Words, words, words.

“The limits of my language means the limits of my world.” ~ Ludwig Wittgenstein

I’ve been thinking a lot about the difference between modern humans and other social animals. It seems that, for good or for ill, language is what sets us fully apart. The evolutionary effect of words has been both amazing and ominous, including our ability to survive in nearly every habitat on Earth, and to destroy its magnificence in a flash. As the saying goes, there’s no rose without a thorn.

But I’m not so sure that I agree with Wittgenstein’s assertion. In fact, I think the limitless nature of language may be both a symptom and cause of most of our problems as a species. But my intuition doesn’t seem to be shared. For example, a reader responded to one of my articles, more or less reinforcing Ludwig’s contention:

Your article triggered a thought about some recent studies that show average IQs are falling since 1975, reversing a long trend (the Flynn Effect.) A particularly interesting article argued a cause is declining vocabulary, grammar, and the decline in the use of time related tenses like past, present, and future tense. The article linked a lack of precise language to a lack of precise critical thinking. Texting and social media were mentioned as some of the culprits.

I’ve also seen a lot written lately about emotional granularity, the idea that having a rich vocabulary helps us experience our emotions and thoughts more precisely (whatever that means), which, in turn, helps improve our understanding of ourselves and our interactions with others. Again, I’m not sure about that. In fact, it feels to me that it would reinforce self-reflective thinking, rather than engender interconnectedness and empathy.

I remember crossing paths with an enlightened individual back in the early 70s. And by enlightened, I mean someone who appeared to be fully accepting and at peace with himself and the world. When we met, he said nothing, not one single word, and yet his presence spoke volumes. His sparkling eyes and easy smile exuded equanimity and, as evidenced by my memory of that occasion, affected me deeply.

And so I wonder: Perhaps we should turn down the volume of words, in our heads and with others, and be more… animal. Communicate first with our eyes and through touch. Wander and discover in nature. Look out and care for each other. Sing, dance and eat together. Play more and talk less.

Words, words, words.

Here’s an idea: Let’s open up our eyes and our hearts before we open up our mouths.

“People need words until direct experience speaks louder. Then, silence prevails.” ~ Wu Hsin

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Stay passionate!