SILENCE

KNOWN to be a man of few words, a wise man was asked why he was so miserly with words. He replied, “The Creator of the world has given man two ears, but just one tongue. This is so that we may listen more than we speak, not so that we may speak more than we listen.”

Listening more than speaking is certainly the most prudent course to adopt. In doing so, we increase our own knowledge, we give ourselves the opportunity to have a better understanding of the man’s viewpoint and by our silence we encourage in the speaker a greater receptivity to what we shall have to say when finally, it is our turn to hold forth. When we speak, it is not generally sufficient just to utter the truth. We have to be able to talk persuasively if our listeners are to be convinced. This is where our having listened carefully to what they have to say is an advantage, for, then we know in advance what misapprehensions we have to sweep aside, what illusions we have to dispel and what emotional barriers we have to break down. If we continued to speak without ever listening to others, we shall always find ourselves in a weak, uncertain, ill-informed position. Xenocrates has aptly said, “I have often regretted my speech, never my silence.”

Sometimes, we voice opinions which are not so well supported by facts as we imagine, and so we can save ourselves the embarrassment by first hearing the subject discussed from different angles by the speaker. It is only after mature reflection upon what they have said that we should venture to air our own views. And even then, they should be aired with full consideration for the feelings of our listeners.

The propensity to talk too much is often a sign of being more interested in singing one’s own praises than of getting to the heart of the matter. It shows lack of seriousness in one’s general attitude to others. The effect of this is to be seen at its worst when the flow of talk is based on insufficient or superficial knowledge. What it most obviously betrays is a lack of character.

The practice of listening more than speaking is not just the external expression of one isolated personality trait; it reflects rather a whole state of mind. Indicative of sincerity and humility, it is the essence of a fine character.