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Allyson Wall
Karl P Haase
Communications 1010-054
04/01/15
Speech Outline
Specific Goal: My audience will be more aware of the bridge that conscious communication
can build between two different cultures.
Pattern of organization: I have chosen the topical organization because I feel that will be the
most effective type of organization with the amount of time I have to give this speech.
Audience analysis: My audience is my professor and classmates. I will give a mix of stories
and information that will support my thesis
Speech Outline:
Title: What does it mean to be a Stoner? Its all In the eyes of the beholder.
Introduction
Hooker: Stoner story
For many of you here today when you hear stoner probably the first thing that comes to
mind is the use marijuana in excess.
Today I am going to show you how just a few months ago the communication gap for me
on a personal level became very clear.
A couple of my friends and I were talking about one of their old friends I had just met
who I will call Amy. Id only seen her a couple times and she seemed like a vibrant, fun loving,
somewhat reckless gal who loved to party, but something was different about her. I asked if
Amy always acted that way, and my friend casually responded, She is such a STONER!
Immediately in my mind I pictured a girl with her long hair hanging down her back, not
braided or tidy. Or flashy clothing like...a prairie dress that was made from fabric with bright
colored flowers, or, god forbid, STRIPES!!!! Or a boy, that was wearing a plaid shirt with rolled
up sleeves, or designer jeans, actually, wearing any pair of jeans that werent home-made.
Maybe they used words like damn or shit. In the FLDS world, being a Stoner meant you
were someone walking the edge, blurring the line between you and the outside world.
I was confused.

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Shes such a stoner! What did this mean? Amy wasnt wearing a prairie dress with her
sleeves rolled up. Without announcing my confusion, my mind raced for clues to figure out what
it meant to be a Stoner. It took me some time, but I soon discovered that it meant she smoked
pot, which, took me more time to figure out that pot was really marijuana.
Transition:
Its obvious the words we use can mean different things to different people.
Indicate your expertise with this topic.
I was born and raised in an extreme, isolated, religious society that taught me to fear every
single thing in the world outside of that society. It wasnt if, but when they would hurt me. Any
goodness I saw was a trick from Satan.
Just like Ariel, the little mermaid who went from a life under the sea where she knew her place
and how that world functioned to suddenly having legs, walking on land above water, and
struggling to understand this new world and how to function in it, I struggle to understand the
social norms that surround me in my new life.
Thesis: Finding common ground of understanding between vastly different cultures has its
struggles, some we can laugh, others that have much steeper consequences, but it is possible.
By learning how to reach into someone elses world without judgement or condescendence, you
can make a safe place for them to reach into yours and build a bridge to common ground and
effective communication.
Preview:
Transition into body:I hope after the time we spend together, you will be more aware of the
differences and some small things you can do to have more effective and meaningful
communication, regardless of the differences.

Point 1: The details of diverse cultures may be different, but we as human beings are much
more alike than we are different and we have many of the same needs and wants regardless of
the culture we come from. That being said, there are vast differences in what one culture places
value and honor on compared to what another culture places value on. In order to effectively
communicate, we have to begin with the idea that every human being has equal rights and
deserves to be treated ethically.

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Transition into point 2: Our nation is a melting pot of many different cultures and we all have
the opportunity to make a difference by learning to communicate more effectively.
Point 2: Qualify the terms. Make sure what you understand a word or phrase to mean is the
same as that of the other person. Use that as the anchor and build from there. Be more curious
than judgmental. Ask the person, What does this word or concept mean to you? Listen. Then
explain what the same word or concept means. Make sure you are talking about the same
definition of the same word.
Transition into Point 3: When we communicate, there is an exchange of ideas or information
between two or more people. In that exchange, we enter a relationship with another, even if it is
only for a brief moment. In any relationship, it is important to remember the equation of equality.
Point 3:
You matter, I matter. Any time that equation gets imbalanced a relationship becomes
unhealthy. Communication with respect, dignity and the clear understanding that we all have
the right to our opinions and to be who we want to be, but we have no right to violate another
person or their personal rights in the process.
Conclusion:
In the first example, being a stoner in the FLDS had nothing to do with drugs, but it had
everything to do with rebellion. Now I understand that being a stoner has nothing to do with
plaid shirts, designer jeans or rolled up sleeves, but everything to do with marijuana.
Our communication is only as good as the results we are getting. Dont hesitate to ask the hard
questions instead of making assumptions. I made an assumption of what stoner meant based
on my beliefs, experience and education. I believe we will all have better results in our
communication if we can step into anothers world with respect, curiosity and willingness to
learn and understand, while being mindful of our own reference points.