Pithy Sayings Series
1,000 words or 10,000 words. I’ve seen both figures used. I believe Dr. Maloney, a high school English teacher, devoted a class expounding on this pithy saying. And, yes he had a doctorate. It was a very good high school. So, my failure to remember particulars of his expounding on “a picture is worth 1000 words” are attributable to my shortcomings.
Inflation has increased the word value of a picture many-fold over nearly half a century. But, as I enter my second quarter of blogging, my goal is to tighten my writing. 10,000 words on a picture would be excruciating work to achieve my goal of writing better this quarter. So, this pithy saying will be treated with a great many fewer words.
Excellent to great writing pulls the reader in word by word. Phrases and sentences congeal into memorable panoramas within the mind. Those pictures are evoked by the written words and it doesn’t require 1,000 words to provoke the mind into visualizing pictures based on those words.
“I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.” Seven words and numerous images feverishly compete to expel each other from the forefront of my mind. Is each image worth 7 words?
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” triggers Sydney Carton’s unrequited love and his sacrifice for her. Limited words summon mental pictures that are more encompassing than the mere words.
By nature, I am a taciturn man. As I slowly advance to the starting point, my initial idea is that a few well chosen words can produce memorable pictures. So, “a picture is worth a 1000 words” rings false. My analytical side debunks the notion entirely. Tying an exact number to the pithy saying just begs for condemnation.
In the past week, two political cartoons have raised my hackles. What the heck are hackles? Hackle #1 was Obama standing on a USS Constitution-like vessel marooned and balanced on a large boulder. The boulder was in open waters. The vessel was named Presidency and Obama was questioning 140Characters’s fitness to become President.
How many words is this picture worth? President Obama’s Neanderthalic redneck opponents might rank this cartoon as a magnus opus. These same people tend to think Duck Dynasty is riveting television fare. And the word count would approach “infinity times infinity.” If they discovered who uttered this impossibly large number, they will retreat and settle for a gazillion words.
I’m not a redneck but I can clearly see the intended message of the cartoon. Stevie Wonder could explain it to Ray Charles as Carlos Santana strummed his guitar crooning “amen.” Never imagining the cartoon as “strike one,” I didn’t save it. Add a final detail of Obama standing in the left corner and his weight shifting the ship seaward, can you see it?
Hackle #2 is above. It appeared in the editorial page today in the Nashua Telegraph. The first hackle was straight opinion subject to irrational disagreement by the proponents of the cartoon. This cartoon blatantly contradicts long established USA policy regarding ransom negotiations.
It is offensive on at least three distinct levels. First, it promotes the idea that our country is paying ransom. In the process, Americans living or travelling in dangerous countries have an unnecessary bullseye placed on their chest.
Second, the $400 million was always Iranian money. Iranians paid for weapons that weren’t delivered in the late 1970s. The amount they paid was $400 million. We know one presidential aspirant who’d have no qualms about not returning the money. The customer paid for a product or service that was not delivered. In fact, Iran received well over one billion dollars in this transaction. So, characterizing the return of Iran’s money as ransom money is dishonest.
Third, it is also hurtful. The unrestrained lack of oratorical discipline by the GOP candidate and his adherents is unprecedented. We’ve seen beheadings of our citizens because of the non-negotiating policy regarding ransom. This cartoon is tantamount to ripping sutures from unhealed wounds as their survivors wonder why ransom couldn’t’ve been paid in their case.
Harm is a cloud constantly hovering near 140Characters. Earlier today, he said, “If she gets to pick her judges, [there’s] nothing you can do folks. Although, the Second Amendment people, maybe there is. I don’t know.”
Well, I do know the poisonous vibes can’t leave soon enough. And the picture he is painting doesn’t require 1,000 words. Bigotry, fear-mongering, outright stupidity, misogyny, immoral business practices, failure to release income tax returns, taking lying to another level, and “believe me,” the picture can be further developed. This picture can be painted in less than 1000 words.
If there was a political game show based on “Name That Tune,” the GOP nominee would get “I can name that politician in one word.”
“Unqualified.” And “a picture is worth 1000 words” is unqualified to be pithy.