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TED Talks diffuse ideas. They try to educate the global community on a variety of topics and establish changes in attitudes, lives, and the world. This is the exact purpose of Mikhail Zygar’s TED Talk, “What the Russian Revolution Would Have Looked Like on Social Media.” Zygar argues that anyone can change history. He draws on his own experiences in his home country of Russia to show the public’s false perception that only famous figures matter in history. By drawing personal connections and applying historical facts to relate with modern-day society, Zygar makes a compelling argument that achieves TEDs’ goal– spreading a new idea to reshape the world.

The overall theme of Zygar’s talk is simple: every person can make a difference. He begins his talk with inference about his fellow Russian citizens. Zygar points out that the Russian people have this perception that their country could never become democratic. This perception is based on the stereotype that history is written by the winner. Only influential leaders matter. This “predetermined” look of history leads many to believe they have no relevance. To debunk this ideology, Zygar formulated a new, modern approach with a vague question of how Facebook would have affected the Russian Revolution. He created Project 1917. This website mimics a social platform like Facebook but uses diary entries and other historical documents from the Russian Revolution. The outcome of this experiment proves that public opinion motivates history rather than political leaders. This shows that Russia still has the potential to be a democratic country.

Zygar is not presenting a speech. He is simply holding a conversation with his audience. This natural approach leads to a positive and influential atmosphere. By having a personal connection with his audience, Zygar develops a very powerful argument. He uses techniques like strong eye contact, effective gestures, and vocal inflection to build a strong presence on the stage. This largely affected his success in expanding his audiences’ knowledge. My personal knowledge of the Russian Revolution was expanded in a way I did not expect. I thought I would hear about the actual historical events. Instead, I learned the unknown history. For example, Russia was the first country to abolish the death penalty. They were also one of the first to grant women the right to vote. These accomplishments were due entirely to the people. After listening to this TED Talk, I am convinced that ordinary people can influence history.

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In Season 2, Episode 17 of The Office, main character Dwight K. Schrute delivers a moving speech at a paper sales convention. His exceptional delivery, organization, and persuasive appeals made his speech effective.

Early on in the episode, it is discovered that Dwight K. Schrute has an overwhelming fear of public speaking. His coworker, Jim Halpert, helps Shrute overcome these fears by giving him some simple tips. Little does Schrute know, these tips come straight from a speech made by the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini. During his speech, Schrute uses extreme hand gestures to communicate his passion to the audience. By banging his fists on the table, he can engage the audience to listen and understand his intense speech. Schrute also uses various vocal techniques to gain the attention of his audience. There is a significant amount of vocal inflection during the majority of his speech. The powerful, commanding tone of his voice showcases how emotional his speech is. The use of pauses and the increase of vocal volume also helps with the effectiveness of his speech. Despite a lack of strong eye contact, Schrute manages to receive a standing ovation by the end of his speech, proving that he has properly impassioned a formerly disinterested audience of salesmen and women.

The organization of Schrutes speech starts with the startling cry of how blood moves the wheels of history. This outlandish remark works well as an introduction because it gains interest from the audience. Schrute then moves on to ask a series of questions throughout the speech, questions that further the presentation of his argument. He ties this subtle interrogation to a chronological format; tying each remark to periods throughout a person’s life. Schrute then ends with a call to action. This is a characteristic of all great speeches. By successfully calling his audience to act on the issue he is presenting, Schrute proves the effectiveness of his speaking abilities.

Dwight Schrute’s speech utilizes persuasive techniques. An appeal to pathos is present through the majority of the presentation. Schrute speaks with emotions. His dramatic vocabulary and metaphors signify his emotional response to his topic. Schrute makes many references to a “neverending fight” that paper salesmen encounter in their industry. He passionately commands his audience to join arms because “together they will prevail.” By comparing the salesmen’s labor rights to the “motherland”, Schrute invokes a feeling of unity amongst his audience. This emotional response shows the usage of Pathos.

Overall, Dwight Schrute’s speech was extremely effective. Schrute’s amazing delivery, organization and effective use of persuasive appeals engage his audience to respond to the call of action he presents in his speech. Schrute was able to unite a divided conference of salesmen and create an atmosphere that promoted comradery.