The Greatest

I always wondered what it would be like to see some of the most famous speeches in our time. I got into a conversation about the greatest orator of all time. We both picked one from the same generation, JFK and MLK. Obviously amazing speakers. It then proceeded into a debate about who is better, JFK or MLK. We eventually decided on differences were the parts that made them great.

The conversation didn't end there for me, as I brought this subject back up with another group of people this morning and the conversation took a different turn. How do you judge something like this? When you say all-time, do you mean all-time? I was really only thinking of people I have heard. It never occurred to me to think of figures such as Jesus Christ, Moses, Abraham Lincoln, Aristole, Julius Ceasar, just to name a few that came up. That is a whole other ball game. It also got me thinking about some of the great public speakers that are never noticed for their greatness based on what they created, like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. Are they discredited based on their actions?

So I have spent some time today, listening to some of the "great" speeches of the modern era (whatever I could get audio for). I have to limit myself to this based on limitations of making a qualified judgment. These clips included the following: JFK, MLK, Winston Churchill, FDR, Maya Angelou, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Malcolm X. These are just a few but are a group that some look at as the greatest. Are they? Absolutely.

Who is the best? Almost impossible to say, but if you go off one speech and one alone, the answer is clear, Martin Luther King Jr. There is no doubt that his "I have a dream" speech, is one of the single most inspirational pieces of our time. The power, the belief, the message, it all comes together in this moment in time. Add in the cultural significance of the speech and he wins. This differs from my preference in the original "greatest" conversation. I said JFK, and I may still believe that in a whole body of work way, but MLK dominated this moment.

It is not lost on me that the top two for me are people from an era of great social change. The people are the ones that give power to speeches and those in power. So, to even be considered among the elite in this category, you have to have something to say to the people. There has to be a reason for them to believe you. That is just the substance, but delivery matters just as much, you have to have presence.

I love speeches and everything they bring to a world. These are real moments in time. I envy every single person who saw MLK in front of the Lincoln Memorial, JFK at the Capital building, FDR in congress, and many others. These moments were powerful. One day, President Obama's inauguration may be looked at in the same light. These are the ones that have stood the test of time in many peoples eyes. Even today the messages of these wonderful people still have an impact. They matter today.

It may be impossible to quantify the greatest orator of all time. Everyone has their day and their moment. MLK is just the winner today.