General Discussion

TwilightZone

(28,833 posts)

33. 7th or 8th grade is pretty much the consensus.

Thu Nov 7, 2024, 09:33 PM

Thursday

When speaking to a general or "average" audience, professionals in the public speaking world usually recommend 7th to 8th.

It's not a coincidence that her campaign was aiming for that level.

The funny thing is that when I went through some focus-group stuff for a corporation some 30 years ago, the recommended target was 10th. Well, not so funny, and not that surprising that the level has dropped.

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And ANOTHER reason we Democrats lost and will continue to lose [View all] AverageOldGuy Thursday OP

There is zero chance any legacy media gets a nano second of my time. onecaliberal Thursday #1

Are people really that stupid? If so God help us. n/t totodeinhere Thursday #2

The answer is yes. Elessar Zappa Thursday #4

That's a interesting point about the average IQ. BlueKota Thursday #56

speaking as a teacher NJCher Thursday #85

Wow that's bad BlueKota Thursday #92

the super is heading it up but NJCher Thursday #93

average IQ of a liberal is 106, while the average IQ of a conservative is 95. Meadowoak Thursday #59

wow......you really didn't know??.... Nimble_Idea Thursday #15

nice insult!!!!!!!!!!! newdayneeded Friday #139

This message was self-deleted by its author newdayneeded Friday #140

All I know is that my IQ is higher than the average - 100 IQ is the average or mean. kerry-is-my-prez Thursday #29

You'd be wrong Fiendish Thingy Thursday #51

I do wonder how much is education or lack thereof white_wolf Thursday #52

There is, and always has been, a very strong strain of anti-intellectualism niyad Thursday #69

I am 127 BlueKota Thursday #86

"IQ" is a sloppy and almost GenThePerservering Saturday #162

Yes.They.Are. Sailingdiver Thursday #39

Belated happy 12th DUnniversary to you. niyad Thursday #68

Yes and yes. You need to understand that large segments of our Polly Hennessey Thursday #78

You don't have to be stupid not to know those words LeftInTX Thursday #88

***YES !!!*** When you're born on 1.5 base you don't have to be smart !! uponit7771 Friday #154

No, it's more about ignorance than stupidity. whathehell Friday #155

I guess tRump knew what he was doing wearing ill-fitting marybourg Thursday #3

Oh, he knows his audience like nobody does. TwilightZone Thursday #21

That's what con-men excel at. marybourg Thursday #23

He actually uses the same methods as a cult leader. kerry-is-my-prez Thursday #41

Slight correction. It was a book of hitler's speeches, not "Mein Kampf". niyad Thursday #71

You bring up a point that I've often wondered about. Abolishinist Thursday #49

Remember George W. Bush and his appeal? kerry-is-my-prez Thursday #30

I think he really marybourg Thursday #38

"Democrats speak like college professors and lawyers, not like real people." J_William_Ryan Thursday #5

Good god Rebl2 Thursday #6

That's the message I'm getting. TwilightZone Thursday #11

I don't think it's meant to be taken that way Sympthsical Friday #125

or keep saying the same thing every 2 or 4 years. Nimble_Idea Thursday #19

No, just use simpler language Qutzupalotl Thursday #26

Clinton was a master at communicating with the voters. kerry-is-my-prez Thursday #44

Yes he was. We should talk like Clinton Qutzupalotl Thursday #48

Because he grew up with them in Arkansas Blue_Roses Friday #122

"College professors and lawyers" are real people. Liberal In Texas Thursday #28

Thank you snowybirdie Friday #132

You can't discern ANY space for simpler language TheKentuckian Thursday #50

Bravo! bovine6 Thursday #82

love being told the educated are not REAL PEOPLE Skittles Thursday #80

They aren't the only real people. comradebillyboy Friday #156

LOL Skittles Friday #159

Kamala's campaign was geared to a junior high educational level. Irish_Dem Thursday #7

