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Once in a while, I will offer you a quote from my memoirs. Here is the first:

Even bitter silence is better than bitter words.

People have disagreed with me on this point. My husband believes that even bitter words are better than bitter silence. He has an easier time falling asleep than I do. When we have quarreled, I come to bitter silence in due course.

The entire issue of silence has been one of my problems with assimilating into mainstream society. Most people are uncomfortable with silence, and will do almost anything to break it. It doesn't matter how bizarre or even rude their behavior and speech are, they must restore conversation. I have tried to learn to cooperate, but sometimes the efforts made are repulsive to me, and I have even less desire to speak.

Oddly, I learned to be a good conversationalist. The trick is to ask the right questions, listen, put off "interested" signals, and ask new questions as needed. Truly listening requires some effort, but not much. For me, I used to find listening far easier than speaking. Now, after years of unpleasantries, I often find it difficult to focus on what is being said to me.

What do you think? I know that neither is desirable, but which would you choose? Bitter silence? Bitter words?