Spoken So Absurd

George Watsky is one of the most innovative and persuasive public speakers of our generation.  His speeches range in content from the importance of voting for young adults to his own connection with religion.  George Watsky is also a beat poet who is best known his videos on Youtube.

If you haven’t seen listened to his fast paced, pop culture infused poems, I highly recommend you take a few minutes to watch “S for Lisp.”

He begins the speech by dedicating it to anyone who has ever been made fun of for the way that they talk.  But then he says that a stranger told him that he has a subtle lisp and that he sounds stupid when he says words with the letter “S” in them.  Instead of listing off clichéd reasons to explain why this was wrong, he said, “My lisp is not sinful, I’m not sorry on Saturday…” and he packed as many “S” sounds as could fit into a list of reasons why he is a better man for his subtle lisp. 

George appeals to the audience by articulating the sound that apparently marks him as an outcast.  He speaks expressively, with confidence, clarity, and stark changes in volume and speed.  The first time I watched this video, I found myself worked up by the end because of the connection I felt to his words.  Our ethos (character) and pathos (emotion) are drawn to his powerful arguments.  He isn’t just talking about lisps; he is addressing every person who had ever been convicted of being weird. 

“If you suppose your speech is normal,” he says, “it’s because your impediment is listening.  Speak for those with something special.” 

He let’s you know what he believes in, and he makes it powerful and relatable.  Even if you’ve never had a speech impediment, you understand the torment of being excluded and you feel justified by the end of George’s poem.