Today’s quote about public speaking

Publius Terentius Afer said:  “In fact, nothing is said that has not been said before.”

Hmmm.  Have we learnt nothing new to communicate?

Or is communication more about what is of relevance in the new things we learn?  I would like to think that we are continually learning new things as a species.

And yet our basic conditions of existence and operation tend to remain the same.  And yes, we tend to say the same things about them.  The successful public speaker is the one who can put a new spotlight on things, find new words …  and ways of saying …. those old things so that we are reminded of them, how they operate, and how we can look at them in a better light… and use them to be better at this existence and this operation.

So, Publius Terentius Afer, I would like to think that you are wrong in some ways.  But thank you for the reminder that our creativity is just so vital if we are to create new speeches and presentations.