Essay number five: by The Midnight Writer

Words

No power on earth is greater than knowledge. Through language, mankind is able to share knowledge with others. By the spoken word we can share the knowledge we have acquired with people who can hear our voice. By the printed word we are able to share our knowledge with the entire world.

Try to imagine a world without words. What would your thoughts be without words? How would your dreams be constructed without words? How would you express your love without words? You wouldn’t even have a name for yourself without words. The frail human animal would never have survived without words.

What greater gift can be offered to a child than a love for the proper use of words? Through language a child’s imagination is opened up to a world of possibilities that would otherwise not exist.

Everyone should devote time every day to improving their knowledge of language and the proper way to convey that knowledge to others.

The pen truly is mightier than the sword. Very few people think about the importance of the written language. Most people take language for granted and only read when they can find no other way of amusing themselves in their pursuit of entertainment. Unfortunately, a large percentage of the world’s population remains illiterate. This must change.

No weapon has ever been invented more powerful than the invention of the printing press. The Gutenberg press, invented in the mid-fifteenth century, did more to change the world in a positive way than any other invention in recorded history.

As a parent, one of the greatest gifts you can give your child is a passion for proper grammar and rhetoric. Teaching a child to read and write well will give them the most powerful weapon they could possess to build a prosperous future. Every man, woman and child should seek to master the language of their homeland.

I would like to see the entire world speaking one language someday. It would dramatically increase the ability for people to share and acquire knowledge.

If you are functioning below your potential, do something about it. Formal education and tutoring are effective means to improve. If you cannot afford it you can, like Abraham Lincoln, teach yourself. It would take longer but it would be better than doing nothing. The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.

Understand that a formal education is not the end of acquiring knowledge. It is the beginning. Set aside time every day to improve your knowledge. Knowledge acquired is power acquired, even if that knowledge has nothing to do with your chosen profession.

The man who has gained power from the use of a sword fears nothing more than the man who has gained his power from words. Seek to win your battles in the arena of ideas. It is the only way to ensure a lasting peace.