In the TED talk “Danger of Silence” by Clint Smith, the author speaks about the importance of using your voice and the consequences of silence. Life is full of injustice, such as genocide, war and simple insults but when one person starts to speak up about their opinion on something, a domino effect may start and no longer does an action go unheard. Smith states:

I spent so much of my life telling people the things they wanted to hear instead of the things they needed to, told myself I wasn’t meant to be anyone’s conscience because I still had to figure out being my own, so sometimes I just wouldn’t say anything, appeasing ignorance with my silence, unaware that validation doesn’t need words to endorse its existence. (Smith)

signifying that one must use their voice to speak their truth despite the situation. If this is not done, it is the equivalent of agreeing to everything that had already been said and done. As Smith points out, silence is dangerous: “Silence is the residue of fear. It is feeling your flaws gut-wrench guillotine your tongue. It is the air retreating from your chest because it doesn’t feel safe in your lungs.” (Smith) Silence needs to be replaced by words: words of wisdom, of passion, and of fight. Holding back and observing cannot be an option: “I will not let silence wrap itself around my indecision…I will live every day as if there were a microphone tucked under my tongue, a stage on the underside of my inhibition” (Smith). These words may be followed in order for injustice to be fought. In the “Danger of Silence”, Smith’s main intention is to portray the message that one must use their voice to speak their truth and stand up for what they believe in. If not, they are validating ignorance and injustice.

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Reflection:

I did great on synthesizing the central problem, ideas and connections.

Next time I will improve by making sure that all my punctuation are correct and being properly used.