Toastmasters, Aristotle, and the Essential Art of Rhetoric

Toastmasters, Aristotle, and the Essential Art of Rhetoric

When John Bowe learned that his extremely reclusive cousin, who had lived for decades in his parents' basement, had moved out and gotten married at the age of fifty-nine, John was extremely surprised. What made him equally surprised was how his cousin had finally launched his life. It hadn't been meds or therapy. Instead, he had joined his local Toastmasters club.

Duly intrigued, John set off on his own Toastmasters journey, as he details in his book I Have Something to Say: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking in an Age of Disconnection. Today on the show, John shares how he discovered that the ethos of this nonprofit organization parallels the tradition of rhetoric espoused by the ancient Greeks, especially by Aristotle, and why the ability to speak, whether in the context of giving a formal speech or simply having a conversation, continues to be such an essential skill in the modern age. In my favorite part of the show, we discuss how our ideas of authentic speech can actually get in the way of expressing our authentic selves. We then turn to the techniques for better speaking that John learned from joining Toastmasters and how Toastmasters ultimately transformed his own life.

After the show is over, check out the show notes at aom.is/toastmasters

Resources Related to the PodcastConnect With John Bowe

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episoder(1157)

The Mystery of Courage

The Mystery of Courage

Courage is one of our most prized and celebrated virtues. But once you really start exploring it, the nature of courage is surprisingly hard to pin down.Here to help us explore the fascinating complic...

31 Mar 56min

The Mental Skills for Becoming an Everyday Genius

The Mental Skills for Becoming an Everyday Genius

We tend to think of genius as something you’re born with — a rare trait possessed by the Einsteins and Teslas of the world. But what if many of the abilities we associate with genius — a great memory,...

24 Mar 49min

The Hidden Power of Heat — How a Good Sweat Heals Your Body and Mind

The Hidden Power of Heat — How a Good Sweat Heals Your Body and Mind

Cold exposure has gotten a lot of attention the past few years, with people dunking themselves in ice baths for the sake of their health and well-being. But, good news here, exposing yourself to heat ...

17 Mar 47min

The Invisible Limits Holding You Back (And How to Change Them)

The Invisible Limits Holding You Back (And How to Change Them)

When we fail to make desired progress in life, most of us put the blame on physical and environmental limits. But my guest says that what's really holding people back is what's in their heads.Nir Eyal...

10 Mar 51min

The Power of a Purpose-Driven Life

The Power of a Purpose-Driven Life

When it comes to building a happy and meaningful life, most of us rely on a grab bag of strategies — habits and goals around work, relationships, and health. But my guest today would argue that in the...

3 Mar 53min

Born to Carry — How to Build Strength, Stamina, and Sanity Through Rucking

Born to Carry — How to Build Strength, Stamina, and Sanity Through Rucking

If you're looking for a way to improve your fitness, boost your mental health, and reconnect with a deeply human activity — all without going to the gym or pounding your knees on a daily run — then ru...

24 Feb 51min

How to Have the Conversations You’ve Been Avoiding

How to Have the Conversations You’ve Been Avoiding

The awkward silence at work when everyone knows a project is going off the rails.The simmering resentment in a marriage over an issue neither spouse will confront.The dysfunction in a church where cer...

17 Feb 48min

Ecclesiastes on Enjoying Our Weirdly Unsatisfying Lives

Ecclesiastes on Enjoying Our Weirdly Unsatisfying Lives

Of all the books in the Bible, Ecclesiastes is arguably the most philosophical. Dark, experiential, existential, and unsparingly honest about the human condition, it wrestles with work, money, ambitio...

10 Feb 55min

Populært innen Fakta

mikkels-paskenotter
fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
foreldreradet
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
treningspodden
jakt-og-fiskepodden
sinnsyn
rss-kunsten-a-leve
rss-bisarr-historie
rss-kull
gravid-uke-for-uke
hverdagspsyken
fryktlos
rss-var-forste-kaffe
level-up-med-anniken-binz
rss-impressions-2
hva-er-greia-med
hagespiren-podcast