“So, let’s all take one more step. We
have learned to love ourselves, so now
I urge you to speak yourself. I would
like to ask all of you. What is your
name? What excites you and makes
your heart beat? Tell me your story. I
want to hear your voice, and I want to
hear your conviction. No matter who
you are, where you’re from, your skin
colour, gender identity: speak yourself.
Namjoon started the speech by talking
about himself and his childhood.
He then talks about the struggles of
growing up – how the world expects
you to act a certain way or be a certain
way that fits their own version of
ideality. If you are different from what
the world expects of you, you will
automatically be alienated.
But the speech urges you to be who
you are. It talks about acceptance,
finding yourself and finding your own
voice to speak yourself. I think it’s
completely fine to not be able to fit into
the norms set by the society, because
you are your own norm.
Although both speeches tackle different
issues, they are still similar in their
own special, magical ways. They are
both the lanterns in our lives, carefully
guiding us through a dark and twisted
forest filled with people who try to
bring us down. And, I think, that’s what
made both speeches extra meaningful.
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