Silence Speech

Silence

Almost 300 years ago a man that went by the name, Benjamin Franklin, wrote his autobiography to not only explain and talk about his life and his path to success, but also to share what he thought would lead him to what he called “moral perfection.” While he talked about how to “arrive at moral perfection”, he list the thirteen virtues, that he thought would help not only him live a morally perfect life, but also the young people that read his autobiography. I believe that all the thirteen virtues are helpful; I believe that the virtue Silence is the most helpful.

In his autobiography he explains this virtue as followed: “Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.” By definition silence means: 1. absence of any sound or noise; stillness.  2. The state or fact of being silent; muteness. 3. Absence or omission of mention, comment, or expressed concern. What I think this virtue means is, for us not to start rumors of people just because you may not like that person but also for us not to get frustrated by the rumors started about us especially if you know they are just rumors. For us as high school students, this virtue basically means don’t get mad or stressed when someone makes up rumors about you especially if you know that those rumors are not true but not to talk about people unless it is going to help them out.

Has it ever been brought up to your attention by one of your friends at school that this guy/girl has been telling the whole school that you are a whore, saying that you have been sleeping around with all these guys/girls? Has anyone ever came up to you and said is it true that you’re a faggot, that you have slept with so many guys, that you have done this and that with guys? Knowing that it is just a rumor, what would you do? Do you start another rumor calling that person a faggot, whore, or a slut? Do you go up to him/her and start to fight? Or do you do what is right and just tell that person who brought it up to your attention that they are just a bunch of rumor and leave it at that? I think most girls would start rumors about the girls that called them whores, and I think that the guys would go up to that person and just start a big fight. What would you do?

            What I would do, and what I have learned to do is to just ignore the rumors. I have been called gay, faggot, queer, you name it I have probably been called that once or twice, but do you think every time I hear these words I turn around and start saying f—k you, and all that, no I just keep on walking because I know who I am and don’t care about the rumors.

            This virtue also says “Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself”. To us this basically means don’t go around school telling everyone “oh guess what she has slept with all of the football team”, “did you know he has aids from sleeping with so many guys”. It means don’t go on Facebook and mass message all your friends that “this person is a faggot, that you caught them doing this or that”. Benjamin Franklin says to only talk when it benefits the others or yourself, that doesn’t mean to go talk crap about someone because it is going to make you feel better, that is not what this means. Have you ever been one of the people who start the rumors?

            I believe Silence is the best virtue in my opinion to live by, if you don’t like when people talk all this crap about you, imagine how the people feel when you talk about them. Think twice about what you’re about to say before you speak, you never know, one day you might just come to school and find out that, the guy/girl who you started the rumor about has just committed suicide and succeeded. Think before you speak! If you can’t say anything good about someone, then don’t say anything at all.

“A good word is an easy obligation; but not to speak ill requires only our silence, which costs us nothing. -John Tillotson-”