The Modern Mute

Image: A digital artwork from my archive

There are silent moments of speculation and wonderment that sift through my mind at its quietest, some pass through the complex maze of thoughts, others either push out shards of creativity and tranquillity or sink me deeper with melancholic musings. Simple observations of mundane details, peculiar questions, strange habits, lost feelings, and oddities all filed away in the crevices of my mind often resembling an antique shop and this week’s addition to the assortment of ‘items’ would be me questioning the power of words. 

In a generation that relies on highly digitized platforms claiming to have ‘hacks’ to successfully communicating, I wonder how much of actual human communication much less with words remain in the world. 

Why use words when one can easily express the same with emoticons or emojis or e-stickers? Having my own collection of choice stickers and emojis, I too indulge in the modern yet lackadaisical form of communication and conversation albeit for different reasons. For some, these neat and efficient replacements of words serve the purpose of communicating without having a conversation; some even use these tactics to opt-out of difficult or awkward conversations— a sentiment I wholeheartedly support and agree with. There are absolutely no doubts that modern technology has smoothed out the kinks and oiled the cogs of having a good conversation, but how many of us, if we’re being honest, indulge or put any effort in freely communicating with words if not with absolute strangers but with our loved ones? 

 

“The idea that language is a game at which some players are more skilled than others has a bearing on the vexed relationship between loneliness and speech. Speech failures, communication breakdowns, misunderstandings, mishearings, episodes of muteness, stuttering, and stammering, word forgetfulness, even the inability to grasp a joke: all of these things invoke loneliness, forcing a reminder of the precarious, imperfect means by which we express our interiors to others. They undermine our footing in the social, casting us as outsiders, poor or non-participants.”, reads Olivia Lang’s The Lonely City, and with it dawns my incomplete understanding of our generation’s ignorant and oblivious conversational habits; a part of me although, constantly wishes for more. 

 

Over the years, I perfected in veiling my ruminative, pensive self and replaced it with one of callous nonchalance; with my expectations and wishes carefully stowed away from the world, I was overly cautious of not giving away too much of myself with what I spoke, worried that my words would betray my perfect facade of distance and coldness, by displaying my warmth, my care, my love and me; yet, a part of me hoped for someone to see me. 

Words require effort unlike the hackneyed communications of today, pedaling muteness, self-worth and validation under the guise of being socially relevant. 

Words are painful, heartfelt, elements brimming with raw and life-altering power; a stupendous mortal creation that has silently lived, evolved, and continues to grow through time. 

Use them as a sword to slay the diabolical or as a cathartic echo, as a gentle caress of a lover, or to etch a moment in time, these remarkable entities undoubtedly brim with power and magic deserving every bit of romanticization. 

 

Do emojis or stickers do the same?