QuoteProject
It is amazing how soon one becomes accustomed to the sound of ones voice, when forced to repeat a speech five or six times a day. As election day approaches, the size of the crowds grows; they are more responsive and more interested; and one derives a certain exhilaration from that which, only a few weeks before, was intensely painful. This is one possible explanation of unlimited debate in the Senate.
J. William Fulbright
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Familiarity with the sound of one's own voice can help one adjust to public speaking over time.

This quote reflects on the experience of adapting to public speaking and the growing confidence that comes with repetition. J. William Fulbright suggests that as one engages more with audiences, the initial anxiety is replaced by exhilaration, illustrating how practice can transform discomfort into a rewarding experience, particularly in the context of political discourse and debate.

Themes

Public SpeakingConfidencePracticeAudienceExhilaration

In practice

Example use cases

During a commencement speech to encourage students to embrace their fears.

More from J. William Fulbright

International educational exchange is the most significant current project designed to continue the process of humanizing mankind to the point, we would hope, that men can learn to live in peace-eventually even to cooperate in constructive activities rather than compete in a mindless contest of mutual destruction....We must try to expand the boundaries of human wisdom, empathy and perception, and there is no way of doing that except through education.
J. William FulbrightRead
The price of empire is America's soul, and that price is too high.
J. William FulbrightRead
Maturity requires a final accommodation between our aspirations and our limitations.
J. William FulbrightRead
Finally, the Program aims, through these means, to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby to increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship.
J. William FulbrightRead
In a democracy, dissent is an act of faith.
J. William FulbrightRead
We have the power to do any damn fool thing we want to do, and we seem to do it about every ten minutes.
J. William FulbrightRead

Similar quotes

When you restore democracy, you cannot say that only those who worked for the restoration of democracy will be allowed to use the privileges of a democracy.
Corazon AquinoRead
I say further that for this great legislative body to ignore the Constitution and the fundamental concepts of our governmental system is to act in a manner which could ultimately destroy the freedom of all American citizens, including the freedoms of the very persons whose feelings and whose liberties are the major subject of this legislation.
Barry GoldwaterRead
It is not the function of government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.
Robert H. JacksonRead
...the first step in the revolution by the working class, is to raise the proletariat to the position of ruling class, to win the battle for democracy.
Karl MarxRead
I pointed to an article with bold headlines reporting that the police had refused to allow the PAP to hold a rally at Empress Place, and then to the last paragraph where in small type it added the meeting would take place where we were now. I compared this with a prominent report about an SPA rally. This was flagrant bias.
Lee Kuan YewRead
These political movements flourish on the margins of Turkish society because of poverty and because of the people's feeling that they are not being represented.
Orhan PamukRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.

Quote by J. William Fulbright | QuoteProject