Habits

A G Gardiner in his essay ‘on habits’ writes about what Sir Walter Scott(1771-1832 poet, novelist) told to Rogers (poet, banker) of his school days. Scott had a student in his class who stood always at the top. Scott observed that the boy, when a question was asked, fumbled with his fingers at a particular button of his waistcoat. In an evil moment Scott removed that button with a knife. Great was Scott’s anxiety to know the success of his removing the button. When again a question was asked the boy sought for the button, which was not there and the boy failed to answer. He never recovered.

Rahul Gadhi pushes up his sleeves very often while giving a speech. As it is he is not a good speaker, In case he is made to wear half sleeve kurta imagine what will happen. May be he will start using belittling words.

Asaduddin Owaisi, MP and chief of MIM, is a good speaker. But while speaking he closes his eyes for longer periods than he keeps them open. I rule out stage fear. May be he has excellent photographic memory and while his eyes are closed he sees the text of his speech and reads it out. I do not think he can speak as well as he does if he always keeps his eyes open while speaking.   

  Modi is a special case. If his speechwriter (may be he speaks off the cuff) drops all derisive words he may not be able to speak half as well. I think the applause and cheers he gets for using derogatory words is a stimulus. His audience is literate (I am not using the word educated) urban mid-middle and lower middle class.

It is not necessary that a public speaker is also an intellectual and a good worker.