TOPIC TODAY: Is Silence a Power Move or a Weakness? When someone is trying to "trigger" you, is Silence the best response? How long should you stay silent before it becomes "unhealthy"? If you can't physically leave, how do you protect yourself without "going low"?

SCENE: Evakings Bar. A couple at a corner table is in a "Cold War." The woman is shouting and tapping her phone, but the man is just staring at his drink, saying nothing.
​
OLA (Looking at the couple):
​Look at that guy. He’s just sitting there like a statue while she’s pouring fire on him. That’s a weakness. If someone provokes you, you speak up! Silence just makes the other person think they’ve won.

​NNE (Shaking her head):
​Actually, Ola, sometimes silence is Toxic. We call it "Stonewalling." It’s a way to punish the other person without saying a word. But sometimes, it’s the only way to keep your sanity when someone is trying to "drag you into the gutter."
​
JENNIFER (Adjusting her glasses):
​There is a strategy called the "Grey Rock Method." When someone is trying to provoke you or get a reaction out of you to feed their ego, you become like a "Grey Rock" - boring, silent, and unresponsive. You don't give them the "fuel" they want. You aren't being weak; you are being intentionally boring to protect your peace.
​
JIDE (Satirically):
​I love it. Imagine someone is shouting at you, expecting you to bark back, and you just give them... nothing. It’s like throwing a punch and hitting a cloud. It confuses the bully! But the question is: How long can you keep it up before you explode?
​
EOO (Softly):
​Silence should be a Shield, not a wall. If you are silent because you are afraid, it is a prison. If you are silent because you are choosing not to "lower your standard" to their level, it is a palace. You are telling them: "My peace is too expensive for this argument."
​
AMARA:
​But what if you can’t walk away? Suppose you are in a car or a small room? If you stay silent too long, the other person might get more aggressive because they feel ignored. Is "Physical Distance" always the only answer?
​
NNE:
​If you can't walk away with your legs, walk away with your mind. Put on your headphones, or just look through them like they are glass. You don't have to join every "invitation" to a fight.

JENNIFER:
​Correct. It’s about Self-Control. The person who can stay calm while being provoked is the one who actually holds the power in the room

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