On Tv..be Careful, Words Have Power

[cognos]

Xanthus was a philosopher in ancient Greece. He asked his servant to get him the best things he could find at the market for his important dinner guests that evening. His servant bought and prepared tongue, and the guests ate jellied, fried and broiled tongue for the main courses, and candied tongue for dessert.

Xanthus was angry with his servant, and asked him why he bought tongue. The servant replied.."Sir, you wanted me to get the best things, and with our tongues we can encourage our friends, teach our children and heal souls..and you wanted me to buy the best thing I could find, so I did ". For the next dinner party Xanthus decided to play reverse psychology on his servant. He told his servant, " get me the worst things you can find at the market for our dinner party with my esteemed guests". Again, the servant bought and served several dishes of tongue again.

Xanthus was enraged, and the servant said.." but sir, you asked me to get the worst things at the market..surely the tongue must be the most evil, for with our tongues we can gossip, slander and lie.."

As with speech, we have a choice with how we use our words as well, on TV or elsewhere...positive or negative..why not choose the former?

[sharecropper]

????

You are certainly a cunning linguist.

[IanForbes]

Just like Xanthus servent, a LOT depends on how others interpret what we write or say. Criticism is good if it's taken constructively. You can say exactly the same thing to two different people and each will interpret what has been said in a different manner.

[prefabs]

cognos,

thought you had buggered off?

[Ijustwannateach]

Several posts have been removed, and one has been deleted, with warning. Hint: forum rules are not the topic here.

[473geo]

Valid points Cognos - good to see you around again

Yes a big problem with words and text is also the difficulty, once spoken or written, to take them back, if they have an adverse effect on another, which was not the intent.

[mauGR1]

Too much positivity can be boring,i enjoy (other people) bickering sometimes,it's the spice of the discussion...

But i agree with the OP in general,words have power and we may regret a word more, rather than a word less.

I think many times here on TV people play devil's advocate just for the pleasure of a healthy heated argument.

[Mossfinn]

Several posts have been removed, and one has been deleted,

Is there a difference?

[Tywais]

Several posts have been removed, and one has been deleted,

Is there a difference?

You need to put the sentence back into context: "and one has been deleted, with warning."

[473geo]

Too much positivity can be boring,i enjoy (other people) bickering sometimes,it's the spice of the discussion...

But i agree with the OP in general,words have power and we may regret a word more, rather than a word less.

I think many times here on TV people play devil's advocate just for the pleasure of a healthy heated argument.

I can agree with that concept.......I find the major restraint is required where people play devils advocate but have no argument to counter, and resort to personalised insults......it is not always easy to avoid throwing a tirade of proven put downs. Then I recall the shakespere scribing along the lines of.......if you tarnish my reputation, you take something of great value to me, but of no use to you....very true words.

[mauGR1]

Too much positivity can be boring,i enjoy (other people) bickering sometimes,it's the spice of the discussion...

But i agree with the OP in general,words have power and we may regret a word more, rather than a word less.

I think many times here on TV people play devil's advocate just for the pleasure of a healthy heated argument.

I can agree with that concept.......I find the major restraint is required where people play devils advocate but have no argument to counter, and resort to personalised insults......it is not always easy to avoid throwing a tirade of proven put downs. Then I recall the shakespere scribing along the lines of.......if you tarnish my reputation, you take something of great value to me, but of no use to you....very true words.

Great old W.Shakespeare !

Indeed personal insults more than anything show the weakness of the argument;imho intelligent and positive people should discuss ideas rather than people itself,but it's difficult to change human nature,nobody likes to lose,even in a discussion.

[IanForbes]

Too much positivity can be boring,i enjoy (other people) bickering sometimes,it's the spice of the discussion...

But i agree with the OP in general,words have power and we may regret a word more, rather than a word less.

I think many times here on TV people play devil's advocate just for the pleasure of a healthy heated argument.

I can agree with that concept.......I find the major restraint is required where people play devils advocate but have no argument to counter, and resort to personalised insults......it is not always easy to avoid throwing a tirade of proven put downs. Then I recall the shakespere scribing along the lines of.......if you tarnish my reputation, you take something of great value to me, but of no use to you....very true words.

Great old W.Shakespeare !

Indeed personal insults more than anything show the weakness of the argument;imho intelligent and positive people should discuss ideas rather than people itself,but it's difficult to change human nature,nobody likes to lose,even in a discussion.

Winston Churchhill was the master of verbal putdowns and used it on many occasions with Lady Aster.

I enjoy proper debate if someone actually has something interesting to say. I always learn from a good debate, even if I am on the losing side. And, playing the part of the "Devil's advocate" can be stimulating if you actually know anything about the subject. No need for personal insults at all. There are much better ways of putting arrogant people in their proper place.

