"You can construct the character of a man and his age not only from what he does and says, but from what he fails to say and do"

The quote by Norman Douglas suggests a deep understanding of human behavior and character assessment. At its core, it emphasizes that understanding a person's true character and the age they come from needs a holistic view, one that surpasses their actions and spoken expressions. It is a call to look beneath the surface and recognize the importance of omissions and inactions in shaping one's personality and historical essence.

To start with, what somebody picks to do and state provides a direct insight into their values, beliefs, and intentions. Our actions reflect our conscious options and are often lined up with our values and goals. Similarly, our words can express our ideas, feelings, and intents.

However, Douglas urges us to also consider what is unmentioned and reversed-- the failures to act or speak-- that can be equally revealing. Inaction might signal indecisiveness, fear, or a worth system that focuses on other concerns. The choice of silence on specific problems may indicate comfort or pain, arrangement or dissent, wisdom or objection to confront. This omission can reveal as much about an individual as their more explicit habits, providing hints about what they prevent, who or what they may fear, or where their values genuinely lie.

Moreover, this concept can reach understanding societal standards and worths of a particular age or era. Cumulative inactions and silences can hint at social taboos, norms, or systemic problems deeply entrenched in culture. By analyzing what a society does not deal with or openly discuss, one can recognize the underlying power structures, worries, and overarching principles governing it.

Eventually, Douglas is advocating for a comprehensive assessment of character and time, acknowledging that both specific actions and surprise murmurings, or the lack thereof, craft the complete narrative of a specific or an age. It is a pointer to be observant of all aspects of human expression in evaluating the nuances of character and social context.