The power of pen and sword: A priceless worth or a doomsday, by Chukwuebuka Henry Igbokwa

Has your life ever been influenced by the power of thought? Has your mind ever grown as a result of something written positively with pen? Have you ever considered that pen might be the major source of positive thought, creating and developing the current society we live in? Can positive stories, thought process, great minds, and books influence the heart more than force, war, combat, hatred or conflict do? How do you feel when you are asked to do something by coercion? Is civilization a result of powerful thoughts by great men and women or a result of the sword, that is, war and coercion? Is the pen really mightier than the sword, or should the reverse be the case?

 The worth of the pen is absolutely priceless. The knowledge we gain from reading and communication is far larger than what a sword can achieve. Ideas have shaped the world we live in; they can influence the heart, move it into action, and the end product will result in a very bright light. However, violence, war, hatred, and destruction only have one-dimensional movement, namely, to kill or to be killed. Thus, sword can instill fear in people or forcefully make one go against his or her wish, but when one finds a means to overcome the fear, it is likely possible that one might stand and fight back. Nevertheless, there is no end of a sword that doesn’t bring death, loss, darkness and defeat. Although the sword brings terror, can it really bring about the change of heart?

Books are one way to bring a change of heart. Books may be expensive, but their worth is inestimable. The knowledge gained from them is enormous and incomparable to how much we pay for those books. The imprint lasts from generation to generation and sometimes becomes a guidance for thought processes. For instance, Charles Darwin’s Origin of the Species gave us the theory of evolution. Charles Dickens was a novelist and social critic. Great Expectation, A Tale of Two Cities, and Oliver Twist brought change in the society. John Stuart Mill’s Theory of Liberty advocates for human rights and freedoms. Jesus Christ’s teachings in the New Testament have shaped society and influenced people’s minds. Furthermore, a book I read long ago, whose name I do not remember, said, “Man is free, but everywhere in chains.” The book reshaped my mind that, although people are free, freedom comes with responsibility.

As children, we were told many stories by our parents: comic stories, fiction or non-fiction, or a story told to nurture our beliefs and culture. Some of these stories carry within them a certain amount of morality, namely, how to respect others. These stories guided us through that tender stage until we were mature and old enough to rationally weigh those stories as true or false. Some of those stories provided us a lesson for life and continued to be passed orally to the next generation. These stories were told for free and brought a change of heart and attitude. So ask yourself, what price would you pay for those stories or the influence they had on you?

Books are one major source of knowledge. Other sources, for instance, oral transmission of knowledge, TV shows, classroom events and real-life experience, are equally acknowledged. Thus, someone who reads is a free thinker; someone who reads knows the route to treasure; someone who reads takes himself or herself on a journey without boundaries; someone who reads is fearless; someone who reads is more potent and active; someone who reads is a true scholar; someone who reads can create or destroy; someone who reads can influence the world. Books have unimaginable wisdom and unlimited knowledge that can take one deep into the bright side of life and transform his or her life. Books are the best companion we can have.  One who reads is never alone.

There are many instances in which writers have shaped the world positively and people fought and died for what they thought was right and what they believed in. Many heroes recognized globally today fought hard and were able to influence the world by changing people’s hearts and their perspectives. For instance, Shirin Ebadi fought for human rights and democracy through print. Martin Luther King used words to fight racism. Betty Friedan changed a generation of women with The Feminine Mystique. These are men and women of change, men and women who changed the history and reshaped the world’s thoughts. What about Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas (a philosopher and theologian), Jean-Jacque Reassue, and Adam Smith? The work of these men and women has influenced millions of people and is still creating new and innovative ideas. How can we ever pay these men and women back for the change they have brought to our society?

However, one might ask, is it better to hang on the string of a pen or the sharp edge of a sword?  The sword can pierce the heart but can’t transform it. It can bring destruction but can’t instill lasting peace. The pen was used by great men and women to reshape our thoughts and give everybody an equal opportunity for life. Through the pen, great men and women helped abolish slavery and reduce racism, social stereotypes, child abuse, girls’ education barrier, early or forceful marriage, child labor and other social ills. Motivated by the power of words, people stood up against these injustices and turned the darkness into light.

It is certainly true that our ancestors lived a life of the sword. In their quest for survival, they fought and killed. That killing was basic to them for the sake of survival. However, as they scavenged for food, their basic hunt was for animals they could eat. Through evolution, humanity passed from one stage to another: from Homo erectus to Homo sapiens (wise men and women), beings capable of thought and action. At this stage, development came in. The world progressed from one chapter to another, namely, the Dark Ages to the Romantic Era, the age of the Roman Empire, the Renaissance age, the Age of Reason.

The world was molded by war, violence, hatred and coercion. Peace was not achieved. However, men and women, as Homo sapiens, are realizing that the more they propagate violence, the less peace they enjoy and the more they become prisoners of themselves. Thus, men and women are beginning to question themselves: Since weapons can’t control one forever, what can bring a change of heart?

The conquests of the sword never last forever. Napoleon won many battles but could not conquer in 1812. Hitler’s plans to conquer the world were brought to an end in the Second World War, which made him take his life. Alexander the Great conquered many nations and desired to rule the whole world, but he did not live long enough to achieve his plans. All of them ended up in an environment they created for themselves, namely, war and hatred. Thus, he who fights with the sword dies by the sword.

However, the words of Heraclitus, Shakespeare, and John Keats are still alive and strong among us. The power of the pen is precious compared to the power of the sword. The power of the pen brings about change of attitude, behavior, upholds values and sweeps out the dirt within a society. Conversely, the sword brings nothing except tears, pain, death and violence.

Fundamentally, men and women are spiritual and mental beings. Their thought processes can be easily influenced but not coerced. This means that men and women can be more easily led by the pen than the sword. Someone who records his or her thoughts can influence many people over several generations. The power of writing can create or destroy, unify or separate. The power of writing unites the will and the mind together. Psychologically, it brings our innermost being calm and gives us a sense of purpose. War brings havoc, tension and fear. It can move few people into action, but the pen can move a whole kingdom. S, ask yourself, is the power of the pen really mightier than the sword or not?