By Marien Oomen
In my family there was much importance given to letter writing, whether it was to our grandparents, aunts or siblings. ‘Please write just two lines to show you care,’ my mother she would say, while preparing to send the blue-lined airmail envelope. I learnt from that simple lesson, the importance of writing and self-expression. I appreciated that a family that teaches respect within the household, and shows respect to other members of humanity, gains respect within the community.
Today everybody seems to be debating freedom of speech and expression. The pen is a mighty sword in the hand of the writer. There is a tendency to be self satisfied with one’s own juvenile, insensitive compositions and be easily blinded from one’s own innumerable prejudices! Sometimes in his self-righteous assertive stand, a writer may bring down his own culture, his own people, and his own nation.
An egotist writing long, often vitriolic, expositions of his own biased understanding about human nature gets the same ego boost as a youth thrashing his opponent on the playing field. And what flows from the pen charms the writer’s OWN reading of it, because he flatters his OWN opinion of his OWN importance.
Why go out of your way to say outrageously offensive or irreverent things in the name of freedom? My friend Ange wrote in her FB update today: For me Freedom of Speech means ‘speaking the truth with love,’ or ‘saying what you think with sincerity and respect towards others’. Respect this truth.
Satire has its place in literature. Use it only to laugh at yourself, not at others. It is said that disparaging reviews brought aboutJohn Keats’s death. Shelley wrote Adonaïs, a despairing elegy, about Keats’ early death…
The loveliest and the last,
The bloom, whose petals nipped before they blew
Died on the promise of the fruit.
Oscar Wilde’s quote: “Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but the highest form of intelligence,” You need to use your brain to comprehend sarcasm. A person speaks a little differently to indicate he’s joking. The crux is to be on the same level of humour. If not, avoid sarcasm at all costs!
Knowledge brings power, but character breeds respect.
