José Saramago, Nobel Prize in Literature: “Human beings were not given the gift of speech to hide their thoughts”

In today’s society, where fame, external validation, and multitasking often take center stage, many people choose not to express their feelings or opinions. Whether it is to follow the comfortable majority and avoid confrontation or to disguise what they truly think, they remain silent instead of being honest about how they feel, hoping to escape the judgment of others.

“Human beings were not given the gift of speech to hide their thoughts.” Those are the words of José Saramago on the subject. The Portuguese novelist was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1998 for his ability to “make an elusive reality comprehensible,” sustained by elements such as imagination, compassion, and irony.

In this case, the Portuguese writer invites people to engage in a profound reflection on honesty, suggesting that language is far too powerful a tool to be used to avoid expressing ourselves or to conceal our true feelings and intentions.

The power of the spoken word

Words, then, should be our passport through whatever situations we encounter in everyday life. If we are unable to express ourselves properly - or if we use language in an unhelpful or dishonest way – the result will ultimately be negative for the person involved.

In this way, Saramago links the gift of speech with concepts such as authentic communication and honesty, qualities that should play a central role in our lives and that, when embraced, can lead to a calmer existence with fewer unnecessary conflicts.

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