The Pen vs The Sword : The Ultimate Battle

 "A pen isn't mightier than a sword. Pens do not do battle, nor swords poetry...

   Mighty is the hand that knows when to pick up the pen, or pick up the sword." 

      Think up about that for a second, just let it really sink in. How beautiful yet powerful, isn't it? Have you ever thought about the original quote "The pen is mightier than the sword"? What did you feel when you read it? If you're like me, you would have felt annoyed. How can that quote be true, my dear friends? If that was true, then I, who am sitting here writing this, should be more powerful than a world-class fighter right? Why has no one handed me my championship belt yet? All jokes aside, you probably recognized the deeper meaning of the saying. When I tried to interpret the deeper meaning, I found many answers. Maybe brains over brawn? Peace over violence? Words over actions? A desk job at a 9 to 5 workplace over a ninja? Ha, you know who would win the last one. But hey, don't underestimate the power of bureaucracy! Seriously though, now, keep your thoughts for the original quote in mind as we discuss the variation. 

The pen shatters the sword!...or does it?

    There is a major difference in my opinion. If we dissect the new one further, we find this calming lesson. It matters when to use our wit or strength. Our ability to know when to make the right choice is what makes us mighty! One is not simply great by displaying only their strength, it is the same for a person who uses only their wit to escape every situation. Those who truly have the insight to know when to brandish either, are the ones who are the wisest. When using the metaphorical "pen", we have the power to use words to deeply touch and embed a specific idea in a person. It is the more peaceful route. But it is unwise to doubt the effectiveness of the path. You could say the turbulent changes in history only started due to the radical words some great thinkers have written. The independence of countries, eradication of unjust laws, propagation of contrary beliefs, were possible through the use of the pen. But that thought is dismissing the presence of the "sword" as not an important part. The sword is, unfortunately, the more popular path that history in the past has taken. Bloody change, as I like to call it. However we pacifists would like to believe that peace could have achieved change too, but we must admit that our world wouldn't have been the same. Regrettably, the good and the bad made the society we live in today.  

    "Pens do not do battle, nor swords poetry..." You would never go to battle with a pen in hand and display your awesome knowledge of vocabulary, right? The same is true if you tried to write your English homework with a sword. Our intelligence lies in our choice. Do I choose to change the world for the better with my words or actions? There is never a clear cut path, that peace is always more effective. The amazing thing about this quote is that it forces us to face reality. These definitive quotes make it seem like we no longer need to reserve judgement. In each and every situation, life requires us to make a choice, however small or big they may be. The "pen" and the "sword" are, in my opinion, not separate paths. They are two streams that flow into the larger ocean. In our conscious thoughts, they seem divided, flowing in opposite directions. Yet they reach the same destination, the ocean or as I like to think reality. You can no longer distinguish them. All you can do is try to use your best judgment and choose wisely. In the end, your choices are what really makes you extraordinary.

Laasya