Is a picture truly worth 1000 words as they say? Or is a word worth 1000 pictures?
Case # 1 (a lack of pictures): I was reading one of the stories in Tuck-In Tales to a group of kindergartners-1st graders-2nd graders. They clamored to see the pictures. I told them there were no pictures. A collective “Awwwww!” of disappointment raced through the crowd. Turned out they loved the story, but clearly for them a picture (or several) would have indeed enhanced the words.
Case # 2 (a lack of words): A group of people were seated, having a conversation. A man was telling a story. A woman winced. The man took it personally and thought the woman was wincing at his description of his conduct that he had just shared. In actuality (as he found out much later) she was suffering a toothache, and the tooth had just twinged badly. Because she registered the pained facial expression without explanation, the man thought her reaction was to his description of what he’d said had done. Clearly a few words—even just two: “Oww! Toothache!”—would have clarified the situation.
How many phone or email (or text) conversations have gone astray, leading to misunderstandings or hurt feelings or “crossed wires” because the two individuals couldn’t see each other, couldn’t see a grin that would indicate the speaker was teasing or kidding, or conversely couldn’t see a serious expression that would indicate the speaker was dead serious and not fooling around? In phone conversations we do have tone of voice as a guide, but it’s far from foolproof, and in email and text we have emojis and such indications as <g> or LOL, but they aren’t foolproof either. Especially when people either don’t use them or misuse them.
The reality is it’s a complex world, and we need both pictures and words to properly get our point across, or convey our feelings, or help people understand not only our words but the sense and mood in which they are being spoken, or the subtext underlying them.
There is so much potential for misunderstanding under even the best of circumstances. And we live in a world where, sadly, people tend to take offense too quickly. Without both words and visuals, the risk of a misunderstanding—and very possibly one that leads to hurt feelings or an argument—becomes much greater.
There is discord and dissension enough in this world. Let’s not make it worse through misunderstanding—and let’s not be so quick to take offense when we think we’ve just been slighted or insulted. Maybe the person speaking or writing was only kidding in his/her remark. Or maybe you took a suggestion as a criticism. In this world with its many forms of communication apart from face-to-face, there is more potential than ever to misunderstand your conversation partner and take offense needlessly or misunderstand the spirit in which something was said.
Even in face-to-face communication there is potential for misunderstanding. Look at the wincing woman with the toothache. But in written or phoned conversation there is even more hazardous territory. So be careful in what you say (aloud or in writing), and be equally careful in how you listen. Don’t listen with a chip on your shoulder, and don’t be too quick to take offense. (But don’t laugh it off when someone is serious, either.)
Pictures or words? I say we need both. And when we don’t have both, I say we need caution and consideration.