Which has more power?

[nevergiveup]

Which do you think has more power: the spoken word, or the written word? Or do you think they are equal?

 

Spoken words can stab or heal immediately, or their meaning can be changed in symantics or rhetoric or lost over time.

 

Written words' meanings and definitions can be changed, too, but they have the attribute of being able to last throughout generations.

 

Just a random question that popped into my head this morning. :001_smile:

[AK_Mom4]

Not perhaps the answer you were looking for, but

 

The definition of Power is Work/Time.

 

Words do no work and measure no time in and of themselves. Words have only the power that people give them and the time that words last is dependent on people, not on the words themselves. I can copy out Shakespeare's sonnets, but my words will not have the same lasting power.

 

So, People have power. Words.... not so much.

[QuirkyKapers]

I think, if the spoken word is directed at a crowd, it can only be powerful with those that the word resonates with. I think words spoken to individuals have more power than those spoken to crowds. I think this is because it is a more intimate conversation. However, when the person or other people repeat what was said, it loses its power because it is the interpretation of what was heard. I agree the written word is powerful over a longer period of time. However, not all written word will have and impact on everyone. So, again, it is what resonates with someone that will cause the words to have their impact and power.

[nevergiveup]

Thank you QuirkyKapers, that is well thought out.

AK-Mom4: I guess I was going with the definition of power as "...the ability to produce an effect."