The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword

We have all heard the saying that, “the pen is mightier than the sword.” This adage, coined by English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839, was meant to demonstrate that the written word, or the press, is a more effective weapon than direct violence. In short, the written word can be a threat to far more people than just about any other weapon. And in that time period, the saying was very true. There were no other weapons of mass destruction in that era.

But my thoughts about this phrase are more directed at the words and their impact. Words, written or spoken, can be a tool that holds the potential to cause great pain and harm to others. And as such, we all need to be aware of our responsibility to think before we speak or write. The Internet has made it very easy to share our thoughts and feelings literally with the world, but we each still have the responsibility to speak and think mindfully.

Unfortunately, there is one significant difference between the wounds from a sword and the wounds from hurtful words. Most physical wounds will heal, but many of the wounds that result from hurtful words will never heal. Even sadder is the thought that these injuries can be inflicted indiscriminately. There is no suit of armor to protect the heart and mind from hurtful words.

And in the end, your own words can even turn on you, causing you as much harm, or even more, than they inflict on any other person. Never before has it been so very important to think before you speak or write, because once spoken or set free on the Internet, your words can never be taken back and their damage can never be undone.