Persuasion
 

this fall i decided to partake in a Communications course( more like a speech class). I am glad i made the decision to take the class, but the class is almost over and our final speech is due in a few weeks. i have to get up and try to persuade my audience into something... the only thing is.. i cant think of what i want to persuade my audience with. so... i was hopeing that you clever folks here could help me choose a topic. now the topic cant be too broad(i.e. abortion or capital punishment) something easy and basic. the speech time limit is 6min minimum to 9min maximum(which is very easy to make, that is unless i pick a huge topic) so any ideas will be very helpful... thank you in advance!:D

you could watch that movie bowling for columbine and just use a lot of that material to make a speech about the issue of gun control. That's what I would do, but don't copy it verbatum if you decide to use that idea.

When I was high school I entered in speech contests in the "persuasive" category. I was quite successful.

My strategy was to make my speeches stand out by picking an absolutely ludicrous argument, and use all sorts of logic and rhetoric to make it sound like an almost good idea.

For instance, I was living in Tokyo, a city with a wild and violent crow population. I did some research and formulated a speech that argued that crows were as intelligent as humans, only too clever to reveal it to us, and that they intended to overthrow the human race. I stretched a lot of facts out of proportion (in an obvious way) but I made my reasoning very clear. It was a huge success.

Another idea -- think of things that really annoy you but that other people don't mind so much. Clearly these other people need some convincing.

Try to convince them that they should raise their right arm at the end of the talk. I reckon that would be a fun challenge, with very tangible effects. Convince them that it will temporarily increase their circulation, and that the exercise is good for them.

Depending on your own beliefs, try to persuade them either:

A) The death penalty is wrong
- no proven deterent
- innocents executed
- costs more

or

B) The death penalty is right
- societal vengence
- some people deserve it
- is a deterent


Mr Mephisto

crows actually are one of the smartest animals on earth.

certainly true. that's what motivated my speech.

the absurdity stemmed from my claims that they had carefully thought-out covert plans for global supremacy.

considering how smart they are, it is almost believable.

I really like TIO's idea.

this idea is too broad... like i said... cant do it.. need something simple.. like the right arm idea.. i love that.. the crow one is very good too... but will require some research.. either way.. i love the ideas.. thank you

I had the same course.

I used the staggering statistics on the deaths of innocents, law enforcement officers, lawyers, judges, military personnel, and political candidates in the U.S., Mexico, and especially Columbia to persuade people to drop the lame "doing drugs is a victimless crime" B.S.

ok.. i think i have decided on a topic... ya know how tons of ppl think that video game violence shapes the violence tendencies of children.. and some adults... and how this is completely ludacris.. but.. i will persuade my audience to believe that the video game industry is not responsible for such acts of violence as many have claimed! thank you all for the great ideas as well!