Danny Cronyn.
The following persuasive piece will be written in the form of a speech to be presented at a school assembly. Addressing the prompt - we conform to stereotypes and expectations far more than we think - this speech will investigate the colossal impact that societal expectations and stereotypical norms have on a person’s identity and show the true extent to which we subconsciously conform to them. My speech contends that we simply accept what the majority and masses do as ‘the norm’ and conform to said norm without even thinking twice about it and that in doing this, we limit our ability to be individuals.
The purpose of my speech is to illustrate how conforming to stereotypes and societal expectations can have a homogenising effect on identity and restrict our capacity to be individuals. I wish to show to my audience how the innate human need to belong is so strong that we subconsciously conform in order to feel a sense of connection and how external factors such as societal norms, stereotypes, rituals and traditions can be defining factors of our identities, even if we do not realise just how much. This will be done through using examples of these factors to which we intuitively conform, such as being clothed, getting presents on Christmas, girls shaving their legs and not picking our nose or farting in public. These examples of things to which we conform to without questioning will display to the audience the magnitude of influence that stereotypes and expectations have on our identity.
Writing in the form of a persuasive speech was the best method of communicating my purpose and contention (that we simply accept what the majority and masses do as ‘the norm’ and conform to said norm without even thinking twice about it and that in doing this, we limit our ability to be individuals) to the audience as I am able to use expressive skills such as voice and facial gesture to strengthen and support my arguments and am also