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A sway with words: does it get to you?
Words, it seems, are swirling all around us these days: flying across 65-inch LED screens, casting from pods, snaking around smartphones, crawling along the bottom of every news channel, barking from the radio, popping up online at every click… and it may feel like we can’t get away from them.
Amidst all this “communicating,” what’s really getting through? Two recent events made me think about how direct and forceful words can be when they come across as clearly spoken from the heart, plain and simple.
First, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen testified before Congress in support of repealing the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy:
“No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens.
“For me, personally, it comes down to integrity—theirs as individuals and ours as an institution.”
And just a few days ago, in a much-hyped Super Bowl commercial, footballer Tim Tebow’s mother Pam made a subtle pro-life pitch (so subtle, in fact, that the only hint of a political bent was the inclusion of the url for the commercial’s very anti-choice sponsor):
“I call him my miracle baby. He almost didn’t make it into this world. I remember so many times when I almost lost him. It was so hard. Well he’s all grown up now, and I still worry about his health. Everybody treats him like he’s different, but to me, he’s just my baby. He’s my Timmy, and I love him.”
Now you may not agree, forcefully even, with one or both of these. Both are fraught with some amount of controversy, left and right. But do you deny their authenticity? And will they change minds and hearts?
I think the cacophony of words swirling all around us makes those that come across as heartfelt that much more effective. It’s as if we’re hearing someone’s thoughts, fresh and unprocessed. And that freshness, that real-ness, is what I think makes social media—the tweets, posts, and ramblings—so potent. Those with whom we connect on Facebook, Twitter, and blogs become our friends, and sitting in front of our laptop or iPhone in the wee hours of the morning is the new “having coffee with a good friend.”
So what words get under your skin? What make your spirits soar? Share your thoughts.
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Here’s one that wasn’t a sway moment for me, I was so already swayed, but as I was hearing it I couldn’t help but think and hope it would help sway – or at least – give pause– to others.
From Sean Penn’s brilliant, heartfelt acceptance speech at last year’s Oscars reflecting t he recent Prop 8 issues in California:
“And finally, for those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren’s eyes if they continue that way of support.”
Thanks for the goose bumps Jeff Spicoli!
I enjoy words that are thoughtful, rational, humble, and sincere. I dislike words that are dismissive, imperative, cynical, smug, or short-sighted.
I enjoy words from optimists and dislike words from pessimists. I like words from leaders; and have little patience for pundits. I enjoy words like “steering wheel” and can’t stand words like “armchair”. I prefer truth to misrepresentation, and wish we’d all be a little more civil.