Week 4 Discussion Post #2

Have you ever been influenced by a speaker? Think of the best speaker you've ever heard. What was it about that speaker that made his or her communication memorable? Think of the worst speaker you've ever heard. What do you remember about his or her message?

The best speaker I have ever heard is the pastor at the church I grew up in. His communication was memorable because of his attractiveness to the audience and his personal character. It didn't feel like he was "preaching" or telling his audience what to do in life. He gave eloquent information and universal ideas that anyone could relate to. For me, I am very skeptic of churches that force their opinions on you and tell you "you are going to hell if you are this or that", etc. But this particular speaker emphasized global awareness, and caring for the less fortunate, which are ideas and concepts that are hopeful for positive change. His sermons do involve God, but they also focus on living a healthy life, being kind to others, and feeling connected in some way to the world. His communication has always been memorable because the ideas and concepts he uses are very relative to many parts of my life.

The worst speaker I have ever heard is my high school drama teacher. She was very eccentric and always came off as condescending, even before she started her lectures or speeches. Many of her students were scared of her (including me!), and she usually instilled fear when she was speaking about an assignment or project. She didn't seem very inspiring, and her messages and ways of communications did not seem very effective.