The pen or the sword?

I am sure most of you have heard the popular metonymic adage,"the pen is mighter than the sword" but i am sure you have also heard that "actions speaks louder than words" These two popular sayings are in contrast to each other.When you say of using the sword,it begets that you are using action whereas if you speak of using the pen,it begets you as using inaction or simply speech to resolve.So if you say actions speak louder than words,it indirectly means you are saying the sword is mightier than the pen which contradicts the first saying of the pen is mightier than the sword" Feel freel to correct me if you do not agree with my statement as this is just my take on this. What i wish to know is that whether you prefer to use the pen or the sword in daily life and if you may include the reasons why you do so,it would be appreciated.For the moment i will reserve my input on this.So i put to you:do you use the pen?or the sword?[image: http://animeforum.org.uk/images/smilies/thinking-022.gif]

Having led an active and interesting life, I can't say with an certainty WHICH tack is the one I chose more often in the past. Frankly I have resorted, numerous times, to both as a solution, sometimes within minutes of each other. Any skilled craftsman carries a toolbox. Usually it carries some tools that require skill and technique to employ. Others, are as straightforward as a hammer. So, pen or sword? My day to day life has taken on a rather stable, and reasonably mundane patina. I now, and most probably in the near future, will use the 'pen' almost exclusively. I employ the reasonable approach, ALWAYS, as my first try. I tailor it to need, by adding corollary arguments, to bolster my attempt to have a successful conclusion. Certainly, living in a modern, cultured, and for the most part, well behaved community, dictates that a physical response will usually meet with an unfortunate counter by the people in power. So, use of the 'pen' is the preferred response. The expected response. And in all things practical the only acceptable response. I know this because I was one of those guys employed by 'the people in power' to prevent widespread… to follow the theme… sword-like activity. [image: http://animeforum.org.uk/images/smilies/smile.gif] Basically the time of 'Do this.. or Stop this.. or I'll kick your @$$!' are past date. The victim of such a physical response, is afforded numerous options to balance the scale. Like Criminal charges on the hapless violence-prone individual that conducted the unseemly display of one-sided swordsmanship. Civil penalties. Public Humiliation in the press. If it's at a workplace, the loss of employment. All these put a damper on the often poorly considered choice of the physical solution. So, the current pattern and the most likely future pattern, barring a 'Mad Max' type of social upheaval, is to let your words do your work for you. But I'll keep my sword sharpened… just in case...

By which you mean "diplomacy or violence?" I'd pick the pen. I think that words solve problems better than violence. Idealistic as it may sound, there wouldn't be any violence if the other side hadn't started it. Taken literally, if it doesn't work, I never saw why you couldn't stab someone with the pen.

Quote: Originally Posted by The Ferryman View Post (http://animeforum.org.uk/showthread.php?p=174877#post174877) By which you mean "diplomacy or violence?" I'd pick the pen. I think that words solve problems better than violence. Idealistic as it may sound, there wouldn't be any violence if the other side hadn't started it. Taken literally, if it doesn't work, I never saw why you couldn't stab someone with the pen. I meant that if you were one who believes in taking action and believes that physical action is the best way to resolve something or one who believes in more subtle means such as talking and reasoning something to solve it. As an example,say that you are on a basketball court in the ghettos.The only court for miles and another team is already on the court.The two viable opnions is either you coax the other team into playing with you[way of the pen] or just simply challenge them to a mano-a-mano for rights to play[way of the sword] Categorizing to just Diplomacy and violences is too narrowIn war or times of strife,a huge number would readily agree that diplomacy is the best course of action..I wish to broaden the scope of the disscussion to everyday life.Really put the adages to the test. I completely agree with you on the stabbing with the pen though.Completely plausible and hurts like hell..[image: http://animeforum.org.uk/images/smilies/happythmb0034.gif]

Well I don't know about you guys, but I would love to see words stop a raging bull with mad cow disease.

