We might marry the high-minded formality of Washington to the energetic and clever pointedness of Lincoln. We might merge the friendly and informal mode of plain speaking, where motivating the audience in simple words was key, to simple but moving personal testimonials of the kind given by Chief Logan and Sojourner Truth. Clearly, ethical, social, and cultural traditions of the past can lead us to better public speaking in the present. As a speaker in the diffuse and changing circumstances of postmodern America, you should be aim to marshal as many resources from as many sources as possible. In fact, if you reflect on the matter, you already have begun to do so.
People have many ways to draw upon the ancient and modern legacy of rhetoric.
Families are often the site where cultural practices are passed down in living form. Home-bound practices as simple as dinner conversations, telephone calls, and writing letters may already have provided you with basic resources for public speech. Further, your ability to draw upon rhetorical resources may be strengthened by your wider social experience. Principles of clear and critical thinking are encouraged in our formal educational system. Your personal understanding of how to communicate in public may be honed by your background and work in community organizations.