Silence can yield more power than words. Inventor and artist Leonardo da Vinci said, “Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.” Leaders know how to use silence as a tactic for speaking up for themselves and as an opportunity to lead.
The added benefit of silence is it acts as a natural filter to your thoughts. It gives you time to think about what you are feeling and what those feelings mean to you. I have realized that this part of the practice is also a powerful way to deal with anger.
Your silence shows that you simply are confident in what you've got said which you respect the opposite person enough to listen to what they need to mention. The silence also allows the opposite party to return to their own conclusions which may lead to them digging themselves during a hole.
Hill says it's not always easy but by following a few rules of thumb, you'll have a better chance of resolving the conflict instead of inciting it: Say nothing. “If the emotional level is high, your first task is to take some of the emotion out,” she says. “Often that means sitting back and letting someone vent.”
Silence can be an obvious answer
If a question is met with silence, there is often an answer in that silence. We can also soften the blow of a negative answer by silence being the response. There is an implied “no” without any harsh words or too many words that might do more harm than good.
Silence can yield more power than words. Inventor and artist Leonardo da Vinci said, “Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.” Leaders know how to use silence as a tactic for speaking up for themselves and as an opportunity to lead.
Practicing quiet at times throughout the day might set you up for better rest at night. “Silence and periods of calm stimulate brain growth and relieve tension, which can result in a higher sense of well-being, as people can then feel more relaxed generally,” says Prunty. “When this occurs, sleep quality improves.”
Silence is deemed approval.
If you disapprove and don't say anything it will not make you seem easy going. If the problem persists and you did nothing people may consider it as enabling and think the issue is as much your fault as the person who actually caused the problem. You may destroy trust and create resentment.
The weakest type of argument is name-calling, followed by Ad Hominem. Graham writes: “An ad hominem attack is not quite as weak as mere name-calling.
When your mind is quiet, you are more observant, more perceptive and able to think more clearly. Because you're not concerned with speaking, your focus and attention is on listening. You will hear things and gain insights that you might not even have anticipated.
Essentially, the point of the silent treatment is to make the victim feel confused, stressed, guilty, ashamed, not good enough, or unstable enough so that they would do what the manipulator wants.
The ability to detect ostracism is hardwired in us – it doesn't matter if you're being ignored by a group or a person you can't stand, the pain still registers. The silent treatment, even if it's brief, activates the anterior cingulate cortex – the part of the brain that detects physical pain.
Silence is more “relaxing” for your body and brain than listening to music – as measured by a lowering of blood pressure and increased blood flow to the brain. Periods of silence throughout the day enhance sleep and lessen insomnia.
By nature, quiet people have loud minds because they have deep thoughts. While many scratch the surface of a comment or tone, quiet people dig in a little more. They go to the bottom layers to see what more is there. As you can imagine, this takes more time — which is why they're quieter.
Cain makes the argument that there can be times when saying nothing can be much more powerful than talking. In other words, there is real power in silence. In fact, Chinese philosopher Lau Tzu said, " Silence is a source of great strength." Article continues after video.
Being quiet and gentle doesn't mean you're weak. Such people show deep, inner strength that's under control. It's knowing when to speak and when to listen; when to take action and when to wait. Don't underestimate such people.
"In unhealthy arguments, people get defensive and critical," Dr. Greer says. "They start to place blame on the other partner, which is never a healthy situation to be in." The hallmark of an unhealthy argument is when one partner starts saying the word "you" a lot. "You did this. You did that.
1. eristic - given to disputation for its own sake and often employing specious arguments. eristical.
The argument is not intended to be conclusive but only suggestive. However, it is easy to see that the inference is unreliable, so it is WEAK. All weak arguments are UNCOGENT. So, even though the actual conclusion is probably true, its truth does not depend upon the premises.
Most psychologists indicate that it depends on the situation. When silence, or, rather, the refusal to engage in a conversation, is used as a control tactic to exert power in a relationship, then it becomes "the silent treatment," which is toxic, unhealthy, and abusive.
Silence can mean many things in interpersonal relationships. It's ambiguous. It can express lots of different emotions ranging from joy, happiness, grief, embarrassment to anger, denial, fear, withdrawal of acceptance or love. What it means depends on the context.
Salinas v.
Texas, the Supreme Court effectively placed an asterisk on the Fifth Amendment right to remain silent. The Supreme Court held that a suspect's silence in the face of police questioning could be used against him at trial because he did not explain why he was remaining silent.
The brain creates noise to fill the silence, and we hear this as tinnitus. Perhaps only someone with profound deafness can achieve this level of silence, so paradoxically loud.
But quiet people are normal. Researchers estimate that a substantial portion — one third to one-half — of the population is introverted.
One of the most basic reasons people remain silent is that they think you won't listen. Either from your attitude, your body language, or your history with them, they've learned not to waste their breath around you.