Is the pen mightier than the sword?

[762 shooter]

Was reading a fellow posters sigline earlier and pondered if this is true or we would like it to be true?

We have read this from the masters of thought and philosophy since dirt was a teenager.

The Romans didn't talk the Brits into giving up. Alexander didn't conquer half the world by writing inspiring prose.

Those darn pesky American revolutionaries didn't defeat England in a Scrabble game.

Hitler wasn't overcome with guilt by reading bad reviews.

I wonder what ISIS or their victims take would be of this concept? One may say you have to look at the big picture to appreciate the pen's might. Tell me that when you are face down in a ditch.

I should have posted this in the insignificant ravings forum.

762

[dilly]

What about the 95 theses?

What about the Declaration if Independence?

MLK junior'a writings? He was "defeated" by the sword, but the martyrdom made him more powerful than ever.

People are generally apathetic and unmotivated. Those actions you spoke of are all fueled by ideologies.

You are right though; without one the other is not able to make an impact.

[762 shooter]

Enlightenment through superior firepower.

762

[montana_charlie]

The adage means that communication (in various forms) can be more effective than pure force.

Even with our own raw power to kill people and destroy things, we don't ever start out trying to overpower the forces of an adversary. The first thing we go after is 'command and control' capabilities because that ability to communicate will cause us more problems than accumulated weaponry and manpower.

[TXGunNut]

Difficult to write a check with a sword.

[searcher4851]

Difficult to write a check with a sword.

It never occurred to me to even try.

[ThaDave]

"Anyone that believes the pen is mightier than the sword has most likely never been on the receiving end of an automatic weapon."

-written in a port-a-john Camp Fallujah, Iraq

"If it weren't for politicians most of us would be out of work. "

-the next port-a-john over from the first.

The hammer is a mighty tool but it may not be the right tool for helping my 4 year old with writing his ABCs. Each tool has a time and place.

-me

[dtknowles]

If it was pens against swords, I will go with the sword but its is the swords your words can rally to the cause against the sword of the enemy.

You can't hold land with airpower but you can destroy the enemy's ability to defend or attack using airpower.

Their is a time for talk and a time to fight and almost always the talking comes first and the fighting only if talking does not do the trick. Your words are useless if the don't have anything to back them up, sometimes you have to pull the sword and make an example of someone.

Tim

[Springfield]

You need the pen to encourage others to join in on your cause. Then if many using a pen doesn't work you will probably have to resort to the sword.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Michiavelli, wrote that it was good to be loved and feared but if you could only have one of these, it is better to feared than loved. Putin understands this very well, obozo just doesn't get it.

[nicholst55]

The pen is mightier than the sword - right up until the instant that the sword is drawn from its scabbard.

[BruceB]

"Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't."

More words of "sword wisdom."

[nhrifle]

Think it's possible to destroy a country and rewrite its history with a sword? Barry has done precisely that with his pen.

[dtknowles]

Its why every war aims to demonize the enemy. Nazi's that eat children, (or as bad as they can get away with), in order to allow the sword carriers to better fight. Even winners have been eclipsed in history when they didn't write better than the losers. All one has to do is look at the liberal agendas in the headlines. They are the minority but having the media outlets they seem to win over the easily swayed.

Why do you think liberals control the media when there are so many conservative news outlets? There are more Democrats than Republicans to start with so it is no surprise if they get more of their stories in the media. Yeah, only a fraction of Democrats call themselves liberal but that might be because they don't want to be given grief about that position, much easier claim being a moderate but vote liberal. Do you think that the Mainstream News Outlets are liberal because of their politics or because the ratings show that Liberal news sells to a wider audience and the advertisers want the biggest audience? So does that mean FOX targets a nitch audience not the main stream?

Tim

[762 shooter]

Pens are definitely mighty.

The Bible, Magna Carta, U.S. Constitution, thousands upon thousands of profound thoughts put to bark, paper and pixels.

But when you get to the poop or get off the pot stage, might makes right.

762

[blackthorn]

The pen is mightier than the sword---
Beyond arm and sword length---
Recalculate for use of a gun!

[Lee]

Never bring a sword to a gunfight. ...... Indiana Jones ...... Heh Heh

[TXGunNut]

I strive to be good with both.

[RoyEllis]

"The pen is for writing the epitaph of those who tarry in drawing their sword" Sun Tzu

[MBTcustom]

Assuming everyone has swords, it is the man with a pen who can bring all those arms together as one force.
Why do we hate mainstream media so much? Because what they write threatens to remove the sword from our hands.
The power of inspirational communication is greater than any force on earth, and it's a fool who believes otherwise.
Regarding our American Revolution, would it really have been so effective had it not been for the writings of Samuel Addams?

I will close with this thought: if it comes to the point where you must cap your pen and rack the bolt on your rifle, you really weren't all that effective with the pen were you?

[Garyshome]

Now A Days I thing the Pen is a bigger Liar then the sword.

[MtGun44]

Kinda like the old saw "Violence never solved anything!"
Sounds "sophisticated" but from a real world standpoint, pretty much BS.

Yeah? How about Hitler, and a million other cases.

Bill

[TXGunNut]

Kinda like the old saw "Violence never solved anything!"
Sounds "sophisticated" but from a real world standpoint, pretty much BS.-MtGun44

I'm not a violent person but on those occasions where I have been it most certainly solved the problem. It's never my first plan but it never hurts to have an effective plan "B". BTW paperwork is much less with plan "a".

[Gelandangan]

In civilized society pens with backing of good swords are mightier than anything.
In uncivilized society, those who wield pens are slaves to those that wield swords.