Thoth, the Persuasive Speaker
Anyone with even a passing interest in Ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses knows
that Thoth is the Ultimate Intellectual. He is responsible for the creation of writing,
laws, and medicine, and he is linked to the creation of the calendar. In one
cosmogony, he is said to have created himself.The ibis-headed god of writing,
medicine, laws is also the god of persuasive speaking.
Why do we need persuasive speech?
After all, we have Persuasive Pictures. Turn on the news and you don’t really get
news: you get weather, traffic, sports, politics, and how many people got murdered
yesterday. You get clips from important speeches and interviews, delicately plucked at
the moment of peak ripeness to fuel editorials from the talking heads–the pundits and
their kin–who, with practiced gravitas, do their best to convince you and hundreds of
thousands of other viewers that This is the Truth, the Way It Is, Really.
In writing this particular blog I looked at the deep division in our society and asked
myself, “Is persuasive speech even worth pursuing right now? Who’s going to
listen? Why bring this aspect of Thoth up at all?”
The answer: for the same reason that your English teacher tried to pound the
importance of making a persuasive argument in the first place. You might need it
during an interview, pitching a new project to your boss, making a bid for a huge
contract, or trying to get your spouse to let you buy that huge TV you’ve been
wanting.
Our government leaders must be able to make such speeches. They must be able to
convince other the leaders of other countries, our own Congress and Senate, and us
that what they are doing is right for our country and the world.
Now to the creative visualization portion of this blog:
Envision the person or persons who need to make their best argument during stressful
times. Now gentle, graceful ibis-headed Thoth enters your line of sight. He places his
hand on the shoulder of the person needing the assistance: if it’s you, imagine the
weight of his hand. He breathes the fire of inspiration and strength of conviction into
them–into you. Imagine him with you–with them–as you make your argument, pitch
your project, or with the President speaks to other world leaders on issues that will
impact us all. His presence is very calming: you will remember everything you need to
remember and your speech will be steady and strong.
“You don’t have to believe, just follow directions.”
–the Witch Doctor “True Stories”