Respond to Quote 5th Draft
Actions speak to and inspire everyone, while thoughts can speak only to those few who choose to listen and think about them. Revolutions are based on revolutionary actions, not peaceful changes. Words can also be used to murky meanings, while actions usually clarify. In this global word, we speak thousands of languages. In addition, very few people have a college education (the thoughtful few). Actions, however, speak to and inspire everyone, no matter their education, language, or county of origin.
Revolutions throughout history show people change can happen. Wealthy, educated men sitting around talking about change does not actually change anything. However, the actions of a people can change the world. Words can only help. Seeing the chop, chop of a guillotine during the French Revolution, the peasants were thrown into a revolutionary fervor. Seeing these actions as revolutions, they went out and joined the fight for their freedom from oppression. They started the downfall of monarchy governments around the world; 300+ years later monarchs are almost extinct.
Their “great actions” inspired later revolutions like the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. In these protests, the students did not just talk about revolution, they acted. They did not sit silently around studying books, the risked their lives for their cause. The photograph of “Tank Man” or the lone person who dared to stop the Chinese tanks showed revolutionary action. Everyone remembers this famous photograph. It does not need to be translated and is well remembered around the world. This unknown man’s “great actions” spoke to all of humankind via this photograph. If he had written down his discontent with the Communist Party, we surely would not have remembered and been insipred by him.
Words are spoken in different languages around the world. Actions, however, speak in one. In addition a college degree is often required to find out what people are saying, let alone what they mean. Anyone, at any ability, can deduce the meaning of actions and be inspired by them. Words confuse, while actions clarify. Words can be translated into a different language, but lose some of their meaning. Actions, however, do not. They retain their full power anywhere; they can speak to all of humankind. They also happen to be much harder to ignore.
Words themselves have no power; they need action. While reading Shakespeare, at least for me, it is very hard to understand. Most people, I believe, gain much by seeing the plays being performed. When the action is added, whole scenes become much clearer. I have experienced this many times, and I think many others have too. You need the actions to complete the meaning of complicated plays, stories, and speeches, as well as to be truly motivated by them.
This is why I believe that, “great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all humankind.” Revolutions around the world would not have happened with just talking. The “great actions” or inspirations of leaders are needed to provoke change. Shakespeare becomes so much clearer when his works are performed rather then just read. Actions are better then words, especially when “great actions” inspire all of humankind.