I'm seriously considering taking a vow of silence for a day. Not for any real cause, I do Day of Silence every year. I want to present myself with an opportunity to observe rather than participate, just to see. On Day of Silence, the object is to draw attention. When (and if) I take my vow, I want to disappear, to become more like a fly on the wall, rather than the silent protester I become during the National Day of Silence. I think it would be really interesting to observe my fellow man and whatever else happens out there on a daily basis that I fail to notice. I'm considering this because I seek to truly know what goes on. It feels like I spend so much time talking to people and expressing myself verbally that I can not gain a true appreciation for the way things really are. I can not possibly turn my attention completely on to reality when I spend so much time telling people what I think. My goal here is to create a firmer foundation on which to base my opinions. Has anyone ever done this? Do you have any advice? Was it worth the effort? Did you learn anything?
Vow of Silence
By lennon12 - Posted on October 9th, 2008
Go for it! I suggest, if you have time, that you go to some public place and just watch people. People watching is a ton of fun. I've been considering doing a stranger thing, and just sitting in the elevator for a few hours and watching the people who get on and off.
And that's comin' at ya' from yer local redneck hippie.
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Ooh, ooh, pick me, pick me!!!
Does silent day also mean no writing or texting?
Minimal Communication. If I don't have to communicate, I won't. Likely, it will occur while I'm at school, so I'll give my teachers notice the day before, and I'll probably type up a statement I can show people that are insistent upon talking to me, but I want to draw as little attention to it as possible so that I might observe people the way they are normally.
As for the elevator thing, that sounds really interesting.
Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.
Yeah I did it for the same reason you're wanting to do it. I learned a lot of interesting things. It's really eye opening. You should try it!