Blog #4 - Words and their significance.

2/25/2015

According to a Japanese Proverb, "Words are the root of all evil."
Do you agree or disagree with this proverb? Explain.

After you have posted your ideas, REPLY to ONE (1) post. Reminder that posts and replies should be thoughtful and mature.

45 Comments

Sahitya

2/25/2015 12:36:49 pm

I disagree with the quote for multiple reasons. First, in many cases, words are beautiful, poetic, and enlightening. Second, words are not evil, but the people who utter them might be. Third, reading about unfortunate situations can help one prevent repeating the events in real life. Fourth, words give many ideas to readers- good and bad. With the knowledge of words, the readers can formulate their own opinions on a broad variety of topics. Finally, words can be severe and offensive. What readers can take away from this type of language is a more powerful meaning to the story and a better tolerance to harsh words. Overall, the Japanese proverb "Words are the root of all evil," is not legitimate.

Michaelyn

3/1/2015 05:22:50 am

I agree with Sahitya completely. Words are beautiful, poetic, and enlightening. They are not what is evil. Words can also help prevent someone from making a mistake someone else has made.

Michaelyn

2/26/2015 09:51:35 am

I do not agree with this quote. Words themselves are not evil. The people who speak them are. Freedom of Speech is a privilege and a huge responsibility. Although people are able to speak their mind, someone who has integrity, a mind and a heart do not go up to another person and call them ugly or intentionally put them down. If someone does they are simply misguided. I believe it is the person themselves who are evil, not the words. Words are a beautiful thing. They give people the opportunity to express their thoughts, opinions, and ideas. Words can make people feel uplifted, encouraged and inspired. With that being said, the Japanese proverb "Words are the root of all evil," in my opinion is not true.

Alyssa

3/3/2015 01:41:34 pm

I definitely agree with Michaelyn. Words themselves are not evil, it is the way they are interpreted and portrayed that can make them evil. Words are beautiful, they help to express our creativity and our imaginations and they do more good than they do bad.

3/4/2015 10:45:35 am

I agree with Michaelyn. Words themselves are not evil, some of the people that use words are. Words are beautiful and should be used for good.

Troy

3/5/2015 03:52:00 am

I agree with Michaelyn. Words aren't evil or good the people who use them decide what they are. People can portray and use words to make them seem evil.

Hannah

3/2/2015 01:35:39 pm

In a way, the Japanese proverb above can be agreeable. Everything categorizable as evil starts out as a thought or idea. Which may lead to verbal discussion or plans, and then actual action. However doesn't almost anything start from words? If you were to agree with this proverb then I suppose you would also have to agree that words are also the root of all things good and beautiful.

Atticus

3/2/2015 05:34:30 pm

Hannah I agree with you on that premise, given that the idea of evil itself is a word, but so is the idea of goodness. The idea that evil began with words makes sense when establishing morals, but one must also keep in mind that humans aren't the only living things with morals.

Chris

3/3/2015 01:20:17 pm

I agree with what Hannah said because everything that can be categorized all had a root but doesn't necessarily have to be evil or good.

Ryan

3/4/2015 09:51:00 am

I agree with you Hannah because words can lead to both bad and good things in life. You can't categorize everything into words are bad.

Atticus

3/2/2015 05:28:31 pm

I would have to disagree. In some manner, this proverb is true, but not entirely. Words can easily be stripped of their meaning. For instance, if someone was speaking to me in Portuguese, I probably wouldn't have any clue as to what they were saying, and therefore they wouldn't have any affect on me other than causing me to be confused. Words express emotion, so when they are understood, they can produce negative emotion, which can be received as evil. However, the act of murder doesn't need to be placed in the form of a word to exist. As an action, it can exist entirely on its own without the idea of a word being used to name it. Many non-human animals do not understand language, but are able to express emotion and act without the use of it. Words are merely a form of communication. Words can be expressed maliciously, but they cannot kill. Therefore, words are not the root of all evil. Unless we're talking about evil in religion (as in the devil, hell, sin, etc.), then in a way, words are the root of all evil, since religion could not be established without some form of communication and documentation. Otherwise, I stick with my previous argument.

Chris

3/3/2015 01:17:19 pm

The proverb above can be reasonable. In the way I see it, words are the root of evil by the way they are used and the emotion that can be portrayed through it. But on the other hand, it can portray the root of good. It all depends on how the words are used. For example, the words can be hateful toward anyone making them a root of evil, however if someone is complimenting another person, it can make them a root of good. So it could go either way. In conclusion, I believe the root of all things are words, not particularly good or bad.

Grant

3/4/2015 11:54:48 am

It is in fact reasonable to think both sides for this quote. Words are the fundamental core of communication altogether. For that, words can be used for evil, or they also could be used for good. It all depends on who is using them, and for what purpose.

Alyssa

3/3/2015 01:37:16 pm

I disagree with this proverb. Words are not evil and can only come across as evil by the way people choose to read them. Words can have many different meanings and people understand them differently than others do. However you chose to interpret the words you read or speak falls back onto you. In a way, I guess you could say that words can potentially have evil meaning especially with the use of foul language however the words themselves are not evil. Words are beautiful and imaginative. They help to express our creativity and to come to the conclusion that words are the root of all evil is something I personally do not agree with.

