Chapter 48 persuade the audience to be respectful

"If you say to me: 'Let's sit down and talk. If people don't agree, let's understand each other's reasons and what's wrong.' We immediately feel that there is no distance from each other, that we have very little difference, and that we have something in common. There are a lot of points. And we will find that as long as we have patience, sincerity, and hope to communicate with each other, we will eventually communicate." "Human individuality demands love as well as respect," Dr. Norman Vincent Peale said of professional comedians. "Everyone has an inherent sense of worth, importance, and dignity. To hurt it, You lose that person forever. So when you love a person and honor a person, you build him up, and he loves and honors you in the same way.

"Once I was on the same show as an artist. I was not very familiar with him, but after that meeting, I had difficulty understanding him from newspapers and magazines, and I think I understand why. "I sat quietly next to him and it was almost time for me to speak. "'You don't seem nervous?' he asked. "'Ah, no, of course I would,' I said, 'I'm always a little bit nervous before I stand up in front of an audience. I respect the audience, and that sense of responsibility makes me a little nervous. Don't you? ' "'No,' he said, 'why be nervous? The audience will take it all, they're addicted to opium.'

"'I cannot agree,' I said, 'they are your supreme judges, and I have the utmost respect for the audience.'" When he read about the man's decline in popularity, Dr. It is an attitude that is hostile to people, not an attitude that wins hearts and minds.This is a real lesson in objectivity for those of us who want to give something to others.An atheist challenged William Barrie to prove his claims of atheism wrong.Barry took out the watch very peacefully, opened the watch box and said: "If I tell you that these small rods, small wheels, and springs are made by themselves, and then put together, and start to rotate, you are Don't you want to doubt my intelligence? Of course you will. But look up at the stars. Each of them has its own perfect and specific orbit and movement - the earth and the planets revolve around the sun, led by the sun at 160 degrees every day Each of those stars is another sun, each leading its own world, running forward in space like our solar system, but without worrying about collision, interference or confusion, everything is quiet and effective , and under control. Such phenomena, do you believe they happened by themselves, or did someone make it so?"

What if he started by retorting, "There's no God? Stop being an ass, you don't know what you're talking about." What would happen?It must have caused a war of words, which is not beneficial at all.The atheist may fly into a fit of rage and fight for his opinion like an enraged lynx.Because, as Dr. Overstraw had said, they were excluding him, his precious and indispensable self-respect was threatened, his pride was at stake, and he was going to fight it out. Since pride is a basic and easily ignited characteristic of human nature, isn't it wise to let a person's pride work for us rather than against it?how to do itShow it to our opponent in the way of Barry, let him feel that what we propose is actually very similar to something he already believes, so that he will be easy to accept and not reject us thousands of miles away, Avoid the breeding of contrary or opposing ideas in his mind to spoil our speech.

Barry was careful to show respect for people, yet most people lack the ability to join hands with one person and enter the citadel of the other's faith.They mistakenly believed that the only way to capture a castle was to bombard it and raze it to the ground.What will happen?Once the hostility arises, the drawbridge is immediately retracted, the gates are closed, and the archers in armor draw their longbows—the bloody battle begins.And after fighting bravely and fiercely, it always ends in a tie, because neither party can persuade the other a little bit. The method I'm recommending now is actually not new, having been adopted very early by Saint Paul.He used it in his famous speech to the Athenians on Mount Es - and so skillfully that we still marvel, even after 19 centuries!He received a full education, converted to Christ, and by virtue of his passionate eloquence, became a leading advocate of Christianity.He came to Athens—the Athens after Pericles, the Athens that has passed the glorious peak, and the Athens that has fallen. The "Bible" records: "All the Athenians and the foreigners living in this place spend all their time on rumors and inquiring about new things."

There were no radios, no telegrams, and no newsletters. During these days, Athenians always caught something new to talk about every afternoon.It was at this time that Paul came, and there was something new!They huddled around Paul, amused, curious and excited.They brought him to Aeropegos, and said to him: "May we know what you mean by the new doctrine? For you have brought something fresh to our ears, and we want to know what it means. " They are inviting him to speak.Paul readily agreed.That's why he came here.Probably standing on the auction stage or a stone, like all speakers, I was a little nervous at the beginning, maybe I rubbed my hands a few times, and cleared my throat before speaking.

Paul, however, couldn't quite agree with their wording: "new doctrine . . . novelty," which is scary stuff.These concepts must be discarded cleanly, or they will become fertile ground for the propaganda of opposing views.He didn't want to present his beliefs as something new and weird.Only by connecting or comparing one's own beliefs with the facts that the Athenians already believed could one avoid dissent.But how to start?He thought for a while, came up with a good plan, and then began his immortal speech: "You people of Athens, I know that you are very superstitious about everything."

Some translations read: "You are very religious." I think that is better and more accurate.The Athenians believed in many gods and were very passionate and pious, and they were proud of it.Compliment them first, let them like them, and they will feel kind to him.There is also a rule in speeches to support arguments with examples, and Paul does just that: "When I passed by here, I discovered your piety. I saw an altar with the inscription 'Dedicated to an unknown god'." You see, it's a testament to their piety.They were terrified of neglecting any of the gods and building altars to unknown gods.It's a bit like multi-item insurance, covering all unnoticed oversights and inadvertent omissions.In mentioning this particular altar, Paul pointed out that he was not flattering, but that his comment was a genuine observation and admiration.

This would allow for a fitting opening: "God whom you know nothing but worship, I will proclaim to you." "New teachings . . . novelty?" Not a word.He was just explaining some facts about a god they believed in but didn't know yet.You see, Paul connects what they don't believe with what they've embraced with fervor—that's his great skill. He preaches his own doctrines of redemption and resurrection, quoting some verses from one of the Greeks' own poets, and there he ends.Some laughed at him, but others said, "We still want to hear what you have to say."

Our problem in persuading impressive speeches is simply this: If we try to get our ideas into the minds of our audience, we will only breed opposite or opposing ideas.People who are good at this way speak with infinite charm and deeply influence others.This is where the rules from my other book can come in handy. Almost every day in your life, you may encounter people who disagree with you.Don't you constantly need to win hearts and minds at home, in the office, and in all kinds of social situations, to make them think like you?Think about your method, is there any room for improvement?how do you startWas the wisdom of Lincoln and Macmillan used?If the answer is yes, you are really a rare diplomatic talent, a master of careful thought.Remember the words of Woodrow Wilson:

"If you say to me: 'Let's sit down and talk. If people don't agree, let's understand each other's reasons and what's wrong.' We immediately feel that there is no distance from each other. There are many points to point out. And we will find that as long as we have patience, sincerity, and hope to communicate with each other, we will eventually communicate.