I got the same impression. TwilightZone Thursday #14

I am a PhD and it was not aimed at me. Irish_Dem Thursday #24

7th or 8th grade is pretty much the consensus. TwilightZone Thursday #33

The level dropped even lower I think in terms of entertainment. Irish_Dem Thursday #46

I have to wonder how much of that is long COVID, Qutzupalotl Thursday #53

I noticed it in the 80's. Irish_Dem Thursday #61

Thank you Clouds Passing Friday #104

Using YouTube videos as tutorials is not an indicator of intelligence. orange jar Thursday #57

Yes it is an indicator of intellectual functioning changes. Irish_Dem Friday #129

There was a comedian Chris Rock maybe BlueKota Thursday #70

People no longer appear to have common sense. Irish_Dem Friday #130

It's definitely a different world now BlueKota Friday #134

Yes and it will continue to change until the US is unrecognizable. Irish_Dem Friday #145

There's using language that is geared toward that education level - Ms. Toad Thursday #76

It is difficult to talk to people who have experienced decades of propaganda and misinformation. Irish_Dem Friday #127

That's what Bill and Obama did so well. radius777 Friday #152

Democrats speak like college professors and lawyers, not like real people. 2naSalit Thursday #8

"WTF is misogyny?" TwilightZone Thursday #9

you really do believe that most people can spell or define that word huh? Nimble_Idea Thursday #22

Yep, eye opening! newdayneeded Friday #143

As a matter of curiosity, to which colleges and Ph.D. programs are you niyad Thursday #10

o wurd? Nimble_Idea Thursday #25

Maybe I'm stupid BOSSHOG Thursday #12

Trump said he "loves the poorly educated". We have livetohike Thursday #13

Blame the Democratic Party instead of the people who voted for Trump valleyrogue Thursday #16

reminds me of the advice for women to avoid rape Skittles Friday #119

It is not Democrats job to ''fix'' them sammythecat Friday #141

WE ALREADY DEAL WITH THEM Skittles Friday #160

Aspirations for higher knowledge.... magicarpet Thursday #17

Several years ago I was gobsmacked to realize I was one of the hated "elites" ... Hekate Friday #100

My dad bought me Encyclopidia Brintannica too proud patriot Friday #105

OK, I give up. What is PITA? sammythecat Friday #131

Pain In The Ass MichMan Friday #135

Thanks n/t sammythecat Friday #142

From an op ed in Seattle Times today pat_k Thursday #18

Could not agree more with the op-ed. orange jar Thursday #37

The humility to change mountain grammy Thursday #54

Maybe peachpit24 Thursday #60

I didn't see anything there worth praising. Ferrets are Cool Thursday #67

Just looked at his bio. .conservative. And, "prigs and pontificators" niyad Thursday #77

Of course he is. He's a Republican for Harris. pat_k Thursday #90

As they, Rs, do a lousy job of listening to us as human beings with human concerns. Clouds Passing Friday #107

Braver Angels workshops. I highly recommend. pat_k Friday #110

once again Skittles Friday #98

Nothing pat_k Friday #108

when the GOP gets what they want Skittles Friday #111

I sure hope the "bottom" isn't that low. pat_k Friday #115

THEY LITERALLY SPELLED IT OUT IN PROJECT 2025 Skittles Friday #116

Of course. pat_k Friday #117

I'm not sure if they are reachable Skittles Friday #118

You may be right. pat_k Friday #121

why is it always US who has to amend their behavior Skittles Friday #123

Because we want to find ways to move forward. pat_k Friday #148

Spot on. dalton99a Friday #137

That's an excellent observation. And to highlight your point, that very thing is what made Clinton... SKKY Thursday #20

We can't all have the accomplishments of Bill Clinton. He was, marybourg Thursday #36

