[CW/Feedback] Speak not to destroy, but to build

[Daniel Blackworth]

This is a speech that I wrote for an Oratorical Piece Writing Contest. I only got 2nd place though. Can anyone give me advice on how I should have improved this or any other feedback?

Spoiler

Speak not to destroy, but to build

 

Have you ever wondered why man was able to build societies and communities? Have you ever wondered why humanity was able to survive millennia despite being deprived of special physical features such as wings, another set of arms, or any other alien like features? Have you ever wondered how humanity was able to be the most dominant specie here on earth? 

Tracing back from the ideas provided by the evolution of man, he is said to have began prospering 200 thousand years ago. Since then, man was able to habituate himself to the harsh conditions in the then cruel and violent world. Since then, humanity was able to multiply and group himself in order to survive. Since then, humanity spread throughout the barren earth and occupied all of its empty spaces. 

 

Now, here we are today still staying strong as entire specie. We have racked up different achievements in different fields. We have formed different organizations based on beliefs, ideals, and other classifications. We have become united despite the differences and individualities that we possess. Truly humanity has reached greater heights, but what is man’s secret to his success?

My dear friends, in a sense, we have accomplished a vast sea of successes due to our ability of speech. I want to tell you that communication has been a significant part of our history and advancement, and it continues to be a commendable strength in improving our relationships with others. Communication has always been a massive driving force in our family relationships and is instrumental in building the bridges that connect our understanding of each other. Communication has been an agent to form unity in our families despite our diversity in personalities, attitudes, and behaviours. 

Truly, we have our own houses, but they do not become homes without interaction between family members. Relating our experiences and talking about what we have learned during the day may seem insignificant to some but when we engage in small talk or even have serious discussions with our parents or our siblings, it creates miniscule threads that connect us and bring us closer to each other. As these miniscule threads created through small but meaningful interaction are slowly reproduced and become larger in quantity, our understanding of each other’s identity becomes greater and trust becomes available between these people.

When I was still but a young boy, I was once invited to a gathering of family members from both the sides of my parents. At that time, I didn’t know any of my cousins who were there as I was raised in the city unlike my cousins who were raised in the province. I was just sitting in the corner playing games on my boring gadget when my mother forced me to join my cousins in their activities. I slowly got to know them more as I engaged in meaningful conversations, participated in the sing-along, and played Filipino games with them. I didn’t look forward to going home because I had so much fun being with them and I wouldn’t have had that experience if I did not join them in the first place. Even though the time we spent was merely a blink in time, it was worth a million years to me.

As I went through the challenges and tribulations in life, communication did serve as a means to have new experiences that I otherwise would not have if I simply chose to remain silent and keep to myself. Every single interaction in my life gave me a better understanding of myself and the people around me. Talking with your parents at the dining table, playing board games with your siblings during weekends, or engaging in small talk with your family members are simple yet are effective ways to enhance and deepen your relationship with each other.

 “In a family, we are like branches in a tree. We all grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one,” an anonymous author once stated. The children in a family are like small seedlings and their experiences serve as the nutrients that nourish them. As the children grow and become more mature, they start to choose paths for themselves while the parents also begin to have lives for themselves. As hardships, trials, and problems are met in life, strong families are brought together and unite to conquer these challenges in life while weak families break easily in the face of adversities.

Among children who lived with their parents, close, positive family relationships that feature open communication help young people stay healthy and avoid substance use and violent behaviour. 87% of parents are very close to their children while 70% of parents feel that they can share ideas and talk about things that matter. Moreover, 82% of boys while 76% of girls said they valued their parents’ opinions over their friends when it came to important decisions. 80% of children and parents who had open communication were compelled to stay together despite adversities and crises.

As we live through the cycle of life, we must communicate to promote unity and growth among our families, friends, and in our community.

We must speak not to destroy, but to build bridges of peace and truth.

We must speak not to dispose, but to promote better understanding of each other.

We must speak not to discourage, but to empower and inspire lives.

We must speak not to forget, but to remember the harsh conditions that others face.

We must speak not to break, but to repair and improve relationships.

We have continued to survive and prosper despite our flaws and deprivations because of communication and we must use our gift of communication to become harbingers of unity and a better society instead of being immersed in blood and violence. And I say this, “Communication is the strength that binds us together.”

 

Edited March 16, 2017 by Mr. Divergent

[HongaarseBeer]

I think it's good! Do you know why you got second place instead of first? Does it have to do with your topic, or was everyone's speech about the same thing?

[Daniel Blackworth]

11 hours ago, HongaarseBeer97 said:

I think it's good! Do you know why you got second place instead of first? Does it have to do with your topic, or was everyone's speech about the same thing?

The judges never told the participants any criticism after the judging. 

 

Everyone's speech was centered on the importance of communication.