[marshbags]

????

You are certainly a cunning linguist.

What does this have to do with Cogno,s O.P.

oops sorry, I misread it

marshbags

[cognos]

????

You are certainly a cunning linguist

..three or four times a week if I can..

signed: perhaps not cunning, but willing

[Slaps]

????

You are certainly a cunning linguist.

What does this have to do with Cogno,s O.P.

oops sorry, I misread it

marshbags

[cognos]

Valid points Cognos - good to see you around again

Yes a big problem with words and text is also the difficulty, once spoken or written, to take them back, if they have an adverse effect on another, which was not the intent.

thanks.. I ate all my pablum and am back for a second helping of humble pie, without the side dish of rancor of course..

yes.. few of us are good enough mind readers to determine the motive, if "other's" words have an "adverse" effect on us..the intentof "other" may be benign, but our perception will taint our bias..however positive words are rarely taken the wrong way..

signed: malignant to benign is a choice in terms of words, thankfully.. (but not diseases, unfortunately)

[lovelomsak]

In laymans term I was always taught " if you cannot say something nice,say nothing at all"

[chiang mai]

Too much positivity can be boring,i enjoy (other people) bickering sometimes,it's the spice of the discussion...

But i agree with the OP in general,words have power and we may regret a word more, rather than a word less.

I think many times here on TV people play devil's advocate just for the pleasure of a healthy heated argument.

I can agree with that concept.......I find the major restraint is required where people play devils advocate but have no argument to counter, and resort to personalised insults......it is not always easy to avoid throwing a tirade of proven put downs. Then I recall the shakespere scribing along the lines of.......if you tarnish my reputation, you take something of great value to me, but of no use to you....very true words.

Great old W.Shakespeare !

Indeed personal insults more than anything show the weakness of the argument;imho intelligent and positive people should discuss ideas rather than people itself,but it's difficult to change human nature,nobody likes to lose,even in a discussion.

Winston Churchhill was the master of verbal putdowns and used it on many occasions with Lady Aster.

I enjoy proper debate if someone actually has something interesting to say. I always learn from a good debate, even if I am on the losing side. And, playing the part of the "Devil's advocate" can be stimulating if you actually know anything about the subject. No need for personal insults at all. There are much better ways of putting arrogant people in their proper place.

And I agree whole heartedly, it's the journey and not the arrival at the destination that's important, provided it's an interesting trip of course.

[canuckamuck]

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. (Proverbs 15:1-2)

[IanForbes]

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. (Proverbs 15:1-2)

dam_n! Somebody's been reading the bible and found another point of reference! Good on yah!

I taught my son at an early age to always take what a bully said in slander, and agree, and then turn it into something funny. My son became a master of it and never had a problem with anyone. My daughter, on the other hand, always tried to stand up for what she knew was correct and proper.... and she always had difficulties with the bullies.

[cognos]

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. (Proverbs 15:1-2)

.." when words are many sin is not absent, but he who hold his tongue is wise" Proverbs 10:19

[cognos]

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver" Proverbs 25:11

signed: research indicates that the average person in society lies 200 times a day..add gossip, slander, anger, bragging, insults, unkept promises...it starts to pile up!

[canuckamuck]

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver" Proverbs 25:11

signed: research indicates that the average person in society lies 200 times a day..add gossip, slander, anger, bragging, insults, unkept promises...it starts to pile up!

They must have been researching my old girlfriends

[cognos]

cognos,

thought you had buggered off?

i was reading a little (and took a break from TV)..stuff like this..from a carpenter..

".. therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock..".."but everyone who hears these words of mine who does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.." Matthew 7: 24 and 26

and then i thought of some old songs.."..whisper words of wisdom, let it be.."( Beatles)

.."its only words, and words are all i have, to steal your heart away.." (bg's, oops, i mean Bee Gee's)

[Mossfinn]

You need to put the sentence back into context:

Context Moi?

[MrJohnson]

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

Martin Luther King Jnr.

[marshbags]

A picture says many an unspoken word, or in this case an emoticon or two....marshbags

marshbags

[cognos]

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

Martin Luther King Jnr.

my family motto is fascia non verba ( deeds not words ), which poses a bit of a challenge in the TV context.. "..A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.." Proverbs 20:19

[jdinasia]

Words only have the power that the listener/reader give them. It is important to remember that this is a Thailand based internet forum and not a therapeutic community.

While it is a good thing to not 'abuse' people it is also a good thing to be honest and direct. Sometimes being honest and direct can cause the listener/reader discomfort but it is up too them on how they hear/read it and what use they make with the information/opinion etc that is given.

[Donnyboy]

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

Martin Luther King Jnr.