Theme of Discussion Zoom Meeting: Silence
©2022 by Richard E. Gordon • Last updated
10/23/2022
Duplication prohibited without author’s permission.
Email: rgordon118@tampabay.rr.com
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Questions:
1. In a discussion, how long should the leader wait in silence for someone to respond? Five seconds? Thirty seconds? A minute?
2. In what social situations, is silence a plus rather than a negative?
3. What is the difference between and open-ended and a closed-ended question? What might opened-ended questions begin with? Closed-ended questions? What type of question might you expect an uncomfortable moment of silence before getting an answer?
4. When might it be a good idea to respond to a question only with silence?
5. What is your reaction to this statement? Children should be seen but not heard.
6. If silence is golden, what is noise?
7. As a male, would you liked to be called the “Strong silent type”? How about the Strong talkative (noisy) type? Is it a complement for a woman to be called the strong silent type? Any idea how this saying “Strong silent type” originated?
8. Do we tend to learn more from listening or talking?
9. What does silence mean when you ask a person a question and (s)he just remains silent?
11. Why is silence so important?
12. How do you do your deepest thinking – in a silent or noisy environment?
13. Do some people learn best when surrounded by noise?
14. Why can silence play important role in having a good conversation?
15. Do some cultures react differently to silence?
16. Would you rather be known as a good listener rather than a good talker?
17. What religious groups especially embrace silence?
18. When is it a good idea to remain silent?
19. When should we never remain silent?
20. Under what circumstances does it take courage to break the silence?
Quotations:
1. “Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.”—Francis Bacon
2. “When you have nothing to say, say nothing.”—Charles Caleb Colton
3. “A fool is known by his speech; and a wise man by silence.”—Pythagoras
4. “We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”—Elie Wiesel
5. “Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”— Haile Selassie
“Never miss a good chance to shut up.”―
“Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact.”―
“Silence is only frightening to people who are compulsively verbalizing.”―
9. “We will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”– Martin Luther King Jr.
10. “Silence is one of the great arts of conversation.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero
11. “When you’re comfortable with someone, you don’t need to always fill the void with noise. I liked it when we would just be”. – Elizabeth Eulberg
12. “I have learned now that while those who speak about one’s miseries usually hurt, those who keep silence hurt more.” – C.S. Lewis
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