The emphasis on spoken communication today is ironically remarkable, especially considering that we live in a world that does not like to listen. The expectations are set high; one must “speak” to be able to survive, let alone climb the ladder to success. No resume, college degree, or well-written essay can hold a candle to a verbal interview, a one-minute elevator pitch, or even just a good old-fashioned presentation. You must be able to communicate, or rather, speak in clear, concise terms regardless of your true experience or skill to even have a fighting chance.

It is easy to judge if someone is the right fit based on their ability to summarize their strengths and achievements in less than two minutes. It is similar to a bulleted list that highlights the main ideas instead of unnecessary fluff often found in long paragraphs. When you consider the ease of access, why wouldn’t one pick spoken communication over the written word? Verbal speech always seems more persuasive than words on paper anyway. With the right tone, perfect modulations, and well-placed non-verbal cues, you could floor anyone into giving you what you want.

However, is such heavy reliance on the skill of spoken communication as a miraculous indicator of extraordinary proficiency inclusive?

All individuals are subjected to the societal expectation of spoken communication and doing it well. There is no mercy for those who fail to live up to this unrealistic standard. But, what makes a convincing argument written on paper less worthwhile than presenting it orally? Is it truly necessary to construct a world where every individual must be capable of portraying their skill and intelligence in speech more so than in writing? Must we exclude perfectly capable alternative forms of communication in favor of the time-effective spontaneity of verbal speech, especially at the cost of turning a blind eye to experience, intelligence, and creativity that are better expressed through other mediums?

Spoken communication is a skill to be cultivated. It is not something that magically appears out of nowhere. You don’t go to sleep an inarticulate infant and miraculously wake up the next day an eloquent orator. Even people who are born articulate or have environments conducive to fluent speech must hone their skills frequently to progress in life. How many of us truly have the chance to cultivate these skills? How does one even get the chance to become better at speaking well when they may be shot down at every turn for being wrong or daring to have a different opinion?

The world is cruel; it silences you as a child and expects eloquence the day you turn eighteen. Truly, you are a meek amateur in front of a large audience of renowned speakers, holding a microphone that was thrust into your hands out of nowhere. The true comedy is that once you build up the courage to speak, you realize the mic had no batteries all along.

The world is cruel. It fools you with the promise of acknowledging your voice and later steals your words; it gives you a mic but takes away the batteries. So, here are my two cents: don’t minimize yourself to a bulleted list with a pretty voice; you are worthy of a five-hundred-page novel in a series of seven books, if not more.