One of the most common platitudes we heard was that “words…
““One of the most common platitudes we heard was that “words failed.” But words were not failing us at all. It was not true that there was no way to describe our experience. We had plenty of language to talk to each other about the horror of what was happening, and talk we did. If there was a communication problem it was that there were too many words; they were far too heavy and too specific to be inflicted upon others. If something was failing it was the functionality of routine, platitudinous language—the comforting clichés were now inapplicable and perfectly useless. We instinctively protected other people from the knowledge we possessed; we let them think that words failed, because we knew they didn’t want to be familiar with the vocabulary we used daily. We were sure they didn’t want to know what we did; we didn’t want to know it either.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Explains that language can become burdensome and ineffective when over‑specific, leading to reliance on clichés that fail to convey trauma.
In simple terms: Too many words can hide truth; clichés become useless.
Key Takeaway
Seek clear, honest communication.
Themes
communication
trauma
language limits
Mood
analytical
somber
Type
essay
philosophical
When to use this quote
- therapy
- journalism
- education
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
psychology
literature
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we speak about pain without clichés?
- What new terms could better capture trauma?
A Different Perspective
May ignore the need for new vocabularies to express complex experiences.