“Know how to make use of words.”Baltasar Gracián · Oracolul manual · 1647 · aforismul 12
Words are powerful social tools that must be chosen and wielded with discernment.
Gracián sees language as a social weapon. Knowing how to use words means choosing the right tone, timing, and content to influence, persuade, or protect. For example, a well-placed remark can calm an argument or win a negotiation. The mechanism is rhetorical: words can create realities, hide or reveal, and a master controls their effect on listeners.
Why it matters In daily communication, this idea helps you be more persuasive and avoid unnecessary conflicts by choosing words carefully.