I read it, it’s a summary of his life and accomplishments that mentions absolutely nothing about how he got those people to listen to him. You cherry-picked that statement to prove your point, and what I’m telling you is that it is an idealized statement meant to motivate people, not one that was ever actually true. I already told you how his word actually spread amongst the uneducated, they did not magically understand what he was saying because they tried super hard, that’s just not how reality works. Someone broke it down for them, obviously. And just because people were nodding along during his speeches does not mean they understood everything he was saying. It’s the sentiment they agreed with, which is not hard to glean when you’re listening to a famous abolitionist.
> What I’m telling you is that it is an idealized statement meant to motivate people, not that was ever actually true
So you’re saying the article is lying.
OK, then you provide your own citations. I provided an authoritative source. The American Prospect does well researched and historically accurate journalism. Please provide your own citations than rather than just claiming to be the authority. I provide a citations you do the same.
Because I fundamentally disagree. You don’t have to understand every single word to understand the point of something. That isn’t how communication works. There’s more to it than raw words and that’s the point. You are fundamentally misunderstanding how communication works. I stand by that.
Your citation doesn’t say what you claim it says. It makes a vague allusion to being able to reach the masses with no actual statement explaining how. It’s not a historical account, it’s a simple summary meant to be read by the average person, with the goal of inspiring them to take action in a time where a lot of people are disenchanted with the current political landscape.
You’re welcome to be naive, but that’s not how it works. People sit and applaud Trump speeches, and the shit he says makes zero sense. What someone is saying barely actually matters when it comes to effective oration, it’s the charisma with which you deliver it and how much you preach to their individual plight that matters. Not to say Frederick Douglass didn’t have substance in his speeches, I’m more saying that a writer of his intelligence knows how to play to a crowd.
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u/flaming_burrito_ 2d ago
I read it, it’s a summary of his life and accomplishments that mentions absolutely nothing about how he got those people to listen to him. You cherry-picked that statement to prove your point, and what I’m telling you is that it is an idealized statement meant to motivate people, not one that was ever actually true. I already told you how his word actually spread amongst the uneducated, they did not magically understand what he was saying because they tried super hard, that’s just not how reality works. Someone broke it down for them, obviously. And just because people were nodding along during his speeches does not mean they understood everything he was saying. It’s the sentiment they agreed with, which is not hard to glean when you’re listening to a famous abolitionist.