Sahitya

3/4/2015 09:05:43 am

I agree. Words are vital to expressing creativity and there is nothing evil about that. They do more good than harm.

Connor

3/4/2015 09:12:16 am

I agree with Alyssa. One person might interpret words different than another person. One person's interpretation might cause them to believe that words are the root of all evil, but another person might completely disagree.

Troy

3/4/2015 09:06:39 am

I have to disagree with this proverb as it is not true words are tools that have been used throughout the ages to create amazing things and not evil things. Things such as Shakespearean plays and modern comedy movies have been created and those aren't evil. One thing I find really weird is that we're being warned about words being evil by words.

Connor

3/4/2015 09:07:42 am

I disagree with this proverb. Words themselves are not the root of all evil. However, people interpret words different than other people do. The way one might interpret words might cause them to believe that words are evil. Words themselves are not evil, just some interpretations of them. Words help to express how people feel and help to express people's opinions. People have different opinions of different things, so their interpretations of these words will be different. Overall, I do not agree with the proverb, "words are the root of all evil."

Mikayla

3/4/2015 10:05:09 am

I agree with Connor's statements. I also believe that interpretation is where words can be perceived differently from how they were originally meant to be understood. Everyone has a different opinion on different topics, so that makes it complicated to have a statement try to be understood one way and then be received in a way that was opposite from the original.

Brianna

3/8/2015 05:08:44 am

I agree with you Connor. People all have different experiences which make them interpret word different from other people.

Ryan

3/4/2015 09:49:21 am

I agree with the proverb because all of evil starts in someway as words. Either it's as cursing or making enemies. It also is the root to arguments which can lead to physical fighting. If someone is just walking around not talking you usually wont decide to attack someone. This doesn't mean that good things can come out of words. Words can lead to love and friendships as well.

Adam Li

3/4/2015 11:00:26 am

Fortunately, it seems that my ideas do not match up with yours. If someone is just walking around not talking, that too can make one attack someone as well. I think that you see words differently from the way I do, and that's great, because that's what makes us human; I see words as ideas, but I don't see ideas as words. I don't know how you think of words, but from my point of view, I think the roots of arguments and evil intentions aren't words; rather, they are what come before the words, ideas.

Mikayla

3/4/2015 10:00:44 am

I disagree with this proverb. The words aren't evil, but the way they are used can make them become that way. It isn't the words that are choosing to make a hateful or evil statement, it is whoever is saying them. The way words are interpreted can also make them evil if they are read or heard by someone with evil thoughts. Words themselves are used as a tool to create emotions and ideas and although they may be perceived as evil, the words are not the root of the evil. The way people will interpret their meaning can depend upon each person because everyone understands them differently.

Courtney

3/4/2015 11:08:37 am

I agree with Mikayla's statement. People use word to express emotions and ideas. The way others interpret their meaning is what makes people think that the words are the source of the evil.

Adam Li

3/4/2015 10:47:17 am

I can't fully agree with this proverb. It's trying to categorize something that is perceived into something that is defined. It's true that evil can find it's root in words many times, but I don't think that means it is or even should be the root of evil. I believe that evil find it's roots in two places, evil intents and accidents. Words can contribute to evil because they are used to connect thoughts and lead to misunderstandings. Words also provide something defined to fall back on, even if they aren't completely solid, and evil is one of those words that defines an idea that can't be completely solid.

3/4/2015 10:52:08 am

The proverb above is somewhat accurate, but I do not agree with it completely. Words themselves are not evil, but some of the people who use them are. Sure there are curse words, but it is somebody's choice to use them. Words are powerful and beautiful and it is a priviledge to be able to use them. Some people abuse that privilege and that is a shame.

Cameron

3/4/2015 01:00:51 pm

I agree completely. It's the same argument that people try to make saying that "guns kill people." Trying to give an object that we created the responsibility for doing terrible things and being used in terrible ways is a cowardly way of avoiding admitting that people can do bad things.

Danielle

3/5/2015 02:19:59 am

I agree with the given statement. Like I said words are what you make them. If you use them to do harm then they are being used for evil. If you use them to be poetic and descriptive than they can be used for good.

Courtney

3/4/2015 11:06:14 am

I disagree with this proverb because words are a way for someone to express themselves and they also can be beautiful, such as in poetry. There are though some ways this could be true, in the way of curse words. But that is the speakers decision to say those words. Words are used to express yourself, talk about your emotions, and communicate with others. Words are used to compliment others. I would think that feelings would be the root of all evil, not words because people can control their words, but cannot easily control their feelings.

Sarah Beth

3/4/2015 01:07:35 pm

I understand what you are saying, Courtney, but just like you said not all words are evil, not all emotions are evil either. Happiness, joy, gladness, thankfulness: these are all emotions that people feel and act on daily. Then the question would be become why people feel emotions. For that I do not have an answer, but I do not think that words or emotions are the root of evil.

