The Spiral of Silence

ONE OF THE THINGS that I found interesting reading Sherry Weddell's book "𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙨" is the term "𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚."

The "𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚" is a well-known communication theory by political scientist Noelle-Neumann. She found that 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺.

 

Isn't this the truth (or at least makes perfect sense) particularly in politics and especially in religion? In politics, many seems to go along with what the secular worldviews and media's talking points are, which tend to be more left and liberal. In religion, many feel awkward sharing or talking about Jesus in gatherings or social media for fear or shame they may be labeled by their equally nominal/cafeteria Christian friends as religious nuts and zealots, or be judged as arrogant and extremists. Even with religious facebook posts, you're lucky if you get one or two "likes", but usually crickets. Of course, I'm no exception; I'm as guilty as anyone--ashamed of talking to my friends face to face about God, but quick and overtly comfortable talking about basketball or the latest Disney movie. I guess we all need more prayer, self-examination, and asceticism in order to live out as a disciple of Christ. I need to intentionally start carving some spiritual muscle and a denying of oneself for the Lord. Instead of worrying more how to keep my ego and reputation from staining, I need to concern myself and prioritize more how can I proclaim His kingdom by my words and actions while promoting Him on social media, too. Not just go along with the majority of offering Him the bare minimum--going to Sunday church as mere obligation, be nice to everyone and making sure I don't kill anybody. Like Archbishop Gomez said: "Jesus did not come to suffer and die so that He could make "Cultural Catholics (Christians)."

 

(Luke 9:26) "𝚆𝚑𝚘𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝙼𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙷𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙵𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚕𝚜."

 

On the other hand, this is also one where faith communities (e.g., joining Knights of Columbus, CADA, Opus Dei, Neocatechumenate, Lingkod, your local parish or church community) are appreciated. This is one aspect where we can ponder the difference and importance of being in a faith community instead of being a lone wolf in your spiritual journey. In a faith community, talking about Christ to your friends is a norm. It's more liberating and less mortifying, where the "Spiral of Silence" is and will be less likely, almost non-existent, and you get the opportunity to do God's work (prayer, worship, building Christ-centered relationship) practice charity and almsgiving to one another in a more consistent, structural and regular manner rather than mere random or "PRN" acts of kindness from your similarly nice secular or nominal/cultural Christian friends that we usually get to see in parties or social gatherings. In the latter group, there is no or very limited accountability of your sins and shortcomings. Everybody unfortunately minds their own bees wax when it comes to your spiritual growth or lack of. And that's how the Spiral of Silence keeps on manifesting.

 

"𝓘𝓯 𝓘 𝓼𝓹𝓮𝓪𝓴 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓾𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝓮𝓷 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓸𝓯 𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓵𝓼, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮, 𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓪 𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓰𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓸𝓻 𝓪 𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓬𝔂𝓶𝓫𝓪𝓵... 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓯𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓼." (1 Cor 13)

 

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