A Drop Of Ink Can Make A Million Think
By
Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
22 January
2024
January
22 is English poet Lord Byron's Birth Anniversary.
One of the
most famous aphorisms in any language is Lord Byron's 'A drop of ink can make a
million think.' But it's interesting to know that this famous quote is actually
an example of reverse sublimation after he wrote, "A drop of semen can
produce the worst of men" (Refer to Benita Eisler's 'Byron: Child of
Passion, Fool of Fame,' 2001).
Though
nowadays, people barely use a pen, much less an ink pen, this quote hasn't lost
its eternal relevance because 'ink' is now a metaphor for written words.
Voltaire said, "To hold a pen is to be at war." Despite our
gadget-oriented and social media driven lives, (written) words still appeal to
us. Just think, you'd not have been reading this article had you not been
fascinated by the power of words. It's the power of words that can bring about
a change.
If reams of
papers are being wasted on the narcissistic megalomania of a deluded leader,
words of sanity are also appearing to strike a balance because the pen is the
lever that moves the world. We must never forget that it's through the tongue,
the pen, and the press that truth is principally propagated. Words are
permanent inscriptions on the slab of time and the granite of collective human
experiences and sufferings.
Writing is
not only a cathartic experience for a writer, it's also a process of universal
catharsis as it binds humanity together. To quote Hindi poet Shamsher Bahadur
Singh, "Tera Bhi Wahi Haal, Mera Bhi Wahi Haal/ Aa Mil Ke Paida Karein
Koi Bhoochaal" (We both have the same state of circumstances/ Let's
create a seismic effect).
The whole
world has changed drastically in the last quarter of a century. Human
perceptions have undergone a sea-change; priorities, preferences and
predilections have witnessed a tectonic shift.
A new world
order has emerged. Yet, written or printed words are still valued despite their
orthographic and grammatical anomalies. Those who think, still read a book and
ruminate. They at least, read a newspaper. Words ennoble us. The dictum of
every purposeful and thinking existence is Rene Descartes' "Cogito, Ergo
Sum" (I think, therefore, I'm). And how you think? Words make you think. Saadat
Hasan Manto aptly said, "Ek Qatrah Syahi Ka Aab-e-Samandar Se Kahin
Zyada Ahmiyat Rakhta Hai" (A drop of ink has much more value than the
water of a sea).
Today, we
remember Lord Byron not because of his bohemianism or reprobate lifestyle, we
remember him because of his immortal poetry; for his sublime works like 'Don
Juan,' ' She walks in beauty, ' Prometheus ' and that supremely poignant poem,
' When we two parted ' among others. This is the everlasting impact of words.
They seep into every crevice of your existence.
By the way,
it's often said about Byron, "He left a name to all succeeding times/
Linked with one virtue and a thousand crimes." What was that virtue? His
deathless poetry that still moves mankind and makes us think.
----
A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in
comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed
articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including
Persian.
URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/lord-byron-ink-think/d/131561
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