Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
There is nothing in the world like a persuasive speech to fuddle the mental apparatus and upset the convictions and debauch the emotions of an audience not practiced in the tricks and delusions of oratory
Interpretation
What this quote means
Persuasive speeches can easily confuse and mislead an untrained audience.
This quote highlights the power of persuasive speech and its ability to manipulate the thoughts and emotions of an audience, particularly those who are not experienced in discerning the tactics of rhetoric. Mark Twain warns of the danger posed by skilled orators who can distort reality and alter convictions through their eloquence, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and awareness in the face of powerful speech.
Themes
PersuasionSpeechRhetoricManipulationAudience
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate club, when discussing the impact of eloquence, one might reference this quote.
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To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
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In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
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