Marie89, Macherey

“By speech, silence becomes the center and principle of expression its vanishing point. Speech eventually has nothing more to tell us: we investigate the silence, for it is the silence that is doing the speaking” (Macherey 17). According to Macherey, it is not what is said, but rather what is implied through what is said and what is selectively left out that contributes to the overall meaning of language. After reading this selection, I could not help but think of the power that silence has in our society. Americans are programmed to speak, discuss, gossip, etc. as language and communication are a large part of the society in which we live. Because of this aspect of our culture, we find it awkward when there is nothing to say or when silences are not easily filled. This is why silence is so powerful. Silence creates uneasiness and discomfort among individuals, making a much larger impact on one’s emotions or considerations of a conversation or reading. Although what is said may also have a large impact on the ideas and emotions of a person, what is not said is more impactful sometimes because it is abnormal. For instance, if I was to get in trouble with my parents for something, I would prefer that they scold me and tell me what I did wrong and why it upset them, rather than have them say nothing at all. By saying nothing at all, there is an implication that what I did must have been so terrible, that words could not even express their disappointment. I would be left with a sense of uneasiness and discomfort as a silence would fill the room. Silence connotes a sense of emotion so great that it can not be spoken or written. Another example of this idea could be that of a woman asking a man how she looks in a certain outfit. If the man says nothing at all, the woman would most likely become upset as she would expect him to say something if she looked good. By not saying anything, we are programmed to assume the worst or make assumptions based on irrational ideas. Again, the power of silence in our culture.