My speech for Academic Decathlon. Max score was a meager 845/1000, but that's not so important, for they could not understand the gravity of this piece.
Morgan Butler I, my great grandfather and a former school board president once said “The innovative approach is the key to the answer, but, more importantly, understanding.” Hypothetical situation. Let’s say I was to give you a speech, using this innovative approach, on topic ‘x’. Perhaps you have given thought to topic ‘x’ or perhaps you haven’t. Perhaps you have your own biases associated with it, or perhaps you don’t. None the less, you feel you could listen to an exposition on the matter for the next say, 3-and-a-half minutes. Yes, let’s explore this topic.
I begin slowly at first, perhaps with an aphorism. “Read between the lines” “Go below the surface” A terse statement of theme that becomes cyclical during my conclusion. The deceptive simplicity of it and my strange interpretation intrigues you. You are drawn in by my captivating, sophisticated and mildly classy introduction and your curiosity demands that I continue. Perhaps now I have your attention.
I journey in to the heart of my subject weaving my way through facts, figures and statistics. If I am masterful, I may sprinkle words of wisdom here and there from exalted professionals, seconding my argument and adding a touch of humanity to my exposé. But as I lead you through this, hand gestures as graceful as my syntax, you find your own beliefs and biases conflicting with my words. You recall your own side of the story, and perhaps narrow your eyes at one of my more audacious comments. Not so quick to abandon your own mentalities, you stand ardent, an unwavering bastion in a sea of opposition. But still, you hear me out and continue to listen.
Suddenly, my tone changes. I have ushered you in to a new phase and the sudden change catches you off guard. I speak solemnly, perhaps of a mother who lost everything, of a child stricken with a crippling affliction. You find yourself surrounded by a heart wrenching tale. Your shield had stood firm against my logos, but the evocative emotions of my pathos might become too much. As my words inundate your senses, eloquent, heartfelt, emotional, you find tenacity failing you. The sincerity of it all, of my small narrative has caused you to lay down your protections, and has offered me a chance.
Still contemplating the implications of my anecdote, I lead you in to the latter half of our time together. You know that I could stick to my guns, tell you another story, bombard you with more facts; but you expect more from a well-constructed, impassioned piece – and for the sake of entertainment, let’s say I deliver. You are shocked as I summon your own words! I build up your arguments, your biases, your beliefs right before your eyes. Then, like a man brushes a fly from his knee to rid himself of inconvenience, I sweep away the very facts and figures you had supporting your side. You sit paralyzed by my counter-arguments, but strangely intrigued.
Perhaps it is now when I begin to connect the dots. I show you the bigger picture and unveil the final product. Hearkening back to the promised cyclicality of my intro, I recall for you the aphorism. Reading between lines, you begin to question was my topic really own? Was my purpose so shallow to be self-contained? Or perhaps, the whole ordeal was more a lens with which to examine every other – an innovative approach to the explication of their work. You question: was this fictional situation so fictional; or perhaps it is a universal reality embodied by every other speech. At length, you even begin to question: had any of this even occurred at all? After all, all of these ideas, these events, these revelations; its all hypothetical…isn’t it?
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