The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword
Pen vs. Sword.
Which is more effective, and mightier?
Pen
Side Score: 64
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Sword
Side Score: 50
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Through written word you can change minds; all that a sword can do is kill or control. If minds are changed, swords are unnecessary. Besides, if your power is solely from threat of violence rather than actually being right or good, you can be easily overthrown by people with more swords. Side: Pen
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Even though it is true that the sword has shaped this world greatly, there are many times in history where it was clearly evident that surprisingly, the sword was scared or frightened of the pen's power. Take Hitler for example: When he was in rule, he had all kinds of people arrested and sent to death camps because of their knowledge. This would include teachers, professors and others who could have written something that could have told others about the wrongdoings of Hitler. Another person who was afraid of what the pen could have done to his reputation was Ferdinand Marcos. He also sent many intelligent men to prison, this included Ninoy Aquino. He shut down all newspapers against him, and limited what they could have said about him. So in a way, even if the sword had the people on its knees, they were still scared of the fact that the pen can overpower them. No matter how much they tried, there was always a way for it to shine. Also, there would be less casualties that would arise if we would use the strength of the pen more often than the sword. In a fight, the pen may lose. But in a different view, it would...win in the end. My last example is the two famous books of the Philippine's National Hero Jose Rizal. With those, the Filipinos were able to have the courage and the unity to revolt against their conquerors and establish the freedom of their country. Side: Pen
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lets say in the long ages a soldier killed 20 people using his sword while a poet wrote the life of 20 people from the moment they were born. the 20 men body will turn to dust and be forgotten while their biography will be wrote in the books for ever. so how can the sword be more powerful... the only thing it brings is death and destruction. Side: Pen
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The pen is mightier because the pen can stop the sword, but a sword cant stop the pen. ex: a war. signing a treaty will stop the war. The pen reaches more people at a time and it doesnt matter where those people are. Where as a sword can only kill people at a close distance. Side: Pen
The pen is mightier because the pen can stop the sword, but a sword cant stop the pen. If you kill someone, they will not be writing anything. Some else may write it, but it would not be the same. ex: a war. signing a treaty will stop the war. And stabbing an ambassador will start one. The pen reaches more people at a time and it doesnt matter where those people are. Where as a sword can only kill people at a close distance. You ascribe the results of using the pen to the pen, but fail to do so for the sword. If the consequences of the written word can be called the consequences of the pen, then the consequences of using the sword can be called the consequences of the sword. Thus, if you kill the right person, you can easily reach just as many people in just as wide-spread an area as you could with a pen. Side: Sword
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A sword can't be stopped by a pen. What really happens is a group of people say their demands to whoever must listern to their pleas. Those pleas are considered nonsense until they make their voise louder with their microphone namely a sword, its is that time when those who must listern agree for some talks. Without the sword you will never realize the need nor the existance of a pen Side: Pen
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This phrase does not need to be taken literally. The pen symbolizes the use of thinking and wise decisions in order to solve problems whereas sword would be used for brute force. Consider the Battle of Thermopylae. If Leonidas accepted the offer of Xerxes, he would have lived longer and would have been the warlord of Greece. But pride succumbed over him and waged war. I cannot argue with his decision since he must know the best for his people. But as stated in the art of war by Sun Tzu, one should avoid what is strong and attack what is week. Another is that it is better to solve problems through diplomacy than with a war. So obviously it would be better for the pen. Too bad Hitler did the opposite and waged war first. Side: Pen
The pen created many of our wars and important dates that changed the way people live. For example the British came to know about the Declaration of Independence through words that were written by the pen. The American Revolution started with a few words to Great Britain saying that we are independent from them. The way our government works today and the laws that we follow were formed by words in a document called the Constitution. That is why the pen is mightier than the sword. Side: Pen
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The pen is not mightier than the sword.The lead up to the Iraq war had a number of journalists and level headed people facing the war mongering jingoism of the Bush administration. If the pen were mightier than the sword, should not the cooler heads have prevailed. Side: Sword
Except there were a number of "Pens" who were in favor of the conflict in Iraq, Pens that either knowingly or unknowingly gave out misinformation. As I believe Zombee states somewhere in here, being a "Pen" does not imply motive, you can use a pen for just and unjust causes. Side: Pen
I negate the resolution: The pen is mightier than the sword. Intelligent humans probably would agree that if you took into perspective what written or spoken insult is, that is quite pathetic compared to the sword. Any intelligent human would also realize that others opinions really shouldn't affect them if they are of stable mind and personality. Any insult spoken or written is just a product of human behavior developed over centuries. For instance the middle finger was invented during the Hundred Years War. When a French bowman was captured by the British, they would cut off his middle finger, so that even if he did escape, he could not use a bow anymore. When French bowman escaped with there fingers intact, they would flick the British off in a "you didn't get my finger" retaliation. Somehow, today's society converted this into the phrase "f* off". This is just one example of how insults communicated in a non-physical manner are just misinterpreted trinkets of history. Insults come and go as well, almost in a cyclic process, deeming them inconstant. This is opposed to physical abuse or contact as a result of anger, which is evident all over the animal kingdom, including human society. "The sword" has always been apart of history. It is clearly more effective in warfare, as demonstrated with Korea's nuclear weapon stockpiling, the Iraq war, and the war in Palestine. You don't see soldiers screaming "your mom" at the enemy do you? I therefore continue to negate the resolution because of "the pen's" inconstancy, inertness, and pathetic stature when compare to the sword. Side: Sword
People say "the pen is mightier than the sword. Writing and words hold greater power than arms." I beg to differ. Actually, the sword is much mightier than anything. By sword I don't literally mean a 'sword' as in 'Oh, in a fight a pen is no match for a sword!' Even though that's true, that's not what I'm arguing. The word sword symblifies arms of any kind. The one with the bigger sword will always be victorious, no matter how powerful the opponent's pen is. By pen I mean culture, arts, literature. With a bigger sword, you inherit the products of the pen. You may claim them as your own. The one with the pen must do what you say, or they die. You have the power of life and death. With swords, things are forced. With swords, people must obey your every command if they value their lives. Swords have shaped this very world, and the ones with bigger swords have forced their cultures unto their prey to eventually make the world we live in today. Side: Sword
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We can't debate this motion in the literal sense. the phrase itself is not literal. It's symbolic. i get you didn't mean it to be literal but im saying there's no point even mentioning it. how does a sword "inherit" the products of a pen? are you saying they are the same? now why is it that size matters so much? shown in your sentence "the one with the bigger sword will always be victorious no matter how powerful the pen" quality over quantity i should say..mighty meaning powerful would mean the pen has the upper hand. pen meaning culture, arts, literature in your sense..teaches us to stand for our rights. when a bigger guy comes along trying to act tough...they won't stand down.. they stand up for their teachings on civics and moral values..this contradicts your sentence when you say "the one with the pen must do what you say or they die" you're substituting literal sense into your debate. pens do not have to bow down just because it's smaller. they can be more powerful. swords have shaped...but pens have brought us up. swords caused the world wars, pens have solved them and caused us to live in peace at this very moment. May i point out, you didn't define what the sword symbolizes..so one definition is literal and the other is symbolic...i wonder... Side: Pen
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I have a number of hobbies. One of them is fencing, as a joke. I once fought with a pen against a sword. I broke my thumb. The pen is not mightier than the sword. It has been said that history is written by the winners. Supposing this we are left with implication that though the pen may be a great product for social change it serves mostly at the behest of the sword. Side: Sword
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It is believe that pen is not mightier than swords in the fact that you can fight with a sword and injure someone severely very quickley and it doesn't take much to kill with it but if you try to kill someone with a pen, the person you're trying to kill has to be pretty retarded if they can't defend theirself. they can also sex...................... love Side: Sword
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My only question..why is everything resorting to murder? my only point..this isn't a literal motion. You are saying it literally..if i were to talk literally in the pen's favour, i could say, when writing, that pen can be used to write on a paper whereas the sword can't... Side: Pen
