A few more words about words and their value

The recent articles inspired by Upton Sinclair’s words about the difficulty of getting someone to understand something when his salary is at stake cover some of the many factors that cause someone to be unable or unwilling to listen.

Although the people who are trying to get through to someone may blame themselves for their failure, in these cases it is not their fault that they are unable to get their ideas across.

However, if none of the suggested practical, psychological or metaphysical factors apply, they may need to think about what they are saying and how they are saying it. They may need to look at how much authority and influence they have when speaking: it may be a question of how much effectiveness and value their words have.

The value of someone’s words

This comes from an article about Rudyard Kipling:

“Words are one of the greatest of the unseen influences that affect our lives.”

I mentioned in that article that I see words as tools; I also see them as currency.

I am interested in factors that damage the one and devalue the other; I am also interested in factors that help people to use words effectively and increase the worth of what they say.

Misuse damages tools and gains a bad reputation for the user; correct use increases their effectiveness and the value of the user.

Habitual lying, vagueness, evasiveness and exaggeration, habitual misuse of words, habitual use of four-letter words, habitual output of meaningless drivel, platitudes and empty words with no associated action are some of the factors that help to debase the currency.

Similarly, some people’s words are counterfeit because they are just mindless imitations of other people’s.

Careful selection of words, meaning what we say, keeping our word, making good points, speaking from our hearts in our own words and our own voices are all factors that help to increase the value of the currency.

Both sides of the story

I have covered in other articles some of my dealings with local bureaucrats who have been trying without much success to impose their wishes, agendas and timetables on my neighbours and me.

We know that practical factors such as pay rises, promotions and orders from above are responsible for their refusal to listen. There is a lot at stake for them.

On the other hand, they have had difficulties with getting us to take their communications seriously. These people have no credibility left and no influence over us.

We have stopped listening to them because their words have little value:

They talk corporate jargon and give robotic responses at meetings; their letters are full of false premises, wrong assumptions and off-the-mark messages. They are meaningless cut-and-paste jobs. We can see through it all; we have encountered much better.

As Rudyard Kipling said:

“Who having known the diamond will concern himself with glass?”

On and off the gold standard

There was a time when paper currency was backed up by gold. The banknotes issued reflected the amount of gold in the treasury.

Similarly, some people’s words have nothing behind them while others’ are an expression of genuine feeling, knowledge and experience.

So if people don’t listen, it is important to determine where the fault lies. It is a matter of accepting responsibility where appropriate.