Lucy link

3/5/2015 03:26:54 am

Lucy

3/5/2015 03:30:52 am

I agree with what you said completely. People have the right so say whatever they want and by not letting them do that, you are restricting their creativity. People should be able to express themselves how they want. Feelings can be more dangerous and evil than words.

Ruzylle

3/5/2015 09:47:46 am

I agree with Courtney. It is the speaker's decision to say those words. It's the people who use evil words that are the evil ones here.

Grant

3/4/2015 11:52:30 am

I disagree with the given statement. Words themselves can only be evil if the person who uses them makes them out to be so. For the most part, words are the one way of communicating and for that reason, many words have such amazing meanings to them. The person who speaks the words can truly influence the public. All of the most popular quotes made by influential people use words to express personal struggles and give confidence to those who read them. All beautifully written books and poems are examples of how words can positively move the reader. However, although I disagree with the statement, words that are "evil" are only evil because the person who used them intended it in that sense.

Cameron

3/4/2015 12:48:48 pm

I disagree with this proverb, although words can be used as an evil. The proverb gives words an overall bad name despite the beauty that can be created from them. Poems, stories, plays, and essays that have great meaning are all amazing things that can be created from words, and regardless of the bad things that words can do, are extremely powerful when used in a good way to negate the evil.

jason

3/4/2015 12:57:33 pm

I agree with Cameron. There are very many things that words can be beautiful.

jason

3/4/2015 12:55:52 pm

I have to disagree on about this. Words aren't evil, the tone or the way it is used can make it seem evil. There is no greater evil in the world the human. Words have meanings to them that give them their evilness. Those meanings were created by man. I'm pretty sure that anyone can say any word and make it sound positive or in a nice tone so it doesn't come off as evil.

Sarah Beth

3/4/2015 01:02:13 pm

I agree and disagree with the proverb. Words can be whatever a person wants them to be, whether that is hurtful and irrelevant or beautiful and significant. Words have the ability to make a person think or act a way that they might not have before hearing or reading them, and that is magical. To be able to express an emotion or a thought that wouldn't have been fathomable without words is incredible. Unfortunately this power can be and is taken advantage of. Words, while mostly good, can be used for evil.

Tanner Roman link

3/4/2015 01:52:28 pm

100% true and kudos to saying it better than me. Both forms of words, good and bad, can carry an impact. Sometimes we still don't even have words to describe things, like feelings or even art. As civilization continues to grow we'll continue to have new words to describe things, even though I doubt we'll be able to describe everything with words.

Tanner link

3/4/2015 01:49:29 pm

I agree with this Japanese proverb to an extent. Words are completely the root of all evil, but not the only one. Ideas are the partner in crime here. Talking and voicing your opinions are the true culprits for evil. We voice our opinions on anything: Music, world peace, people even. This can anger us and make us spit hateful words and eventually cause a little thing called war. But evil isn't the only thing that spawns from these two ingredients. Good, the challenger to evil, will come about and expressing opinions with goodness will have compliments and eventually something bigger than war, love.

Danielle

3/5/2015 02:15:23 am

I do agree with this proverb, in a sense. Words themselves are not evil but often the power they hold and the way they are used can be considered evil. When vulgar words are used the poetic sense of words is ripped away. Words hold the power to do harm and the power to satisfy the brain. Words have the ability to hurt someone or the ability to be beautiful. Words are what you make them, so if you use them right they can be beautiful things.

Lucy

3/5/2015 03:24:35 am

I do not agree with this proverb. It is not fair to blame words for evil. The words that may be considered "evil" to some people are only said to be evil because of the actions associated with them. Some words that might be "evil" are curse words. The reason why they have a negative connotation with them is because typically when people use them, they have violent actions as well. I believe that people have the freedom to say whatever they want. They should know that some people get offended by them so there should be boundaries to the words people use but to say that all words are the root of evil is wrong.

Ruzylle

3/5/2015 09:41:43 am

I disagree with this Japanese Proverb. Although words can hurt someone, it is the person who was saying the words and he/she should be blamed for it. It's all on the person's personality and thinking. For example, I would not expect Martin Luther King Jr. to say lots of evilness because he was trying to do something good. Another example, I would not expect a terrorist leader to say good things to his/her adversaries. Words are powerful but they are not living things. Imagine a world with no humans, would words still be evil? Would words still be powerful?

Brianna

3/8/2015 05:05:41 am

I disagree with the statement.Words themselves are not the root of all evil. The way people interpret words are different than other people do. The way one might interpret words might cause them and other to think that words are evil. Words themselves are not evil, just some interpretations of them. Words help to express how people feel emotionally and help to express people's opinions to others. People have different opinions of everything in the world, so their interpretations of these words will and can be different. Overall, I disagree with the statement, "words are the root of all evil."

Kiara

3/8/2015 05:53:18 am

I believe this proverb full heartedly. The words we speak and write have a very influential effect on society or a person in general. The written word has proven to be an effective weapon throughout history. For example, Hitler used words to convince the world that the Jewish people were responsible for Germany's ill fortune. Although words can be used for good, words are truly a leading cause in evil and conflict

Blog #4 - Words and their significance.

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Blog #4 - Words and their significance.

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