The Daily Battles of This Age

I feel compelled to write this after reading about something said by clinical psychologist Professor Jordan B. Peterson.

"I regard free speech as a prerequisite to a civilised society, because freedom of speech means that you can have combat with words. That's what it means. It doesn't mean that people can happily and gently exchange opinions. It means that we can engage in combat with words. In the battleground of ideas. And the reason that that's acceptable, and why it's acceptable that people's feelings get hurt during that combat, is that the combat of ideas is far preferable to actual combat."

I consider this one of the most compelling arguments that supports the importance of communication skills or on a more technical perspective, rhetoric. With the exception of those missing the necessary faculties, it is mandatory that a man speaks in his daily life. I believe all words are innately meaningful and valuable. It is the man who speaks who either ensures those qualities are retained or that they are reduced. Only when your words are capable of creating consequences do people listen. People are naturally inclined to not entertain the meaningless.

Each day that you choose to remain mediocre in the realms of speech, you choose to be easily defeated by those who are well-spoken. Discard the idea that you are excluded from the daily battles of this age. Those who choose not to fight are always in the position to lose. It is the well-spoken who are able to convince people to hire them, buy from them, listen to them and so on. It is also the well-spoken who are able to manipulate, exploit, and influence you. Words are tools. Men, moral and immoral, have the freedom to use them to their liking.

You can start by simply pacing yourself in your daily conversations. Pause and slow down when you realise yourself speaking too quickly. Large strides are impressive but the small continuous steps will do just fine in taking you to where you wish to be.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Conversations of The Isolated

In a general context, there is no harm in being alone. In fact, to be alone is necessary in one's effort of self improvement as it allows for peaceful reflections and analysis. However, there are times when one must do his best to avoid isolation. I believe it is during our moments of weakness that it becomes vital for us to benefit from the company of trustworthy companions. When afflicted with a physical ailment, we are willing to seek help as the incapability is immediate and obvious. The difficulty of easing mental and emotional pain lies within its imprecise perceptions. It becomes easier to doubt our condition as the wounds are never as apparent to others. Effort is then invested into ignoring the wound until it becomes obvious due to its worrying severity. To reach out to others would mean to speak of uncertain agony and therefore it feels easier to be silent. Then at one point, the suffering reaches a terrible height and it becomes evident that we are indeed unwell. By th...
Read more

The Sensitive Man

"I want someone capable of opening up. A man unafraid to show his emotions and be vulnerable." It seems that many women are prone to saying things similar to the above statement and I observe that most young men find it difficult to ascertain what is truly being conveyed. I consider this to be one of those situations where men must learn to read between the lines and understand the language of women. Of course, I'm not an expert on women nor do I comprehend their minds that well (and that is fine) but I have learnt a thing or two from my own experience interacting with them. On a general note, women prefer strong men. Physical strength is definitely a desirable trait but the word "strong" in this context is also applied mentally and emotionally. Any man who easily breaks down in the face of challenges and hardships is a very unattractive man. A woman will find it hard to share her problems with you if you show that you're being overwhelmed by your own pr...
Read more

The Melei Dilemma

During my teenage years, I made it quite obvious that I didn't like the Malays and at times I would even imply that I resented being Malay myself. It was mostly because I grew up in an environment in which where I regularly saw the Malays around me getting involved in disgraceful and backwards behaviour such as getting involved in street races and proclaiming blind allegiance towards God and royalty. I don't remember exactly when but near the end of my schooling years, I stumbled upon Dr. Mahathir's " The Malay Dilemma ", a book that critically analysed the Malays and the factors of their failures. The book changed me forever. It taught me many things but one lesson stands above others. It taught me that there was a way to criticise my own race in a manner that would actually allow them to improve. It made me realise that true criticism must go beyond lambasting people and listing their inadequacies. True criticism must come with a tone of understanding, enfor...
Read more