Silence

(This post is not a contradiction to DCGuardian's post, but something to compliment it)

As DCGuardian explained quite aptly, communication is crucial.  I know this on a particular level because I am horrible at communication.  Always have been.  I don't like talking.  I prefer listening.  In fact, I love it

My real point in posting this a philosophical one.  While listening can be crucial in terms of overhearing a person speaking of something criminal, or overhearing a crime taking place, on a deeper level Silence is just as necessary as speech.  It's the nature of Yin and Yang.  These two words represent opposites, such as good and evil, beauty and ugliness, action and inaction, matter and emptiness.  One cannot exist without the other.

To be a good speaker, therefore, you must be a good listener, just as one cannot have light without shadow.  Understanding both friend and foe comes from practicing silence in balance with sound.

I believe this to be true as I have experienced some of what sage has already said he has.

I know for a fact that if I don't listen and get ALL the details first, that I communicate horribly. The more I listen, the more I learn, the more I know how to give proper answers.

Correct me if I'm wrong as I'm only using what logic I have available to me to determine this, but when you're in a situation where you have to work under pressure, uncertainty is a dangerous element to throw into the mix, and that eliminating it as much as possible gives said situation more stability.

I need to work on talking more; it's hard for me to talk to people unless it's in writing. When someones being a jerk to me, usually I just stare them down on instinct. I try thinking of something to say but my mouth stays closed and I just stare at them. They seem a little uncomfortable with silence when they're expecting me to react. But, so do good, normal people. I don't have much facial expression and I don't talk much and so people don't know what's going on in my head; I could be a fiery emotional firestorm and they wouldn't know. I forget the clinical term for it; dissociation or something; I just go on lockdown sometimes.

Tony? Is that you? Remember me? I'm tri edge

204 wrote:

I need to work on talking more; it's hard for me to talk to people unless it's in writing. When someones being a jerk to me, usually I just stare them down on instinct. I try thinking of something to say but my mouth stays closed and I just stare at them. They seem a little uncomfortable with silence when they're expecting me to react. But, so do good, normal people. I don't have much facial expression and I don't talk much and so people don't know what's going on in my head; I could be a fiery emotional firestorm and they wouldn't know. I forget the clinical term for it; dissociation or something; I just go on lockdown sometimes.

Wow, man, what you wrote sounds like it came from me.  I have the same ways.  I have difficulty speaking in most situations, but the words flow when I'm writing.  I have a similar reaction to "jerks" too.  And I usually am an emotional firestorm inside, with little evidence on my face.  I can relate to you, 204.  I hope you find comfort in this.

Nightmare, I'm assuming your post was directed at me.  My name isn't Tony.  It's actually Aaron.  Nice to meet you

*face palm* That's a little bit awkward.

@Sage: I do, I love having common ground with another; it's a rare thing for me. Gets lonely, doesn't it? I've usually been more comfortable with being alon, but after feeling so alien, and like a prisoner in your own skin, you find solace in the rare moments you meet someone who is closer to your wavelength, and you feel a little more normal. I found over time though it gets easier. When I 'm moving forward and/or on a mission I feel the most at ease, I can't stand being in one place for too long, I feel trapped, I need stimulation. It's hard though, being a stranger, feeling that you are capable of so much more than for whatever reason you are currently unable to live.

i wish we were all more unified in general with nature and all that the native americans had most it right, the way they lived

We may be more natural and at one with nature but we're not really as unified as anyone else; all humans are individuals; we're not a bee hive.

(I'm Choctaw, it's not pronounced how it's spelled, it's pronouced "Chit kaw" but most people make the mistake of pronouncing it chalk taw XD

@204  I know exactly how you feel.  For me it's a vicious circle.  I am more comfortable alone, but once I have that degree of privacy for an extended period of time, I'd give anything for a little human interaction.  I've only met one person who actually made me feel more normal, as you put it.  Unfortunately, she's the one that got away.

@theOne  Are we not united?  We all live on the same planet, yes?  Of course, I know what you mean.  You wish for peace and togetherness.  Where I came from, on other sites that I frequented, everyone wanted that, became obsessed with that concept.  It took a while, but I eventually realized we are all One already (no pun intended).  On the larger scale, we are all human.  On a smaller scale we are mostly American.  On the smallest scale, we are RLSH's.  What I've learned is that the more you try to make unity, the more differences you find between you and other individuals.  The key then is to embrace the fact that we are One.  On the largest scale, we are living beings, but even something that seems lifeless like a city, has it's own rhythm, it's own heartbeat.  

So, to conclude both topics, we are together, One, united, friends, family.  We might not always feel it, but then again, sometimes we do, if you're open to it.

Finely said indeed sir.

@Sage:  what about silence with movement, or silence with physical actions? Personally, I try to muffle my footsteps to  a bare minimum sound-wise (that's just something I want to do personally, it allows me to announce my presence when I want to, instead of having my footsteps do it for me). I believe silence in this aspect of life is also important. What are your thoughts on this?

