Friday, September 21, 2012
Facts and statistics
When I listen to a speech, many times I hear facts (an observation based on actual experience) and statistics (numerical data or information) tossed around. For the most part, I enjoy these elements of a speech. I like hearing new information that has real meaning. Speeches given using a lot of facts and statistics are most effective, I think, when you're main purpose for giving the speech in the first place is to inform your audience. It seems like if you are trying to effectively inform your audience on a place, or a thing or even some event that has occurred, then using facts and statistics are the ideal ingredients to have in that speech. When properly used, facts and statistics are effective tools in a speech. There are, however, times where facts and statistics are not as effective. I find that many times, facts and statistics can be manipulated in a speech to not inform but to persuade and audience into thinking a certain way. This manipulation is on display now in the presence of political speeches. Every politician of every party often uses facts and statistics in a way that distorts the truth in a way that tries to get an emotional response from the audience. This response is then used to try and persuade the audience to vote in a certain way that would benefit the speaker. It is very frustrating because the truth, the real truth, is almost never found. When this occurs as often as it does, it directly affects a speakers credibility.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I completely agree with your assertion that people often use statistics to manipulate their audience, especially in the arena of politics. As Mark Twain once said, "There are three types of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." It is amazing how statistics can be warped to make almost any point that someone wants them to. I think that many audiences are wary of this fact now, which does put us as speakers at risk of losing credibility with the audience if we don't properly cite our sources for statistics. Statistics are meant to be used, as you said, to inform an audience, not to persuade them through manipulation.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. Even though the statistics may be correct, but it doesn't mean they are appropriate for the speech that is being given. There are times and places that statistics are wonderful tools, but you are right they are now used to manipulate the general public's ideas on different subjects. Politics show the idea you are talking about perfectly. I would have never thought of it that way, but it is so true. I like your ideas. The way you explained in detail not only what they mean, but also how they relate to things we experience everyday is nice to read.
ReplyDelete