Michelle Li, 1/29 Week 10 - 8:30
At 8:00 a.m., the man announced that our round should start and told the first speaker to begin when ready. A redheaded boy dressed in a tailored suit walked up to the front of the classroom, took a deep breath, and started speaking.
At 30 seconds past 8:08 a.m., he delivered seven fateful words. “I have a tumor in my head.” The other competitors and I all snuck a glance at the judge. To our horror, his eyes were filled with sympathy. The girl next to me and I exchanged a look that carried an unspoken message.
We’re so screwed. He's winning.
Original Oratory is a speech event that requires competitors to write, memorize, and deliver a speech on a societal issue for no longer than ten minutes and 30 seconds. Within these broad rules, we have something called an “8:30 moment.” After speakers have presented eight minutes and 30 seconds of their speech, they explain why this topic is important by sharing stories of how it has impacted their lives.
But instead of displaying authenticity, speakers have taken the 8:30 moment and turned it into a trauma dump. It seems that personal struggles and sob stories take precedence over logical, nuanced arguments. Original Oratory has become an event where success depends on the hardships that a competitor has faced.
Vulnerability carries a certain power that we orators trample on in our pursuit of gold medals and championships. This season, I found myself crafting my topic around the worst experience of my life. At my first tournament this year, I saw great success and emotional responses. But when I didn’t do so well, I assumed it was because my pain wasn’t “bad enough.”
We’ve lost sight of the purpose of a personal story. As we continue with our blogs in second semester, I hope none of us decide to exploit our own struggles like I and so many other Original Oratory participants did. Trauma is not a tool to gain favor and attention, but rather a shaping experience that proves our strength in moving past it.
Hi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteThe start of your blog really caught my attention. I love how throughout your blog you were able to mesh together your story as well as your personal thoughts and an explanation, almost like a narrator. I’ve never heard of Original Oratory, but it truly sounds really interesting and I might just check out the program! I wonder who came up with the “8:30 moment.” I also find it interesting how people use these situations in a way where they are able to vent out their emotions. And I for one agree! We should never lose sight of the original reason we write blogs, which is to share our intellectual thoughts rather than emotional turmoils! Thank you for sharing this wonderful blog with us!
Hey Michelle!
ReplyDeleteYou develop your blogs in such a captivating way. The way you build a climax, talking about seven fateful words and such, makes me so intrigued to keep reading. The subject that you talk about is something that I feel requires precise discussion, and you do that so well. While I do not want to discredit anyones struggles, I can understand the frustration it must feel to have to compete with things deeply personal to you that hurt you. Presenting traumatic moments in your life in a situtation where you are graded and ranked can be so crushing, because it feels like someone invalidated your struggles. I think this view of trying to avoid manipulating your personal stories to present a pity case is a mature way of thinking. It's a powerful thing to feel confident in your own words and respect your vulnerability. I had a question about Esther Oyetunji, the three-time national champion in her picture. What makes her such a successful orator? Does she also succumb to exploit her trauma or is there something that actually holds higher value over one's struggles?