"The pen is mightier than the sword," is one of those expressions we hear a lot in film and television, as well as read in a lot of hack novels about bureaucrats and novelist imagining themselves stronger than a dozen warriors.
It's definition is simple to understand, but there can be a counterargument against it. The underlying truth being one sword can kill one person and one pen can sign the death warrants of a thousand.
So, what could possibly be mightier than that?
To the internet!
Reddit user Damemesharer wanted to know what's better than the metaphorical pen when they asked:
"If the pen is mightier than the sword, what is mightier than the pen?"
Some of these responses seem obvious, but perhaps you don't take them too seriously.
How Do You Quantify Which?
"Picture, which is worth a thousand words"
No_Read_Only_Know
"Well ... if the pen is mightier than the sword, and a picture is worth a thousand words, I would say a camera is mightier than a pen."
atomic_auburn
Run!
"Your girlfriend when she's hungry."
scottyp9
"It's called being hangry!"
Shaddolf
The Overwhelming Power Of Shifting The Words
"Whiteout?"
WitcheeeeeeeeeeWoman
"It would actually make sense if you took whiteout as being able to change someone's words or rewrite history or something"
R1ce661
The Entire Game Has Changed
"Uno reverse card"
Fine_Cucumber_6665
"no one man should have all that power"
sellingthalasin
It doesn't have to be anything mind blowing, epiphany-giving, or universe altering, to speak to some sort of truth in the world.
Faster And Less Ink
"The keyboard because it makes the pen obsolete."
Hrnghekth
The True King
"Unfortunately, money."
jaynuggets
Find The Way To Their Hearts Through Their Stomach
"The fork if you can't win them with words cook for them they'll soon come around."
TripleJx3
After all, what's mightier than the pen?
Pick Your Weapon At The Most Crucial Moment
"The hand that knows when to wield the pen and when to wield the sword is mightier than both"
Go_Green_Bay12
"Like the only good answer so far lol"
JackofScarlets
Ah....I Mean, Sure
"Diarrhea"
DiarrheaGuy13
"Dysentery has a higher body count than both world wars combined!"
CaffeinatedHBIC
Make People Happy
"The orgasm"
"(This isn't even a joke, harm as a motivator (sword) reason as a motivator (pen), pleasure as a motivator (orgasm))"
Mlquinif
Never Blame The Tool For The Person Behind The Tool
"What is a pen without the hand that wields it."
Atomicslap
"As powerless as the sword. Ultimately, any tool may only be as powerful as its weilder."
tkm1026
What's mightier than the pen?
Someone who won't read what was written.
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.
Sad Michael Scott GIF
Monsters Inc Hug GIF
@bill_lipp/Instagram
@mad_thra5her/Instagram
@strangeandforeignca/Instagram
@alex_goley/Instagram
@ztaknek/Instagram
@shelly_arch/Instagram
@bcaryfk/Instagram
@wiseguise/Instagram
@jesse_meeson/Instagram
@imitationbyjerell/Instagram
@mfbuglio/Instagram