Speech-less

So yesterday I joined a speech competition in my university. It was my first speech competition (I consider debate as something entirely different because in debate you don't need to sound so well to get that 76 score) and despite the prize, I earned many good tips for public speaking. However, same old story, I spoke too fast and my gesture was too fiery such that it made the judges sort of said 'Whoa! Slow down' a lot (my imagination only though). So here are a few good tips that (yeeesss I know that I should've known these from debate but they simply didn't kick me hard enough T_T) I got from yesterday's competition:

1. The judges dun care about your advance words usage as much as your pace and dynamics.

2. Seriously, your goal is just to make them understand what you are saying.

3. Tone is HIGHLY important. You dun wanna sound like an old boring lecturer.

4. SLOW DOWN (arrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhh again??!??!!!??) 

Anyway, enough about the competition. I'm more interested in the process of building my speech.
Basically my major inspirations are Obama and Martin Luther King Jr.Why them? Cause they sort of represent the whole society that I was trying to defend in my speech. Marginalized society, people of no chance to learn, etc. My dream is to establish an organization that provides free education for unfortunate children. All my teaching experiences are dedicated for that particular goal in the future. Every time I think about how these children simply do not have anything (dun even think about education), my determination to attain that goal gets stronger.
So this is the speech:

The Last Freedom

Honorable judges, fellow Binusians, brothers and sisters.

I stand here in the name of a freedom. In the name of something that is indisputably desired by all mankind. Something that has liberated the human race throughout the ages from the aggression of inability to determine one’s own future. That something is knowledge. Knowledge is no longer a sacred word like in the past where intelligence was still elusive. We live in a different era where knowledge is essentially a reaffirmation of our profound humanity. Knowledge is now our identity. We delight in the fact that we are incessantly progressing in terms of capability to think. We are freed by education.  However so, we should mourn over the fact that knowledge per se is still exclusive to the scholars. Without doubt, our nation is invisibly divided into castes that truly hinder us from moving forward towards an enlightened and more knowledgeable nation. We cannot see this from occurring even further. We need to stop this. We need to change this. I believe the change must be started, and the change must be started by us.

But why knowledge? Why should we place ourselves in such a burdensome responsibility to diffuse the knowledge to the unlucky ones? 

The answer is absolute. I believe that the freedom to determine pathways to our own future is no longer decided by other nation’s pressure on us.  We are way past the colonialism era. We are far ahead the nation’s development period. What the nation is being demanded now, is to catch the last freedom: The freedom to understand.

Unfortunately, the beast of illiteracy that devours the spirit to move forward still resides within many of our brothers and sisters across the nation. The legacy was foul, hideously foul, indeed. Nevertheless, we are able to break those chains. And I strongly believe that what we need is knowledge. To be spread, to be instilled, to enrich minds of our fellow brothers and sisters in Indonesia. The knowledge is the answer to free them from the bond of illiteracy and false understandings. The knowledge would give them freedom. Freedom to understand, freedom to comprehend life’s intricacy and most importantly, freedom to follow their dreams. Acquiring knowledge is no longer about us; it is about them who suffer under the strain of indifference. It is our burden to gather more knowledge and digest it further to be transferred to them.

And why here, in Binus University Library and Knowledge Centre?

Within stacks and racks are scribbles from all over the world, contemplative writings from famous philosophers, theories from business practitioners from as low as a middle-aged manager aspired to move other young entrepreneurs with their mid-day thoughts until as high as CEOs of reputed companies from all over the world, strong views from numerous political leaders intended to instill courage in youngsters of new nations, and many more passionate collection of thoughts. Their words are now no longer beyond our reach. The compilation of the most beautiful part of human advancements is right here in Binus University Library and Knowledge Centre. Within a few steps, we may find a bountiful agglomeration of accomplishments for us to read and share further to our less fortunate brothers and sisters. The joy is unspeakable and it is such a true bliss for those who are able to delve into the library’s richness. 

The need to explore is already beyond selfish needs of individual bravado. The clock is ticking yet the amount of knowledge keeps growing. In no time, we will be left behind by the fast-paced cruelty of modernization. Every single one of us here is threatened by the same fear: The insufficiency of ourselves, underlined by the cry of the others who wish that we will take them with us towards the dim future. The pace is fast and we should definitely rush. The nation depends on those who believe in knowledge. 

Another reason for us to dig more into the abundance of knowledge in Binus University Library and Knowledge Centre is the continuous progress of ourselves. All of us here are the spur of Binus University. We strive to attain excellence here. We live day by day pursuing our dreams and aspirations here. Our moves and actions are the driver of Binus University. Yet our attempt to chase those noble desires would be futile without the richness of knowledge. And the immediate paradise to advance our minds with world’s greatest brain works is Binus Library and Knowledge Centre. 

The biggest enemy to curiosity is apathy. The above-mentioned progress of goodness might be put into a stationary condition once we think that building up our intelligent capacity is of no use. Our unwillingness to advance our paradigm will put a halt to our and other’s betterment. We do not desire such things to happen. We need to move forward.

Binus Library and Knowledge Centre is not a mere facility. It exists among us as an embodiment of the university’s attempt to demonstrate to us the importance and allure of knowledge, both for ourselves and for others who need it. It stands within the campus to embrace the longing of the individuals in Binus University to expand their viewpoints. And it is here to manifest the hopes and desires of the authors to share their knowledge to the world. To us. The library is here and our duty is to fully grasp its beauty. 

We are not alone in this world. We might be the central parts of God’s puzzle in the whole picture of mankind. We might be the main colors in the whole array of colors. We might be walking on this earth collecting parts within ourselves to build up our own picture within the collage. But our responsibility is clear. We must find back the missing pieces to complete the picture God has intended us to be: the ones without the knowledge.