Quote: "The effect of speech upon the condition of the soul is comparable to the power of drugs over the nature of bodies."
Question: Do you feel that the power of speech has that type of control to persuade you to do something you don't want to do or contribute to your emotions? Is it powerful enough to put in the same category as the power of drugs on the body?
Yes, I feel that speech probably does have the power to persuade me into doing something I don't want to do, but I definitely think speech has the power to contribute to my emotions. I think that really strong or moving speech can bring someone to do almost anything. After reading your question, I thought I would answer no to "is it as powerful as the power of drugs on the body," but now I am thinking that maybe it could be in that same category... Weird to think of it that way, but speech can be used in a really persuasive way that it could become as toxic and corrosive as some drug effects on the body. Alternatively, it can also be as uplifting or bringing good health as some other drugs. So, I guess, yes!
ReplyDeleteI think a lot can be said about this quote, and I do think that these things fall in line at times. In the same way that a drug like morphine alters one's reception and perception of sensations, speech alters the way we perceive our temporal, spatial and cultural settings, and influences how we ascertain truth.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Language and speech are so powerful. The words of another have the power to put a smile on one's face or tears in one's eye. Speech can alter reality and perception as drugs do but in a different way. Moods can be altered by each. The words of someone can make one to become sick with a physical reaction. Language is so powerful that yes, I believe it is as strong as drugs affecting someone's body.
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