisdom, that make a person stay silent when no purpose will be served by speaking out, silence has been recognised as a quality with many virtues. A lot of energy, that can be otherwise productively utilised, is usually wasted in unnecessary speech. Which is probably why the saying goes that “silence is golden”.

According to Vijay Eswaran, a successful entrepreneur, motivational speaker, philanthropist, and the author of several books on life management, silence channelises energy, and causes a level of clarity which one needs calmly to face challenges and uncertainty. He, therefore, recommends a sixty minute routine of silence, at the beginning of the day, to help one stay grounded, focused and remain hopeful, when the mind wants to spiral. He calls it the ‘Sphere of Silence’. That one hour, according to him, is the time for collecting thoughts, training the mind and deciding how one wants to enter into the day, charged and clearheaded.

A ritual practice of silence is, in fact, a common feature in many religions and cultures. Christianity, Judaism and Islam, have all advocated the practiced of silence in one form or the other. Hinduism advocates the practice of ‘Mouna Vratam’, a ritual of meditative silence. Buddha the very manifestation of silence said that if words create more noise, then they have not reached their goal. Likewise, saints and seekers have, for long, practiced, the vow of silence, which helps the master their speech.

Silence has always also been the subject of books, movies, poems, and songs, easily the most popular among them being what is probably history’s most enduring Christmas carol ‘Silent Night’. Composed in 1818 by the Austrian Franz Xaver Gruber, it has been translated into over hundred languages and is merrily sung by carollers all over the world.

Medical practitioners advise silence, as it serves to lower blood pressure, decrease heart rate, steady breathing, reduce muscular tension and increase focus and cognition. Silence is also a medium, for the expression of a range of emotions, ranging from joy, happiness, grief, embarrassment, anger, and denial to fear. According to Linda Adams, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gordon Training International, an education, professional training and coaching American company, what silence means depends on the context. When in the company of good friends and well-wishers, one does not feel the need to communicate through words. One feels comfortable, and relaxed, even while remaining in what is called companionable silence. A pause, during a long speech, can, for instance, convey a depth of meaning, and a strength of emotion, which words may not be able to do. An awkward silence is an uncomfortable pause, in a conversation or presentation, and its unpleasant nature is associated with feelings of anxiety as the participants feel the need to speak but are unsure of what to say next. Observing a few minutes silence has been customarily regarded as a gesture that shows respect for people who have died.

There are times, for example, when silence is much more eloquent than words as, for instance, when words are inadequate to express an emotion, and nothing said would be sufficient to respond appropriately to another person’s sorrow or despair. Many great people, including some whom I have known, have put to very effective use the instrument of silence. In fact, in the armoury of the great philosopher-statesman, and one of the most successful Prime Ministers of India, P V Narasimha Rao, it was the most lethal weapon.

Just as the right, to the freedom of speech is, provided in the Constitutions of several countries, including, of course, our own, the right, to remain silent, has also been enshrined in many of those documents. It is guaranteed, under article 20 (3) of the Indian Constitution and is a protection against self – incrimination, which immunes a person, accused of an offence, from being compelled to be a witness against himself.

The same right is also incorporated in the 5th Amendment, to the Constitution of United States, and guarantees that one will not be required to testify against oneself, if accused of having committed a crime. Hence, the expression, “to plead the 5th”, meaning to refuse to answer questions, in a Court of Law, as the responses might be harmful to one’s own interest.

Over the years, sociologists have observed that human beings exchange a large amount of information, through gestures and body language, the two primary modes of nonverbal communication. Early humans relied heavily on nonverbal communication. As languages developed, they became the primary communication tool but the significance of nonverbal communication never really reduced. Deaf or dumb people, for example, continue to put to extremely effective use, the art of communicating gesture words

Just as in these cases of the spoken word, which has the greatest value when withheld, those sounds, which remain unheard, are often much more melodious, than those heard. As the immortal Keats said, “heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard/ Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on.”

A light-hearted end to this piece to illustrate the value of silence.

The story, probably apocryphal, goes that Stalin was addressing the Central Committee of the Communist Party USSR, soon after taking over the reins of the party, following Lenin’s sudden demise. When he started to list out all the failures of the past, and what ought to be done in the future, someone from the audience sent a note to him, which read, “what were you doing when Lenin was alive?” Stalin stopped speaking, looked around, and asked, “who has sent this note”? There was total and complete silence. With a slight smile, Stalin told the audience, “this is precisely what I was doing when Lenin was alive!”

(The writer is formerly Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh)