Silence is assent, refers to a person who does not argue in his favor when he is pointed out by someone about something, or when he does not intervene in a debate or discussion.

This attitude of silence, and apparent absence of content, seems to agree with the speaker, since it does not add any evidence against him.

Although this is not always the case. He is silent, sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't. The fact is simply that he is silent. Has this ever happened to you? Are you one of those people who prefer to be silent in an argument so as not to get into a conflict?

Silence is consent

It is impossible not to communicate, silence is also a phrase in any discussion. However, do not confuse silence with emptiness, absence, or lack of communication. A silence may indicate that you are listening and processing the message you have just received.

Therefore, being silent may also be that you are working out a coherent response, rather than reacting automatically. Perhaps you don't speak because the emotion is stronger than your thoughts.

Understand

In any case, the result is that you keep quiet and this is most often interpreted as a submissive attitude that gives your interlocutor an advantage in the controversy.

So it seems that he has left you speechless and argumentless, or maybe he is like you who prefers to silence the other rather than develop the conversation so that it doesn't go in unwanted directions.

In this way we sometimes stay still because we don't enter a garden that we don't know how to get out of later.

What do you say when they say "silence means assent"?

If you want to avoid being told that silence consents, and want to start having effective communication with constructive dialogues instead of dialectical fights, I recommend that you start acting on the issue.

The first thing you can do when you become silent is to speak up. That way you no longer consent and you are present in the conversation. Acknowledging that at that moment you don't know what to say is a big step.

Therefore, acknowledge that you don't know what to say and that you need time to think about what you have just heard. In addition, you indicate to your interlocutor that you have been paying attention to your words and ask the time joker to craft a coherent response.

Tip

You might add that you need time to think about what you just heard, because you don't want to say anything that might be silly or that you might regret later.

However, in the heat of battle, we sometimes fire off sentences at will wrapped in confused and intense emotions regardless of the consequences of what we feel or how we say it.

Analyze your sensations

In this time that you give yourself to think, it is also interesting that you use it to probe your emotions and your body sensations. How do you feel and how does your body react to what you have just heard?

Because, most likely, your body is showing signs of stress, such as shortness of breath, racing heart, dry mouth, or general obstruction.

So this means that to some extent you feel threatened, and any action you take from that state will be aimed at defense.

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Tell us how you feel

One of the options you have is to say how you feel after hearing the other person. Talk about yourself, instead of accusing or arguing about what the other person said. The most honest thing is to express how you feel, whether you are disgusted, afraid, hurt, angry, or elated, by what you just heard.

It is better to express it in the first person:

• "I am sad about what you just told me."
• "My point of view on this subject is different from yours."
• "What you just said made me nervous and I don't know why."
• "Your words cause me pain."

This does not guarantee that the other will listen to you or that you will come to an agreement, although it does make it easier for you to reduce your stress level in conversations of this nature.

Remember that communication is important

Remember that having communication and especially in a discussion where differences are highlighted is paramount.

At the same time, creating a framework of common understanding of concepts and interpretations of facts will make the other person understand your point of view, so you can develop a coherent line of argument with a beginning, middle, and end.

Otherwise, each one acts defensively, with no intention of reaching an agreement, only to state his or her motives or, on the contrary, to avoid conflict.

Examples of silence means consent

The saying silence means consent is widely used nowadays; it also applies to situations in which a person is accused or blamed for something, but does not speak up in his defense. Silence, in this case, is culturally taken as a sign that what the other person says is accepted.

For example, a group of children play soccer in the backyard. In the excitement of the game, the ball is thrown and breaks the neighbor's window.

Consequently, a woman runs out with the ball in her hand and scolds the children. The children, instead of talking, keep quiet, because they know that they were responsible.

Meaning of consent

The word consent defines the action of approving, for example, "I need my father's consent to be able to have a boyfriend." This indicates that by consenting to something, you are agreeing or giving permission to perform an action.

Moreover, consent is a term that is highly applied in everyday life and in all contexts.

On the other hand, in the field of law, the term consent has a legal meaning, which refers to the manifest will, between two or more people, to consent to rights and obligations.

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Final considerations on silence means consent

In the field of psychology, each individual has a type of tolerance for listening and exposing his or her ideas, opinions, and feelings. And silencing has several facets. However, those who are silent in psychology are often because they agree with the situation, but it can also be for lack of arguments to contest it.

And you think that silence means assent Learn more about this much debated theme in society and improve your knowledge by registering in our online clinical psychoanalysis course. Don't miss this opportunity, learn without leaving home.