Precisely what cheesy means is an important consideration for a motivational speaker. It is freely used in contemporary parlance and explanations of what it means are equally free. Some people claim it as an American expression and others think it is part of 'Geek speak'. In fact it is listed in a dictionary published in 1982, before computer jargon was common, as meaning artificial and sincere and probably derived from the artificial grimaces produced for cameras.
There is something paradoxical about cheese. It is tasty and nutritious, yet bad and smelly milk is enough to disgust some people who cheerfully eat insects. Similarly, a motivational speech has an element of paradox about it. It should be inspiring but can contain an element of cunning manipulation, as for example when a speaker is convincing but concerned primarily with the fat fee that will come his way at the end of his talk. It is possible that a whiff of insincerity will creep into the minds of critical listeners.
The fact that this expression has been growing in use for two decades might be a warning sign for public speakers. Although a speech may seem like a one way communicative act, it is not. Am audience may be silent but attentive and judgmental. Their mental activity may be be focused on judging the sincerity and sense of what they hear and process internally.
The word cheesy may itself have become something of a cliche. It has been heard often before and sounds rather clever. It fits easily into the speech patterns of people who do not have to think too closely about what they mean when they use it. The fact that it is derogatory in some general sense is sufficient for many.
The speech of many politicians and some journalists is so riddled with cliches that the doubt arises whether they have given any thought to what they are saying. Language is very largely a matter of sound, like music. Just as people repeat the rhymes and the lyrics of songs without paying too much attention to meaning, so speakers repeat words and phrases because the sounds satisfy, rather than because they mean much.
People do not always recognize a cliche for what it is. They may use a phrase that seems fresh without knowing that it was thought up by Shakespeare five hundred years ago. Without learning a speech by rote an orator can prepare to use specific metaphors or analogies. These will add freshness to his delivery, even if the odd cliche does sneak in.
Another word for cheesy is pretentious. A speaker may guard against insincerity by thinking carefully, in advance, about what it really is that he wants to say. Most people are motivated by needs of one sort or another. Very often they may need to feel secure, or good about themselves. A speaker may play on these needs without being insincere.
In classical times rhetoric was included as a compulsory subject in school curricula. This was because it is such a potent skill. A motivational speaker like Adolf Hitler or Winston Churchill stood on opposite sides of a chasm, but motivated their countrymen to outrageous courses of action. It is possible that mass communication systems have taught audiences to be more critical and alert to insincerity, banality and pretense. That may put pressure on charlatans but will be good for humanity.
There is something paradoxical about cheese. It is tasty and nutritious, yet bad and smelly milk is enough to disgust some people who cheerfully eat insects. Similarly, a motivational speech has an element of paradox about it. It should be inspiring but can contain an element of cunning manipulation, as for example when a speaker is convincing but concerned primarily with the fat fee that will come his way at the end of his talk. It is possible that a whiff of insincerity will creep into the minds of critical listeners.
The fact that this expression has been growing in use for two decades might be a warning sign for public speakers. Although a speech may seem like a one way communicative act, it is not. Am audience may be silent but attentive and judgmental. Their mental activity may be be focused on judging the sincerity and sense of what they hear and process internally.
The word cheesy may itself have become something of a cliche. It has been heard often before and sounds rather clever. It fits easily into the speech patterns of people who do not have to think too closely about what they mean when they use it. The fact that it is derogatory in some general sense is sufficient for many.
The speech of many politicians and some journalists is so riddled with cliches that the doubt arises whether they have given any thought to what they are saying. Language is very largely a matter of sound, like music. Just as people repeat the rhymes and the lyrics of songs without paying too much attention to meaning, so speakers repeat words and phrases because the sounds satisfy, rather than because they mean much.
People do not always recognize a cliche for what it is. They may use a phrase that seems fresh without knowing that it was thought up by Shakespeare five hundred years ago. Without learning a speech by rote an orator can prepare to use specific metaphors or analogies. These will add freshness to his delivery, even if the odd cliche does sneak in.
Another word for cheesy is pretentious. A speaker may guard against insincerity by thinking carefully, in advance, about what it really is that he wants to say. Most people are motivated by needs of one sort or another. Very often they may need to feel secure, or good about themselves. A speaker may play on these needs without being insincere.
In classical times rhetoric was included as a compulsory subject in school curricula. This was because it is such a potent skill. A motivational speaker like Adolf Hitler or Winston Churchill stood on opposite sides of a chasm, but motivated their countrymen to outrageous courses of action. It is possible that mass communication systems have taught audiences to be more critical and alert to insincerity, banality and pretense. That may put pressure on charlatans but will be good for humanity.
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