Persuasive Headlee Speech Analysis

Celeste Headlee’s main point of the speech was to make a point to be open and empathetic, and it showed right off the bat. Headlee’s hands were the first thing I noticed; when people talk with their hands it’s usually a sign of trying to understand a person or a person’s viewpoint. Unlike most, Headlee’s hands were very gentle and most of the time close to her body also known as a sign of endearment and empathy. Her face was noticed next, most of the time when her hands seized to move, her face gave of a warm nature; one that was inviting and something she hadn’t quite practiced, but she naturally did as a sign of comfortably. Her topic was executed with flawless grace and a hint of humor. She used many humorous photos to soften up what is widely known as a harsh topic. Politics are not what I personally get into due to the very reason she was speaking about – people are defensive of their viewpoints and with their viewpoints become the Backfire Effect, which she had mentioned. To simply put, the backfire effect is to tell another of their opinion and when their opinion of the statement does not match theirs it

The “golden rule” for Islamic, Hinduism, and Pema, a Native American religion, follows the same guidelines as the “golden rule” everyone knows. These include what one would express as empathy. Per University of Michigan, empathy has decreased 40% in recent years. Psychologists are calling this a “narcissistic epidemic.” Whereas scientists have found ways to help said epidemic to which include reading a novel, playing in a band, and volunteering time to help others. The biggest way to increase empathy, scientists say, is to listen to strangers; to learn their lives, what the love or fear and how to get over life’s obstacles. Headlee stated that we “can talk to people that fundamentally disagree with us and without