Motivational Speeches

Today after my Liberal Arts Undergraduate Elections, my friend Rob and I were talking about our old high school coaches and team captains. Rob talked about how as quarterback of his football team his favorite part wasn’t the games or the big plays but the impromptu pep up talks he and his fellow captains would give to their teammates. I responded with similar feelings about speeches and talking from the heart. I was reminded of y assistant wrestling coach who is an ex Marine and how he always said, “a true speech is never written down, it comes from the heart.”

I thought about this statement and if it applied to all the speeches I gave in high school and will continue to give in college. I decided that I kind of agree. My fondest memories of public speaking were times when I didn’t write down a formal speech and use note cards, but rather just talked.

In the YMCA Louisiana Youth Legislature, my gubernatorial campaign called kids to take action and get involved in their local communities and government. A speech with a message rooted in motivation, needs to be just that, motivational. As a spectator I am more motivated by personal conversation, emotion, and words straight from the heart as opposed to a formal speech.

Rhetoric of Technology

This week when my group and I were putting in numerous hours of work on our media project, I learned a valuable lesson.  I do not speak the language and understand the rhetoric of technology.  No one in my group really did either, but luckily one of our good friends is fluent.  When we had problems or glitches, most groups would fret and sweat, but our solution was only one phone call away. 

Our friend Mitchell Smor might as well be Steve Jobs.  He takes technological communication, computer programming, and problem solving to a new level.  It’s almost as if he is a Jedi and uses “The Force” to get the computer to say and do what he wants.  His command over the language of technology, and execution of technological rhetoric is breathtaking.  Needless, to say our LA101H project would have been a lot more hectic without Mitch.  Sally, Sandra, Liz, and myself all thank you immensely. 

As I blog about technological rhetoric I think about how far not only technology has come over the century, but also the rhetoric associated with it.  I am amazed to realize my Nana (grandmother) doesn’t know what gigabytes, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet cables are? Heck, my Nana doesn’t even have a computer or a cell phone!  This poses the question can the rhetoric of this new technological age be taught, or is it ingrained?  Would I learn it faster than my Nana?