¶ … quest to enhance the overall well-being of society. One way of doing this is for individuals to identify solutions to existing problems, or, at the least, voice concern over less-than-satisfactory matters. Unfortunately, however, the fear of reprisal or sheer inertia causes most people to take refuge in silence, thereby leading to both the individual and society stagnating. This implies that choosing to stay silent on things that matter can serve as a barrier to the evolution of human society to a more enlightened one.
The history of humanity stands mute witness to the fact that passive acceptance of the status quo or choosing to stay silent on things that matter prevents progress. Consider, for example, the decades of oppression suffered by people who have been exploited by the rich and the powerful. or, think about the indignities caused by racial, ethnic and gender discrimination, some of which continues even today. Thoughtful reflection on such matters will probably lead to the conclusion that much of the now acknowledged past suffering could have been prevented if enough numbers of people had voiced their disapproval well before they actually did. However, the fear of reprisal prevented them from breaking their silence leading to many a life ending in misery, while others struggled to merely survive. In essence, history shows that taking refuge in silence has lead to life or progress being stopped in its tracks until people broke their silence and raised their voices in protest or disapproval. Indeed, democratic principles, human and civil rights have all come into being only after a sufficient number of voices were raised loud enough to be heard.
Thus, it is evident that life progresses only when there is interest and concern enough to challenge the status quo. Conversely, as Martin Luther King, Jr., so wisely pointed out, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
