The persausive power of words
There is nothing like a good speech, delivered with passion, charisma, strength of character and honesty.
It can evoke a myriad of emotions and can lead to collective positive action. Words spun together with elegance and power can make the impossible seem possible, turn defeat into victory, despair into hope, bondage into freedom and hate into love.
Throughout history, there has many great speeches that have galvanised people into taking a stand, to fight for a cause even to the death, to defend ground against all odds and to resist a political system no matter the cost.
Think of great speeches such as Winston Churchill’s “We shall fight on the beaches” as given in the House of Commons on June 4, 1940.
It was the time of World War II when Britain was being bullied by Germany, yet, Churchill’s speech was so significant that Britain in fact never did surrender but helped to turn the tide of the war.
Who will ever forget these following words: “We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.”
How about the famous US President John F Kennedy speech “Ich bin ein Berliner”?
Translated, “I am a Berliner” is a quotation from a June 26, 1963, speech by Kennedy in West Berlin. He was underlining the support of the US for West Germany 22 months after Soviet-supported East Germany erected the Berlin Wall to prevent mass emigration to the West.
The message was aimed as much at the Soviets as it was at Berliners and was a clear statement of US policy in the wake of the construction of the Berlin Wall.
Ronald Reagan would evoke both the sentiment and the legacy of Kennedy’s speech 24 years later, in his similarly famous “Tear down this wall!” speech.
Among the great speeches is the one delivered by the American civil rights activist Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” delivered on August 28, 1963, in which he called for an end to racism in the US.
Delivered to over 250 000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington, the speech was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement.
How else but not to be stirred by these words? “I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.”
Throughout history, the power of words have proven to be as effective as not even more potent than the sword, thus, the saying the “pen is mightier than the sword”.
Political leaders’ use of oratory skills like Adolf Hitler’s mass propaganda and even more recently Barack Omaba’s “Yes We Can” campaign, are evidence how such a “sword” of a different nature can be wielded to achieve great things and make a lasting social impact that changes the course of history.
Even Hollywood has bought into the importance of “the speech” as words are magically intertwined to make a hero out of the greatest of cowards. It was in a way sparked to life with the Braveheart movie when a body-painted Mel Gibson, playing warrior William Wallace, galvanised the Scots to fight for freedom, no matter the prospect of imminent death.
This type of no guts no glory “speech” has flowed into many Hollywood films, such as thes stirring speech in 300 when King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) prepared his 300 Spartans to war against the Persian “god-King” Xerxes and his invading army of more than 300 000 soldiers.
You will probably find the defining “speech” in every other word-and-sandal epic where battles and war are involved.
Who can forget the movie Gladiator, especially when Maximum (Russel Crowe) reveals his identity before the emperor in the Colosseum with the following statement: “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”
Sport captains have also become skilled these days to be great motivators, because there is nothing like a rousing speech to stir the blood and to get the heart pounding with courage and bravery.
There is indeed power in words, and when spoken by a charismatic leader like JFK, Martin Luther King and even Obama, then you find emotional fireworks and a belief in the impossibility.
But then you get another kind of “speech”, such as the State of the Nation address by president Jacob Zuma.
Void of charisma, power, emotion or strength of character, the nation was neither galvanised nor encouraged to fight and to believe in a better future.
All the talk about economy prosperity and the fight against corruption was about stirring as the Proteas first cricket test match against Australia.
Zuma’s warning against a culture of violence was probably the highlight in a statement that was more of a reflection on the past instead of it being a bold orchestra of inspiration.
Surely we in SA also deserve a moment where we are galvanised never to surrender and to fight for the Rainbow Nation ideal, instead of being spoonfed facts and figures that are as real as professional wrestling.
Maybe at the end of the day, when it comes to this country’s leadership, what we lack is charisma, a lack of resolve and boldness backed up by integrity, unshakable honesty, fairness and truth.
Sorry, but the State of the Nation Address would not have jolted any barbarian race to attack the once mighty Rome, and neither does it leave us feeling content in any way.
Just look at the reality around you.
