A Time For Yelling

Gandalf matches Seneca's timeless advice on communication

“What view is one likely to take of the state of a person’s mind when his speech is wild and incoherent and knows no restraint?” The Roman known as Seneca asked this question sometime around the year 50 AD in a collection of letters now published as Letters From A Stoic. It’s possible I like this book more than Stoicism’s seminal text, Meditations. It’s very practical. Seneca was a lawyer, senator, political advisor and philosopher, and his letters are chock full of very strong takes on matters such as public speaking and how to be persuasive.

As a participant in political discourse, both as a commentator and as a candidate for office, Seneca’s advice on communication is something I take seriously. You should too!

In Letter XL, Seneca guides us on everything from the speed and volume of our speech, to the simplicity of the words we choose.

“Nothing can be well-regulated if it is done in a breakneck hurry” (bad news for Ben Shapiro)

“Language which devotes its attention to truth ought to be plain and unadorned.” (Here’s great political slogan that comes from a much more wordy and drawn out concept)

“The other extreme of thinness and poverty means less attentiveness on the part of the listener as he becomes tired of the slowness with all its interruptions.” (Bueller? Bueller?)

In plain terms, Seneca is saying in this last quote to speak with peaks and valleys. Pick up speed and speak with a rhythm, and then slow down at strategic points in your message.

Although I still have much to learn, I do work as a public speaking coach for hire. When I train speakers, this is lesson number one: Variation in your speed.

It keeps the audience engaged. If you talk fast and then slow down, people want to know why. They assume you’re making an important point. It’s like verbally whipping out a yellow highlighter and emphasizing a few words in your speech. Trust me, it makes people listen if they had started to zone out.

I’ll wrap things up with a great moment in communication from The Lord of the Rings. The wizard Gandalf is trying to get his friend, Bilbo Baggins, to relinquish the Ring of Power to him for safe keeping. Bilbo is in the grips of the Ring’s influence, and is starting to become angry and vicious. Bilbo is talking faster and more erratically. Gandalf at first tries to keep up, interrupt softly and with concern. Then he changes strategy.

Gandalf raises his voice. Quite loudly. In Tolkien’s book it’s even more clear that Gandalf employs some kind of magic to enlarge his appearance and fill the air with almost static electricity. He shocks Bilbo out of his paranoid rant.

The movie dialogue from the Peter Jackson movie is more straight forward than what Gandalf says in the book.

“BIBLO BAGGINS!!!! DO NOT TAKE ME FOR SOME CONJURER OF CHEAP TRICKS. I AM NOT TRYING TO ROB YOU…..I’m trying to help you.”

Bilbo runs into Gandalf’s arms for comfort and help. The Ring has overtaken his mind, and he knows it. Gandalf does not go around yelling at people. He speaks very softly almost all of the time. So when he raises his voice, people listen.

You’ve probably known someone, a parent or teacher or politician, who is always barking and being loud. It’s fascinating. Even in their shouting, it can become like white noise, a static that you barely hear at all.

Variation in speech is key for making your point and having ears attuned to what you are saying.

Be in control. Speaking with great intention is a virtue to Seneca and the Stoics, and it certainly was to Gandalf the Grey. Practice it this week.

After all, Seneca does conclude this letter by saying, “One needs constant daily practice for it.”

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ICYMI here is the new episode of the Geeky Stoics Podcast where we talk about Star Wars: The Acolyte

and if you wanna go a layer deeper on Star Wars you simply must watch this video essay by Riley Blanton of Geeky Stoics