The right wing owns all the microphones. hadEnuf Thursday #27

College professors and lawyers are people, too. Sparkly Thursday #31

They're already voting for Democrats. BannonsLiver Thursday #81

There lies the rub. He is right as are all the responses. cachukis Thursday #32

Nobody ever tells those dumbasses... Dem4life1234 Thursday #34

Nor do they B.See Thursday #47

We are real people, thank you. In a moment of synchronicity though, our grandson ... Hekate Thursday #35

bless your heart Nimble_Idea Thursday #42

I love that. Sparkly Thursday #45

I had a high-school English teacher BlueKota Thursday #65

It used to take my teachers in junior and senior high a bit of time to niyad Thursday #75

Yes, I agree. Also..... pdxflyboy Thursday #40

I am a real person. Didn't realize I needed a CAPTCHA when speaking. Who knew? Solly Mack Thursday #43

I've noticed they like simple soloutions white_wolf Thursday #55

Yep. Dems need to dumb everything down to 1st grade level to match the CousinIT Thursday #58

Only if they want to win elections it seems. Fish700 Thursday #62

***Raises hand tentatively **** Prairie Gates Thursday #63

So many seem to forget that VP Harris was dropped into an... brush Thursday #64

I don't see the OP as being critical of Harris. It's about messaging in general. live love laugh Thursday #91

Still, messaging over a two-year campaign vs a three month and a few days campaign... brush Friday #109

I'm not dumbing myself down for some magat. Ferrets are Cool Thursday #66

I saw something about trump speaking at a 4th grade level ecstatic Thursday #72

HE SPEAKS ABSOLUTE GIBBERISH Skittles Friday #112

Also: How did President Obama succeed? I don't think he dumbed things down ecstatic Thursday #73

If you don't know what cis gendered is choie Thursday #74

Which goes to his point.... dropouts are not going to look anything up. live love laugh Thursday #89

and we need to be like that to appeal to them? Skittles Friday #124

I'm appalled at the state of de-education but it's "a thing." live love laugh Friday #128

HELLO Skittles Thursday #79

EXACTLY!!! niyad Thursday #84

Second that Clouds Passing Friday #144

No. Democrats speak like normal people with normal educations. The 'real' people you refer to are the ancianita Thursday #83

I get your point... oldsoldierfadingfast Thursday #87

Well that hit a nerve KentuckyWoman Thursday #94

I never thought I'd see the day where DUers defined what REAL PEOPLE are Skittles Friday #96

No it is not too much KentuckyWoman Friday #150

I've read that 54% of Americans read below a 6th grade level. NoMoreRepugs Thursday #95

We've got to remember... ECL213 Friday #97

I never get tired of this. Watching Gene Wilder's eye movements, just classic. Abolishinist Friday #99

Best ever. I will love that scene forever. 💕💕💕 Just what I needed tonight. Hekate Friday #101

This message was self-deleted by its author Skittles Friday #102

Interesting proud patriot Friday #103

I don't think those shows are a fair comparison with Fox Lulu KC Friday #106

Why all the pessimism? We lost a three month and a few days campaign vs a two-year one. brush Friday #113

TV is geared for an 11 year old vocabulary lindysalsagal Friday #114

Immigrants who voted for trump, said the like how he speaks frankly Demovictory9 Friday #120

I thought about "narcissist" vs. "egomaniac" GreenWave Friday #126

Agreed 100% oldreliable_one Friday #133

Trump ran on identity politics though. He ran on "revenge" against people who held *him* accountable ck4829 Friday #136

So Tim Walz didn't quite do it for you, right? Lulu KC Friday #158

Message auto-removed Name removed Saturday #161

Counterpoint. Confusing words are not why we lost. What is "Woke"? What is "Communism"? What is "Transgender"? ck4829 Friday #138

Don't forget Critical Race Theory and DEI tulipsandroses Friday #157

Ivy League Grads on Trump's Team. SupportSanity Friday #146

maybe if we tried playing nice, reach across the isle once and awhile. maybe buy them lunch or something. Hotler Friday #147

Great post! gulliver Friday #149

Jimmy Kimmel SoCalDavidS Friday #151

regarding "real people" Quiet Em Friday #153