Idea for a funny persuasive speech?

Question

I desperately need an idea for a persuasive speech, but I don't want it to be the same old boring gun control, abortion, health care, marijuana, etc. topics. Who REALLY wants to listen to more of that?

I need something funny.

There are plenty of things that I'm sure I could do that are out of the norm, but I also need to be able to cite some credible sources. This is my main problem.

Does anybody have ideas for a funny persuasive speech that I may actually be able to find some sources for?

Answer 1

Check out Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal. In it he satyrically proposes that the rich eat the poor as meat as a means of pointing out the contempt the rich have for the poor. It's a classic.

You could do something like this, propose an absolute extreme of the opposite of your position. It's both funny and thought-provoking.

An easier approach is to not pick a controversial topic. Unless it's your assignment, persuasive speeches don't have to be controversial. Encouraging women to get breast exams or men to get prostate exams, for people to adopt some healthy lifestyle, to discourage people from getting on fad diets, to raise the speed limit and/or more strictly enforce it. When you pick a controversial topic, you have almost no chance of persuading. People have made up their minds. Pick something that people might not already have an entrenched opinion on. You're more likely to persuade.

If you really care about a controversial topic, argue one of the outlying issues. Don't take on abortion, argue partial birth abortion. Don't argue stem-cell research, argue government funding of stem-cell research.

It's really hard to be funny and persuasive at the same time, but it's possible as long as the topic is not nonsensical. Remember, your audience has to be somewhat interested. They don't care what position they should take on flying monkeys stealing bananas in the congo. But you might amuse if you present a normal topic with some good-natured humor.

I suspect you're looking for funny because you don't want to ruffle feathers. I hope these comments have given you some idea on how you can accomplish that.

Answer 2

Here are many basic topics:
http://home.earthlink.net/~jhholly/persuasive.html

To make the speech funny, you might argue for the side you DISAGREE with, but write satirically, with ridiculous arguments.

For example, you could argue for school uniforms, and give as a reason that wearing a white shirt and tie is good training for a career in the Geek Squad.

If this or any other answer to your question helps you resolve this issue, please select a "best answer." This motivates people to help you and rewards their research in your behalf.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 3

you prefer baseball? speak approximately how there must be a income cap purpose the yankees purchase all their gamers. you prefer song? speak approximately how pop artists are so unoriginal and skillability must be had to be popular and wealthy now not false voices. something you prefer, do a subject matter on that.