I wrote the following almost two years ago:
Words matter. The way we say things matter. For good and for bad. They matter. Our ideas can only catch fire when we find a way to phrase them in such a way that people not only understand what we're saying, but that we're inspired by them
I watched Obama talk this morning and I will admit that I got a little teary. He spoke of higher things and higher callings and I was moved. I'm 37, born in 1969 and all the great speakers were dead by that time. King, RFK... I've listened to Cuomo in 1984 and Jackson in 1988 and they were good speeches but... they still lacked a certain je ne sais quoi. They felt like well said critiques rather than calls to higher action.
I'm no naif. I was an actor for a long time doing the "classics" and have had my fair share of speaking beautiful words. They're powerful indeed. I also spent my fair time around pastors who worked with words as well.
I'm now 39 and I'm frankly surprised at how much water has gone under the bridge since then. Time is a slippery beast.
But, Jumpin' Jeebus, I was right.
Rhetoric does matter.