Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Is a Silence Truely Awkward?

What truely is an awkward silence? I really think there is no such thing as an awkward silence. It really is ok to have a silence or a pause when people are having a conversation, because this pause allows people to think about what they just heard. People only think they are awkward, because they make it awkward. I am the kind of person who sits there and listens to people when they talk, so you could say I would notice an awkward pause or two if one happened to occur. The only thing is, I think if there is a moment of silence, it allows people to gather their thoughts and really think before they talk. In my english class, people never answered questions when my english teacher would ask them. There would be long pauses before my teacher would be like " well this is awkward." I mean, in a classroom of 25 students, it could be a little weird when no one is talking. Even though it could feel weird when this occurs, I think silence isn't awkward. Silence allows for people to gather their thoughts and really think before they answer a question or respond to a statement. I do not think silences or pauses affects our ability to be listeners, because it gives us a chance to think about what we just heard. If there are a bunch of people talking at once to fill the air with words or noise, people will not listen to any of it. If one person was talking and paused to think about what to say, I think people will be more inclined to listen and really think about what they just heard. I truely like what people call "awkward" silences, because they help me think about what I just heard.

3 comments:

  1. I agree that its people who make silences awkward. Like people who say "this is awkward" maybe trying to break that silence often make it more awkward just by saying it was. nice post

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  2. I agree as well! Silence is not usually awkward until people choose to make it awkward. We have been trained to be uncomfortable with silence as we grow up. I think silence can be comfortable at times too though.

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  3. I totally agree! I think that most people only think silence is awkward once people say something like, "Wow, this is awkward..." Sometimes silence is nice and even refreshing because most people spend their day with constant talking and communication. Silence can occasionally be awkward if it's between you and someone you don't know very well, though.

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