There is so much uncertainty in our lives already. So many undiscovered truths and unanswered questions. (Pause) Even so, we believe the world is as it seems to be, a somewhat peaceful, turning circle. But in truth, our reality isn't certain because of life's inaccuracies and its lies.
First of all, admit it, we all have a tendency to lie. But I don't blame you. After hearing an average of between ten to two hundred lies every day, we have accepted that lying is a part of society. We test others and try to detect lies ourselves. Luckily, most of the lies we spread seem harmless, like how I sometimes lie to my parents about doing "homework" on the computer, or how I'm feeling if I have a bad day. However, my lies aren't as dangerous as to affect an entire population. Propaganda, for example, is the greatest liar in history. (Pause) Its main intention is to create rumours about the enemy while looking past solid evidence. Say, for instance, always on the news after North Korea launches a new missile, is a warning message for countries to make their defenses stronger. Sometimes it might not be obvious, just a small hint. However, estimations by the Federation of American Scientists show that North Korea has fewer than ten stockpiles. Compared to the United States' eight thousand five hundred, is it really likely that North Korea would start a war?
You might also lie by accident. I am sure that the majority of you have all tasted the torture of forgetfulness. Being absent-minded at times, I often, no, (pause) usually forget dates and times, and spread out the wrong information when asked about it. But it's not just my problem either. My parents' memories about their first dates and my childhood is pretty blurry. They also sometimes forget their lunches and equipment at home when they go to work. Elizabeth Loftus's Bugs Bunny experiment involved making false advertisements for Disney. It added Bugs Bunny, a Warner Brothers Character into the advertisements before asking the participants whether they could recall seeing Bugs Bunny on their visits to Disneyland. Around one third of the participants were positive they could recall the character in their visits. This shows how unreliable our memories are. With such a large percentage of the population mixing up their memories, how can there still be any certainty left for reality?
Lying because of biased views is also very common. You! (Point to a person, pause) Think about your obsession. (pause) Whether it'll be video games, food, or social media, something you feel strongly passionate about. Now let's say that I'm writing a new article opposing your obsession. It's highly likely you'll either disregard the article or back up your obsession with points with, so called "evidence". (Pause) Chances are that you'll even hate me, the writer, because of your views. (Pause) Festinger's theory is that, when we strongly believe in the evidence of something and when we feel that we are proven incorrect, we often make up other proof to support our answers because we are uncomfortable with admitting our mistakes. Just like propaganda. (Pause) This theory was tested in 1954, when some people claimed to have been contacted by aliens from a fictional planet, Clarion, who told them the world was going to end on the 21st of December. Many believers had left jobs, houses, and even their families, all because of their beliefs. After a failed apocalypse, the same people who claimed when the world was going to end also claimed that they were spared because of their firm beliefs, and even got a message thanking them for their dedication.
(Throws up hands in air) Who knows how many lies I've made in these past few minutes. I could be lying by accident because of inaccurate information, or because I am biased towards my speech on convincing you. (Pause) But it's also possible it's because my entire life is a lie, along with every one of you I am currently interacting with. The brain in the vat theory by Rene Descartes is a theory about what happens to your brain after death. (Pause) The theory goes that after death, your brain is still being kept running by a supercomputer which creates simulations mimicking reality. Until it finds someone who needs a new brain, every happy or hurting moment, might actually just be simulations by the supercomputer. Although this is only a theory, I can't prove I'm not a brain in a vat. I mean, just try to prove that you aren't. (pause) I can't because all of my senses are linked to the brain. Everything I'm seeing, could all be an illusion.
This theory also makes me wonder, if we can't even prove that we are alive, how can we prove that we are human. You guys have been told you are all human by other people, and all the information about your becoming is also recorded by other people. But how do we know we can trust those people. (Pause) People are constantly changing because the constant change of the environment. We already know that people can be affected by propaganda, inaccurate memories and biased views. We haven't even proved we aren't brains in vats, so how can we prove that anything, if not everything, is real?
YOU ARE READING
Speeches and Essays
Non-FictionJust fun speeches I do in my spare time or for competitions. Most of these are written hurriedly in an hour's time. Feel free to use them as your speeches so long as you change it up, though i doubt they will be super convincing.
