Actions Speak Louder
A childhood lesson that is oft forgotten. A hope for change.
If I can think back to some of the first lessons I learned, one that stands out is that “actions speak louder than words.” This may not have carried much weight in the mind of a young child, however, for most of my conscious life, it has been a guiding principle. Surely there are many “talkers” out there. But how many back up that talk with real, concrete action?
I bring this up because of how far the world, specifically leadership, has strayed from this ideal. From outright indifference to action, as we see play out every day in the political arena, to manipulating words to cover actions. In times of peace and general calm, the impact is not so great. However, in times of peril, this lack of action can be devastating. Let’s take a look at a recent example:
As Russia gears up for an invasion of its neighbor Ukraine, the United States has been playing the words game. Here is what is President Joe Biden said in a press conference on February 15, 2022:
“If Russia attacks Ukraine, it’ll be met with overwhelming international condemnation. The world will not forget that Russia chose needless death and destruction.”
Of course, the President is right to say that the international community will condemn Russia if it successfully invades and conquers Ukraine. Does that matter though? Is it reasonable to say that Russia would even care what the international reaction would be? Surely, their territorial ambitions trump any potential “international condemnation.”
As I wrote in my last post, inaction by the US and the West could have potentially grave consequences on the world at large, and could even lead to a new world war. Words will never win a war. Actions will.
To bring this to the bigger picture, words are nothing compared to action. That is why the age-old idea of “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never break me” is such a powerful one. Words are just that; words. They can be ignored. They can be twisted. They can fall upon deaf ears. In gist, they carry no weight if the listener does not wish to give it weight.
But this goes for anything. You can talk about starting a business all you want, but until you take the action of starting it, those words mean nothing. The same for asking someone on a date, moving to a new city, or starting a new job. Action will always be greater than words. The more the world re-recognizes this fact, the better off we should be.
Books I’m currently reading:
Token Economy: How the Web3 reinvents the Internet by Shermin Voshmgir
The Guide for the Perplexed by Maimonides
The Ego and the Id by Sigmund Freud
Quotes:
“In order for a tree to grow the seed has to rot.” - David Franco
“Whose side will you be on? Fascist tyrants or Freedom fighters? I will always stand with freedom fighters.” - Robert Kiyosaki
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Until next time…
O