Conventional wisdom about writing: "Do not use the passive voice."
The passive voice, simply expressed: "B" was caused by "A."
The active voice: "A" caused "B."
The passive voice deadens communication.
Imagine someone frightened of writing who — required to describe a church picnic — produces one of the most dreadful sentences of all time: "Refreshments were served, and a good time was had by all."
Doesn't sound like a very good time; you can't see anyone having fun.
Far better to write: "In the potato sack race, 10-year-old Johnny Peterson left Pastor Lundquist in the dust. Maggie Jones wowed the crowd with the 37th version of her blue-ribbon blueberry pie."
Here's a more serious misuse of the passive voice. In a documentary film, a death row inmate described his crime: