Lana Ko Week 9: Psst...
When we think of power, we often think of a loud, commanding, and indisputable force. Visions of a wave crashing against a shoreline or a leader rising above others in order to push progress forward and through resistance. Yet, I think there exists a quieter power, usually rendering itself invisible as it travels through each of us subtly: the power of whispers. Throughout history, whispering has been practiced by every individual throughout every era of humankind. Whispering has been a part of ancient practices and even incorporated into storytelling such as “The Tale of the Whispering Winds” derived from the belief of Maya, a God who whispers secrets under the cover of a windstorm. Within an often loud and bustling world, whispers hold its own unique power. The whispers of discontent within private rooms that have birthed regimes and social movements. Whispers between a teacher and a student, “You are capable of more than this”. Or whispered words of apologies, “I was wrong” can be the reconnection between two estranged hearts. Whispers are like seeds. They start small, but once rooted into the ground, it can sprout and blossom into something more. However, I think the true power of a whisper is the level of intimacy that it calls for. Despite being octaves lower than normal speech, a whisper demands focus, attention, and trust. A whisper says, “This is for you, and you alone”. Power does not always correlate to volume or scale. Power can be quiet, personal, and deliberate.
Hi Lana! I love the vivid picture you paint in the first few lines, as well as the creative title which fittingly suggests you are about to reveal a secret to your readers. You make a really good point that power doesn't need to be loud or flashy to still be impactful, and support that point with a lot of good examples, dramatically described.
ReplyDeleteI read the short story you linked and found it interesting how, though it doesn't follow the heroine's journey, the story is very spiritual in a similar manner; the main character derives her great power in part from a gentle "feminine" quality, her intuition. I suppose one's own intuition is a whisper, in the way that you must clear your mind to be able to hear it. Overall, nicely written blog—my only suggestion is that you break it up into paragraphs to make it more readable and conform to typical blog formatting.
Hi Lana, I enjoyed reading your blog. I’ve never read your blogs before so your writing style is completely different to my last cohorts. Your blog reads very smoothly and conveys a simple idea in a really fascinating way.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading your blog I started to think about rumors, because whispers and rumors go well with each other. I think that whispers are inherently pretty weak, because they don’t command intention. However, as you said, “Power can be quiet, personal, and deliberate.” The content of the whispers can carry great power. This is especially true for things like rumors, where whispers and accusations carry more weight through secrecy rather than boldly claiming it. It’s something I didn’t really think about until I read your blog.
Overall this was an enjoyable read and your writing style is super captivating. If there was a small suggestion it would be to break up your work into paragraphs to make it easier to follow. Obviously this is your blog and I am in no position to tell you how you should express yourself but if writing without paragraphs isn’t exactly a purposeful choice I’d strongly recommend breaking up your paragraphs. Thank you for sharing and I look forward to reading your blog next week!
Hi Lana! I enjoyed the style with which you wrote this piece. It has a certain rhythm to it that made it flow so well. I have never thought of whispers so deeply, if I am being honest, but I think there is a great truth to this idea that whispers too hold power, despite lacking "volume or scale." It entails a deeper meaning of the intimacy of whispering that is lost in a normal conversation. Though both are able to connect two people, only one is able to invoke a sense of closeness and understanding. My favorite idea was that a whisper is personal, and that it is "for you alone." I've never quite regarded it that way, especially since I've only ever whispered here and there, and typically it is from a sense of need like when I am in a quiet classroom.
ReplyDeleteIn regards, to the power aspect of this, I think that I would agree that whispering holds a power that is "deliberate," especially considering that intimacy factor you brought up. I loved the way in which you wrote this piece, and how it made me think in a different way. I look forward to reading more of your work this year!
Hi Lana! I like the approach you took with this subject; instead of writing about a violent or active force of power, the contrast of a quiet, private whisper really set this blog apart from the rest. It feels different to think of whispers in this way, I've always viewed them simply as a way to spread information privately, but I like this idea that something so infinitesimal can have a lasting effect showcasing its power. I like the idea that a whisper, as is typically directed toward a singular person, can give certain words more power, as it feels the message being relayed through the whisper is more personal. When talking at a normal volume, the words being spoken, while they may be directed towards one person, are for everyone around to hear. But whispers offer a form of privacy and personal connection that essentially say "this is for you, and you alone." I also like the connection you made to the story of a Mayan god. It adds a spiritual element to whispers that most people fail to acknowledge. I love reading your post, and can't wait to read more in the future!
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