The sword is only effective to get the point across if the potential victim fears its use. If you actually use the sword you don't get your point across to the victim but maybe the bystanders. If the potential victims are standing up for a cause and the fear of the sword is being used for suppression it may not be effective depending on how devoted they are. Gandhi's peace movement against the British imperialists is an example. Side: Pen
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History tells and answer that question satisfactorily. Lets start with the Greatest War now called world war 1. Talks and a pen were not effective leading to the killings of lots of people. The league of Nations' pen treaties could not help when Hitler declare his wars in Europe. The treaties of the UN could not help its member nations from fighting. When the need arise the pen and papers are thrown in the dust been giving way to something powerful than the pen. The pen was not powerful enough to stop America from invading Iraq. In Zimbabwe's situation what was agreed on paper in Britain was not so powerful enough to force Britain to give Mugabe's gorvement money to buy land for distribution. Side: Sword
well....you know...a pen can loose an ink while..a sword it can be fix! yo! also because sword is stronger than a pen..yo!why?...because you can defeat writings by....creating bad things to his or her..haha and a sword can win because its...sharp,,,strong,,and long last,,,aw! Side: Sword
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since we're talking in literal sense..when a pen loses ink...i hope you know bookshops sell ink... and if they don't sell it?..buy another pen..and...i kinda don't get anything else you said.. except for the part where a sword is sharp, strong and long last? Lemme ask..is the physical means all that makes something mighty? Side: Pen
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Well, the sword shows that you as a human is mighty anbds strong. A person who is willing to risk his life for the ones he loves. Also, the pen is influenced by the sword. What ever the sword does, then the pen must right it down. For instance, when winners are made a part of history, that uis because of what the sword had done. So the sword over takes the pen by its power. Lets take laws. They are written because of the sword. The sword is mighteir than the pen Side: Sword
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With swords, people must obey your every command if they value their lives. Swords have shaped this very world, and the ones with bigger swords have forced their cultures unto their prey to eventually make the world we live in today. Sword is mightier than the pen. Pen can only tell people to stop. Sword stops them. The American Revolution, Vietnam War, and Hitler's Europe couldn't be defeated without the power of the sword. In fact, the work of the pen is meaningless without the sword to enforce it's will. Without the sword reinforcing it, the pen has no juristiction, and does nothing but write powerless words. Side: Sword
Indians would have been easily got independent in 1857 if they all have united and used swords but unfortunately they waited patiently and had to suffer a lot because of those terrible Britishers .So sword is mightier and better than sword in most of the cases . For example: Now as we all see India's neighboring countries like China are intruding India's territories and getting some highly confidential information but India has already sent warnings to them to not intrude the country anymore but spite of repeated warnings they are not stopping but continuing . So there is a need of sword to come in between this in order to solve this dispute . Side: Sword
Sword. I don't really care what you have to say. We can all accept and try to live by the way of the pen and systematically have all our rights taken away (like what is currently happening). Or we can accept the sword is always going to be mightier especially when one day the only way you get any sense of freedom is by the sword and going... "SCREW THE PEN". Plus, if you put the pen up against sword in their respective forms. Sword cuts through pen, then cuts through you. Pen draws up a "You can't attack me law" sword carves the "I don't give a shit, you cant control me" law. also, if society were to collapse tomorrow, the pen would be rendered useless. No industry, no pens and you'd be happy you have a sword when the only law is one's own strength. Side: Sword
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i think sword is stronger than pen because, in war if the solider would have taken pen, they might have lose their country in second. even they cant kill one enemy in 24 hour with pen. but sword is the weapon which lead us to be safe and secure during war and fight.. Side: Sword
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But it is the pen that typically determines whether you go to war in the first place, how long the conflict lasts and where those soldiers are going. Also, one powerful nation can destroy a weaker one without drawing a single sword (or in modern contexts, without firing a single bullet) by imposing economic sanctions and such tactics. Side: Pen
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