Can problems (real or imagined) be solved by silence, with the lack of conversation?

Yes. It can frustrate people into giving up pushing for change. Nothing works in the end, and we are stuck with what we got. Maybe once in a generation something wonderful comes as a solution.

I know of problems that can be avoided if people would keep their mouth shut. Not sure about solving them.

^ I know of problems that can be avoided if people would keep their mouth shut.
If the issue/problem already exists how keeping does keeping one’s mouth shut work towards any solution? If no one speaks of it how can collective minds figure out a solution or a direction to even start?

I never referred to the problems that already exist. I refer to problems that don’t have to exist at all if you keep you thoughts inside your skull. It’s about prevention, not solving.

^ I refer to problems that don’t have to exist at all if you keep you thoughts inside your skull.
THIS question is about issues and problems that are real, or perceived as so by people, this question has nothing to do with me or what I am thinking, now are we up to speed?

IMHO these “problems” you list are emblematic of a much larger problem and that is a breakdown of the social and moral fabric of modern society largely driven by a piss poor economy that has left our country, states and cities bankrupt with no funds to throw at these problems. Police departments are underfunded and to add to the problem our officers do not get the kind of training that truly is needed to prepare the officers to face the growing discord in our urban communities.

The poor are getting poorer and this is not because the rich are getting richer, it is because communities are gutted financially and again IMO it is because we have a Federal government that has fucked up big time in addressing the real problems our society and communities face. People are frustrated and pissed off with no end to their problems in sight. These problems are real, they are growing and soon they will be out of control if someone of authority with a backbone does not step up to address our countries real problems and frustrations.

@Cruiser IMHO these “problems” you list are emblematic of a much larger problem and that is a breakdown of the social and moral fabric of modern society largely driven by a piss poor economy that has left our country, states and cities bankrupt with no funds to throw at these problems.
If they are a sign of moral decay of some sort, or because the economy is tanking, to not even be willing to discuss it from a middle-of-the-rode fashion, how would you ever know where to throw the money if it ever showed up?

Police departments are underfunded and to add to the problem our officers do not get the kind of training that truly is needed to prepare the officers to face the growing discord in our urban communities.
More policing will not solve some problems. For example rabid homelessness, how would more policing move to solve that unless a community criminalizes homelessness? Criminalizing homelessness is the only way more policing can get involved, but simply removing a homeless person off the street to a cell temporarily, is that solving homelessness or simply rearranging the seats on the Titanic? If people say I don’t want to discuss those lazy slackers, etc. how can any new direction be found?

[..IMO it is because we have a Federal government that has fucked up big time in addressing the real problems our society and communities face.
Well, the government is the government we sit by and let run, if it is truly the government of the people and for the people, the people would exercise more of the control the people are supposed to have to have the government work for them, and not the other way around. If people do not care to discuss the failings of government, because it would mean putting a less than bright spotlight on their party, then problems will never find a solution or even head that way.

These problems are real, they are growing and soon they will be out of control if someone of authority with a backbone does not step up to address our countries real problems and frustrations.
Rather than waiting for a knight in shining armor to show up, maybe like other grassroots projects, people need to come together, admit there are problems even if their party, community, race, etc. is part of it and talk about what fixes are available or can created to right the situation, if people simply say issues are too close to home, to ugly to talk about, polarizing, etc. and fall back to the old adage, don’t talk about politics and religion, it won’t matter who is in office because the person in office still needs people to work any solution coming from the Capital building, etc.

@Hypocrisy_Central All easy answers…
“how would you ever know where to throw the money if it ever showed up?” Just reverse the shrinking of the municipal budgets and restore them to their former glory.

” rabid homelessness” has never been an issue because of the lack or excess of police involvement. Homelessness is a societal problem exacerbated by lack of decent jobs and affordable housing.

“Well, the government is the government we sit by and let run, if it is truly the government of the people and for the people”
Ha! This made me laugh! We have little choice but to attempt to elect change every 2–4 years and lacking term limits and limits on redistricting BS we more often than not get the same Bozo’s in office and what is this ‘government of the people and for the people’ you speak of? You do touch on the real problem in this country is the failed antiquated 2 party system that people will blindly vote for their party as opposed to voting for the real solutions to our problems ALL of us in this country face. Party politics is the cancer of this country with no cure in sight.

Again IMO until we really do have a Government of the people and for the people…having “people” as ready willing and able citizens to do the heavy lifting it won’t matter squat because what we currently have is a Government for the Government and long as we continue to fund their charades, we the people mean diddly to them.

^ Again IMO until we really do have a Government of the people and for the people…having “people” as ready willing and able citizens to do the heavy lifting it won’t matter squat because what we currently have is a Government for the Government and long as we continue to fund their charades, we the people mean diddly to them.
Let’s illustrate this as such, for some reason you get beside yourself and invite me over, after a night of Fluther talk, etc. it gets late but I make no attempt to go anywhere. I am thinking these digs are nice and better than what I have going. You can the Ms are shooting glances at each other as what to do but none ones says anything, finally to be hospitable, your wife offers the guest room and I take it. You both go to bed trying to think what to do about the situation, me in the guest room, but still you both say nothing. In the morning I am in your kitchen, in your stuff cooking myself up some eggs and breakfast etc. You and her look at each other but no one speak about what is going on. Later I am rearranging the cabinets to my liking, you want to say something, she wants to say something but no one still does, for whatever reason, maybe you might think she will use it against you in the future about how dare you invite him in, and she might not want to say anything because you would think her some uncompassionate bitch. You both go about making passive aggressive comments but never talking about how to get that dang HC out of our house. How would you ever come to an agreed upon plan if you never are willing to talk? If people know the Bozos in office are not measuring up, if no one talks about how to legally make better changes because they are afraid a negative light will shine on their party or favorite politician, they will keep getting what they get and they can’t complain because they did nothing to change it.