Words: The True Voice of Change
"Give us the vote!"
Words are the most formidable influence known to humankind. Words, they have the potential to create peace. Words, they have the power to create war. Words, they have the capability to incite change.
A person’s words can hold whatever strength - or influence - they wish and time and again, they have been used for the good, the bad and the ugly to change the world. From Abraham Lincoln, to Adolf Hitler, whether successful or otherwise, the potential for words to imply anything and everything has always been an author’s key to shaping the world in their view.
As you are about to discover, the application of persuasive techniques to one’s words is particularly effective when trying to change the world, through the elimination of civil and social injustice.
One of the most significant figures of all time, civil rights activist, Martin Luther King Junior, used his words as a weapon.
A weapon which stood up for the voiceless, spoke for the poorly treated and obliterated black segregation in America.
Some of King Jr’s most compelling words were seen in his famous ‘Dream Speech’, where he impeccably applied persuasive techniques to his words.
“I have a dream. A dream that little black boys and little black girls will one day be able to play with little white boys and little white girls…”
This sentence from King Jr’s ‘Dream Speech’, employs techniques of personal pronouns whereby he uses ‘I’ regularly and imagery of all children playing unitedly together.
Using these techniques allowed the words in his speech to pull at the heart strings of many, making his words a beacon. A beacon which made millions demand constitutional change. A demand which practically set the roots for world equality.
As seen in the 2014 blockbuster movie ‘Selma,’ King Jr continues to use his words in a weapon like manner by beckoning for the African Americans of Alabama to stand up for their right to vote in his ‘Alabama speech’.
King Jr repeats the phrase, “Give us the vote, Give us the vote, Give us the vote.”
His use of repetition reinforces his message among the people of Alabama, explicitly stating that he will fight for them.
Knowing this, his followers stood by King Jr’s words and stood up for themselves, forcing the government to allow African Americans to vote.
Therefore, without these motivational words, they would not have provoked government reform.
I understand that to include examples from just one person trying to change one issue, would make the idea that words can change the world unsubstantiated, at best. But King Jr’s not the only person who knows how to use words as a gateway for change.
Another of history’s great influences, Nelson Mandela, also used words as his armament to speak about world issues.
During Mandela’s ‘Make Poverty History’ speech, the equal rights campaigner utilises the technique of inclusive language to appeal to a wider audience of all ages.
“Moreover, the Global Campaign for Action Against Poverty represents such a noble cause that we could not decline the invitation.”
In this quote from the ‘Make Poverty History speech, Mandela uses inclusive language (we) to make his audience feel included as though they, too, share Mandela’s wishes, as though they, too, could contribute to the greater good and as though they, too, could play a part in the creation of his vision.
The impact Mandela’s words had on this audience inspired a world-wide effort to decrease poverty, changing global poverty levels to half what were they were during 2005.
I know, to some, this all seems a bit cliché, but when you really look at the impact these words have had throughout history, I question - where would we be without them?