“Qui tacet consentire videtur” is a Latin phrase the law translates into:  “Silence equals consent.”


Qui tacet consentire videtur — is a dangerous phrase because it protects the powerful and suffers the weak.

“Say nothing and I’ll know what to do!” How many empires have been lost in the unspoken, but direct, acquiescence to horror?

Silence also equals abuse.  “She never said ‘no’!” takes on a whole new wringing and rhythm under the “qui tacet consentire videtur” definition. 

The lesson in qui tacet consentire videtur is to never remain unspoken.

Define yourself with words.

Communicate your wishes and hopes and defiance with sentences and utterances.

Silence does equal death — and that death comes in many forms and shapes and the one pressing qui tacet consentire videtur into you is not your friend or your protector.

That person is your persecutor.

7 Comments

  1. ANNE – I live and teach on the upper West Coast of the United States. My interests are Philosophy, English, and Social Communication.
    ANNE says:

    Happened during the war, David. If you aren’t with us you’re against us. If you’re against the war you’re against the soldiers. No flag pin means you’re saying your anti-America. All accusations by inferring silence or pushing it on someone.

  2. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Right on, Anne! They force you into agreeing with them by making you shut your mouth.

  3. Kathakali Chatterjee – Hyderabad, India – Professionally, I have an interesting concoction of experience -- from entertainment industry to retailing to executive education -- the journey is still on. When I don't work, I love to travel, read, listen to music and watch movies.
    Kathakali Chatterjee says:

    Hi David,
    I have heard the same saying in my childhood in Sanskrit as belongs to the same family of Latin. It goes like – “Mounam Sammati Lakshanam”.
    http://proverbmountain.blogspot.com/2005/11/sanskrit-proverbs.html
    I 100% agree with it, it’s extremely important to communicate – be it in life, business or politics.
    Anything unspoken is confusing and leads to ambiguity.

  4. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    You’re certainly right about that, Katha. I love the Sanskrit proverb!
    Is silence ambiguous? I think silence allows other people to imprint their desires in your silence — and that’s the lesson of the danger of saying nothing.

  5. Kathakali Chatterjee – Hyderabad, India – Professionally, I have an interesting concoction of experience -- from entertainment industry to retailing to executive education -- the journey is still on. When I don't work, I love to travel, read, listen to music and watch movies.
    Kathakali Chatterjee says:

    Hi David,
    Right, the reason I said silence was ambiguous because it would work “against” the person who was silent, would work “for” the other who interpreted the silence the way they want and there was also a third party who would be “confused” because of this.
    Makes sense?

  6. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Yes, Katha, it makes great sense, thanks!

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