I totally agree.  If you can move around without being heard, you're not only likely to hear your surroundings better, but be places that people don't expect.  I happen to be good at that actually.  I'm always sneaking up on people, walking softly, and they don't know I'm there until I say something or they see me.  It's fun, you should try it. :p

The key is not putting your whole foot on the ground per step.  Go either heal to foot or vice versa, and put your whole foot down gradually.  Sneakers are best (thus the name, LOL).  Or socks/barefoot work even better, but I doubt people are patrolling in their socks, hehe.  Then again, it would help.

A lot of this might sound like common sense, but it's not easy to move silently.  It's worthwhile to practice though.

@Sage: I have to admit that I have snuck up on people before using the techniques you describe. It's difficult without hard solid surfaces like rock, pavement, concrete, or hard wood or soft surfaces like  grass, carpet, etc. as surfaces like gravel and dirt usually reveal your presence even when using said techniques (said surfaces "play the song of their people" whenever you put even the slightest weight on them, not to mention my full weight). 

The soles of my regular sneakers were absolutely silent when i tried this technique, and haven't really lost their silent quality even though I've used them heavily. Socks/Barefoot is a good idea for for silence of movement, but bad for everything else from an RLSH perspective (no protection, risk of injury). 

The heel-to-toe method is for almost normal walking if you can practice enough. The toe-to-heel method would be more for finding the proper place to step in the dark, or for transitioning from a large surface, to a point, to another surface (easier to explain with a visual reference, but I don't have one)

@Superman: The crêpe soles would work well... I'd have to paint it black though. I could probably rig it to be a buckle-on type device, so as to quickly detach it for better grip when in other environments. Thanks for the idea.

You can wear two or three pair of socks together, and it will give you all the silence of a good pair of rabbit-skin slippers or moccasins.

Sage wrote:

(This post is not a contradiction to DCGuardian's post, but something to compliment it)

As DCGuardian explained quite aptly, communication is crucial.  I know this on a particular level because I am horrible at communication.  Always have been.  I don't like talking.  I prefer listening.  In fact, I love it

My real point in posting this a philosophical one.  While listening can be crucial in terms of overhearing a person speaking of something criminal, or overhearing a crime taking place, on a deeper level Silence is just as necessary as speech.  It's the nature of Yin and Yang.  These two words represent opposites, such as good and evil, beauty and ugliness, action and inaction, matter and emptiness.  One cannot exist without the other.

To be a good speaker, therefore, you must be a good listener, just as one cannot have light without shadow.  Understanding both friend and foe comes from practicing silence in balance with sound.

its better to listen to others even if one is not on a good path  maybe we can help them

im a bad listener too lol your okay my freind! -hug-

Sage wrote:

I totally agree.  If you can move around without being heard, you're not only likely to hear your surroundings better, but be places that people don't expect.  I happen to be good at that actually.  I'm always sneaking up on people, walking softly, and they don't know I'm there until I say something or they see me.  It's fun, you should try it. :p

The key is not putting your whole foot on the ground per step.  Go either heal to foot or vice versa, and put your whole foot down gradually.  Sneakers are best (thus the name, LOL).  Or socks/barefoot work even better, but I doubt people are patrolling in their socks, hehe.  Then again, it would help.

A lot of this might sound like common sense, but it's not easy to move silently.  It's worthwhile to practice though.

im the same way sage! freinds in my high school have said that im like a silent person that was years back its scary sometimes oh well.

I tend to naturally walk quietly. I have reeally high angular arches in my feet from some brutal exercises a korean/asian (not sure which) made me do. Primarily stretches and constructive punishments like standing on a thin pole right on my pressure points; between that and wildland firefighting (lots of hiking, not allowed to sit or lay down on the job because it promotes a lazy image and is unproffesional) my feet look kinda messed up/nasty, collased blistered wound tight and I can almost use them like hands when my hands are full in the kitchen. XD

Ibut yeah,....anyhoo, I gotta walk mostly on my tip toes because three points that form a triangle grind my flesh between floor and bone because my arches are too high.

On the plus side my feet are like bungee springs/shock absorbers so I can leap fairly high and far and can run over twenty miles an hour for a short while, I 'm hoping with more training I'll be able to sustain it for longer and further and jumping even higher, feet are awesome muscles.

Don't leave home without 'em.

It is better to remain silent and me thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt - Abraham Lincoln

What DarkAscendant said.

After doing numerous tests on shoes, boots, and other footwear, I have managed to hone my stealth skills to the point where no one, and i do mean...no one, even knows I'm even there. Normally, I'm never the silent type, but when it comes to doing stuff like that, I don't think even a real shadow has the goods on me.

And i'm not bragging either, Truth is truth.

DarkShadow out

How have you guys managed to test and measure your stealth? When you say nobody knows you're there, how can you be sure?