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re: I have to give a persuasive speech.

Posted on 4/8/14 at 4:38 am to
Posted by Mizzoufan26
Vacaville CA
Member since Sep 2012
17312 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 4:38 am to
quote:

I took a public speaking class in college during the McCain v Obama fall. I had to support McCain one day, and then the next give a speech in support of Obama. I crushed the person against me...Everyone sides one way or another for any topic. Maybe not as dedicated as others, but we all do. You have to completely take yourself out of your shoes and into those of the other side. I.E- gay marriage. If you are for it, you need to think about why people who are against it are truly against it. Don't think they are stupid, or bigoted, or backwoods rednecks. Think about what part of their thought-process makes them against it and really hammer on that aspect. On the other hand, if you are against it, don't think about the sinners, the disgusting, or the liberal hippies who are for it. Think about a gay person who truly is in love with his/her partner and all of the benefits marriage can bring them (from a strong household to financial benefits etc.)

I remember in high school my buddy and I would make bets over which outrageous stories we could get people to buy into. In college, my public speaking prof tried to get me to join debate, but I had bigger fish to fry. It's easier for some than others, but if you really want to knock it out of the park, you have to completely separate yourself from what you normally think. As George Costanza so eloquently stated, "It's not a lie if you believe it."


This guy gives good advice
Posted by JazzyJeff
Japan
Member since Sep 2006
3938 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 4:46 am to
How about:

Why it's ok for America to kill millions and destroy country after country in the name of freedom.
Posted by wildtigercat93
Member since Jul 2011
112384 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 4:55 am to
I have the same problem as you

Posted by Wishnitwas1998
where TN, MS, and AL meet
Member since Oct 2010
58412 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 6:00 am to
Immigration. Gay marriage. Gun control. Abortion. Legalization. Illegal immigrants. The BCS. Lifelong appointment to the Supreme Court. Term limits in local offices or even national.

There are literally thousands of easy ideas
Posted by Hoops
LA
Member since Jan 2013
6581 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 6:14 am to
The easiest way to be persuasive is have fun. Your true opinion means nothing. Pick something that will generate tension in the room and feed off of it. I defended the electric chair in college purely bc there were two loud mouth hippies in my class and it was amazing. The other route is something absurd but tht isn't quite as fun.
Posted by MorningWood
On the coast of North Mexico
Member since May 2009
2677 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 6:39 am to
I did mine ok why Pete Rose should be allowed in the hall of fame.
Posted by H.M. Murdock
B.A.'s Van
Member since Feb 2013
2113 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 6:49 am to
quote:

Any ideas


Drop out of school. We can already tell you don't have what its takes to lead a successful life.
Posted by SuzukiGoat
Atchafalaya Basin
Member since Jan 2014
1086 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 7:10 am to
With mike applin?

Most important part is dont go over on time.

I did mine on...racism maybe. Or nanny laws.
Posted by DawgCountry
Great State of GA
Member since Sep 2012
30596 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 7:36 am to
Obama and everything he does

/thread
Posted by Layabout
Baton Rouge
Member since Jul 2011
11082 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 7:38 am to
quote:

"it doesn't effect you, so why do you care?"

Learn the difference between affect and effect before you toss out that line.
Posted by elprez00
Hammond, LA
Member since Sep 2011
29457 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 7:39 am to
Pick a chick in your class, and give a speech on why she should bang you.
Posted by SaintCajun
Pacific Northwest
Member since Apr 2012
4294 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 7:42 am to
Why prostution should be legal
Posted by reservoir_dawg
Member since Nov 2012
280 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 7:59 am to
Ahhhh, the joys of college. First and foremost, 5 minutes isn't long and you shouldn't have to stretch to speak persuasively for 5 minutes about anything.

Second, pace is vital. Pauses are vital. Go listen to martin Luther King's I have a dream speech to see what I'm talking about. You shouldn't give it with the intonation of an African American preacher, but you can learn a lot about pace, repetition, and styling of speeches from him.

Third, the best persuasive speeches show where we were, where we are, and where we should be. Where we should be is the persuasive part.

So with Gay marriage you could start with something like:

"In 1776 (pause) some of the greatest men the world has ever known (pause) created the Declaration of Independence with clear goals in mind (pause). They had come from a society that was segregated (pause) both economically and otherwise (pause) and were looking to build a more perfect union (pause). Those great men recognized that their words were not novel(pause). They recognized that their notions of freedom and justice were not revolutionary (pause). Instead, they called the justice they sought self-evident (pause), evident to all those living at the time and all of those that would follow in their footsteps (pause). The truths they believed to be self-evident were simple (pause) and founded on one basic notion, that all men are created equal (pause). From those humble beginnings they built a great, if imperfect union(pause). Not imperfect due to their ideas, but imperfect because the torchbearers of the future did not heed their words (pause). Now is the time(see MLK) to honor the words that formed our great country (pause). Now is the time to insure that all men are created equal (pause) and not to define the men who are created equal by our own prejudices (pause). Now is the time to allow all of our citizens the same inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (pause). Now is the time to allow all of American's citizens the right to wed, no matter their personal orientations (pause). Now is the time to recognize that all of our futures are intertwined if this great nation is to continue to be a beacon of hope to the world (pause). Now is the time to treat everyone with respect (pause).

I could keep going, but that's a couple minutes right there without very much substantive information. Persuasion is not about spitting out a bunch of facts. Paint some pictures for the class about where we were (racism, women's rights, etc) where we are (still segregating against our fellow men) and where we should be (according to the Declaration of Independence/Constitution) and you'll have a persuasive speech.
Posted by greystreettoker
work, most likely
Member since Apr 2011
3460 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 8:00 am to
Abortion. Atheism. Euthanization.
Posted by Ace Midnight
Between sanity and madness
Member since Dec 2006
89695 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 8:07 am to
quote:

The only thing I could come up with was making immoral decisions from a religious standpoint, but after doing some research, I can't find enough examples of this to stretch in to 5 minutes.


What is your position on abortion?

That's pretty controversial.
Posted by Libertariantiger
Member since Nov 2012
981 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 8:16 am to
That is a great topic. Religious folks think they have the market cornered on morality, when actually some of their beliefs and stories in the bible are jacked up. I would just say take into account your teachers belief system. They still give the grades and are not above personal grudges.
Posted by Epic Cajun
Lafayette, LA
Member since Feb 2013
32844 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 9:28 am to
quote:

But you gotta admit it is controversial and pertains to the op's original topic needs.


Definitely not controversial, no one with a brain thinks that the walking dead is better than GoT.
Posted by Broke
AKA Buttercup
Member since Sep 2006
65057 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 9:34 am to
quote:

The problem is I have to give the speech on something they can leave and take action.


If you do the gun control thing, you can join the NRA
Posted by LateArrivalforLSU
Ascension Parish
Member since Sep 2012
3512 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 9:39 am to
Posted by Monk
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2007
3660 posts
Posted on 4/8/14 at 9:44 am to
immigration; it is a no-brainer
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