EngagePerspectivesHow Silence Can Promote Greater Wisdom
Dialogue Icon Wellness Icon

How Silence Can Promote Greater Wisdom

In an age of almost constant chatter in a multiplicity of different forms, Euripides’ words offer a particular challenge. Instead of audible response, he posits that silence best captures wisdom.

Copper vessel holding water in flower garden

Silence is true wisdom’s best reply.

– Euripides

Silence and Greek Civilization

Euripides (480-406 BC) was a Greek poet and writer of tragic plays who as a contemporary of Socrates was well acquainted with the persuasive power of rhetoric. During his lifetime, Greek civilization was making great strides in philosophy, politics and the arts and speech in its many forms was integral to developing these fields of thought. Often great thinkers publicly shared their ideas in the Agora of Athens. Yet even in this context where public exposition was the norm, Euripides’ plays frequently explored the inner lives of his characters.

The quotation above reflects Euripides’ concern for the development of this inner life. Why silence? There are many reasons. Silence allows for a full inner response before a more public one. Silence can allow for some of the many whirling, swirling ideas within to settle; for many counter points to be considered; for consideration of how words could be best chosen to best be heard by the interlocutor; for a sense of peace to replace other feelings that may have been evoked by words heard or read. Silence also allows for better listening to others; both listening for words expressed as well as emotions, facial expressions and things left unsaid.

Silence During a Pandemic

Yet how do we do this while working and studying remotely? Does Euripides’ idea of wisdom work over video and conference calls where timing of responses matters in interesting ways? Silence can feel awkward, especially over video calls.

Strengthening inner skills of silence (or even just slowing one’s response) can produce better, more thoughtful interactions with others. Euripides’ wrote tragedy, so the many dimensions of this moment that feel so hard, were not outside of his emotional range (though the specifics may have mystified him). Silence allows much to be held, to be reflected upon, to be processed and grieved and contemplated before the action of words.

Related Content

Keep Reading

The Alliance for Understanding Cohort in Selma
Blog

How Studying History Can Inform Understanding of Complex Contemporary Social Issues and Allow for Effective Dialogue

The Alliance for Understanding consists of a diverse group of students from Penn as well as staff from The Greenfield Intercultural Center, The African American Resource Center, and Penn Hillel. The cohort spends six weeks discussing the Civil Rights Movement and then takes a trip to the South to better understand American history for the sake of creating social change. The program provides opportunities to visit historical sites and museums and also talk to people who have invaluable knowledge from their experiences studying or living through the Civil Rights Era. The program has a special focus on how the African American and Jewish communities experienced the Civil Rights Era, providing opportunities for students to explore solidarity across racial lines for the cause of justice.Learn More
two people eating together
Podcast

Unlikely Friendships: Connections within the College House System

Excerpts from Edited Transcript Dr. Lia Howard: Welcome, Maddie and Fawad. Would you introduce yourselves? Who are you? Can you give us… Learn More
Event Recap

TikTok Boom - Reflections on Penn Screening

The film screening and meet-the-Director event reached about 50 thoughtful and energized participants. In addition to the screening of the… Learn More