I believe it's all according to what the situation calls for. For example: action speaks louder than words... giving a hug to a crying child and wiping the tears away while giving them an assuring smile than telling the child not to worry about whatever is making them cry and to stop crying. Positive action. As for the pen is mightier than the sword, instead of getting physical when angry and hitting someone, explaining what is causing your anger and what can be done to calm it. I actually use both. I try to quickly decide what action the circumstances needs and then apply either using speech or action as my reaction.

Quote: Originally Posted by stahlie View Post (http://animeforum.org.uk/showthread.php?p=174777#post174777) Having led an active and interesting life, I can't say with an certainty WHICH tack is the one I chose more often in the past. Frankly I have resorted, numerous times, to both as a solution, sometimes within minutes of each other. Any skilled craftsman carries a toolbox. Usually it carries some tools that require skill and technique to employ. Others, are as straightforward as a hammer. So, pen or sword? My day to day life has taken on a rather stable, and reasonably mundane patina. I now, and most probably in the near future, will use the 'pen' almost exclusively. I employ the reasonable approach, ALWAYS, as my first try. I tailor it to need, by adding corollary arguments, to bolster my attempt to have a successful conclusion. Certainly, living in a modern, cultured, and for the most part, well behaved community, dictates that a physical response will usually meet with an unfortunate counter by the people in power. So, use of the 'pen' is the preferred response. The expected response. And in all things practical the only acceptable response. I know this because I was one of those guys employed by 'the people in power' to prevent widespread… to follow the theme… sword-like activity. [image: http://animeforum.org.uk/images/smilies/smile.gif] Basically the time of 'Do this.. or Stop this.. or I'll kick your @$$!' are past date. The victim of such a physical response, is afforded numerous options to balance the scale. Like Criminal charges on the hapless violence-prone individual that conducted the unseemly display of one-sided swordsmanship. Civil penalties. Public Humiliation in the press. If it's at a workplace, the loss of employment. All these put a damper on the often poorly considered choice of the physical solution. So, the current pattern and the most likely future pattern, barring a 'Mad Max' type of social upheaval, is to let your words do your work for you. But I'll keep my sword sharpened… just in case... Good thread and pretty impressive response Stahlie. I think I have trained in Martial arts for a number of years to be able to literally use ''the sword'' and I can do that with a little bit of skill. I also have worked and lived in places where the''sword was the chocie of the majority and so I had to always try to use ''the pen'' I was always known as the peacemaker but I often felt very weak and ineffective and nervous, inspite of some success with talking my way out of things and not getting into things in the first place. I decided to train in doing martial arts to give me confidence and to feel safer. Once I attained this I found the talking worked even better because I had more confidence. As a result of that I never had to resort to fighting except on one occasion when someone tried to break into my house and I stopped them getting in by using a few swift Tai chi moves.lol

Those who use the sword are too weak to use the pen. Those who use the pen are smarter than those who use the sword in my eyes, the pen is stronger than the sword.

i say using a sword is much better than the pen for usually using the pen makes pepole ignore your statement but with the sword pepole notice and say what they think about it(just like you making this thread XD)

Time for my input. As a young teenager,i used to believe that the "sword" was the most effective solution to any trouble i encountered. in life.Acting on impulse,blindly and forcefully charging forward without thinking of the consequences.With the "nothing to lose attitude"i always chose to act first and think later,It worked well right until i entered adulthood.Thrown into the harshness of the real world,the mentality seem to fail more often than not.since i was now fully responsible for my own actions,the backlash from just doing something without thinking ahead was disastrious.As the phrase goes the unused sword should be sheathed.The "sword" of mine became dull as i always had it at the ready never sheathing it. On the other hand,if i just sat down deliberating without end,without acting then it is just as bad.Nothing can be achieved.Preparation is key but without action is like making paddles for a nonexsisting canoe.Fruitfull but futile. That is why i agree with sir stahlie,dragonlady and Saber views in which the pen and sword should be used in sync,where we determine the appropriate tool for each situation.I apporoach every hurdle with pen in hand but sword shealthed and ready. In different situations,the sword or the pen will in relative sense overpower the other and like dragonlady said we will have to decide according to the situation. Determinating where and when each tool should be used is the key to success.