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A famous Brazilian company, a video producer for videos for the internet has a very interesting sketch, parodying a recurring subject on news portals: “Who went to the beach this week?”. The sketch features talented comedians playing news anchors.

Basically they read, in sequence, the latest news about famous people spotted at the beach. They add no further comments, nor jokes, and yet, with clever wit and humor, they deliver a hilarious take on the worn-out catchphrases about enjoying life, embracing abundance, and expressing gratitude, often associated with “simple things in life” and the beach culture, even if the snapshot is on a very private corner of a luxury hotel.

The parody cleverly exposes the silly superficialities often found on the news, specially the digital one, bringing a fresh and entertaining perspective to the audience. If I were on the writing team, I would definitely add variations like, “Who moved into a mansion this week?” or “Who underwent an invasive aesthetic procedure this week?”

In fact, we could also consider satirical headlines such as “Who spent a ridiculous amount on a handbag?” or “Who was caught in a wardrobe malfunction at a public event?” The list of possibilities is immense!

In a society increasingly focused on appearance and physical enhancements, the willingness to invest significant sums of money in altering one’s external features is becoming the norm. Whether it is undergoing eye colour changes, fitting “contact lenses” on teeth (despite the damage they cause), or adorning oneself with false eyelashes, hair, and nails, the pursuit of physical alteration is omnipresent.

Amidst this prevailing trend, it is strikingly ironic that comparatively little attention is paid to addressing issues that could be effectively resolved with the assistance of speech therapists. I believe that the disparity in emphasis on physical transformation versus addressing speech-related challenges raises questions about societal priorities and the value placed on holistic well-being.

In a world in which it has become “normal” to invest a considerable amount of money to change the color of your eyes, wear “contact lenses” on your teeth (at the expense of wearing them down), wear false eyelashes, false hair, false nails it is, to say the least, curious that so little importance is given to problems that would be solved with the help of speech therapists. Apparently, in the commodity market in which capitalism transforms the human body, actions linked to the voice and speech are the least valued ones.

In times of podcasts and a myriad of YouTube channels, the annoyance caused by tongue ties, stuttering, hissing and all sorts of phonetic defects becomes even greater. While complex mental health diagnoses are trivialized in social media bios, speech problems remain (the ultimate?) taboo.

This perpetuates a harmful stigma around speech impediments, making it challenging for individuals to seek support and understanding. Despite the impact of speech difficulties on daily communication and confidence, they often go unaddressed due to societal misconceptions and lack of awareness.

I cannot help but think that, at least in some cases (when those with speech problems are people with financial resources and who would be fully capable of paying for professional help) the issue also involves denying the problem.

“I am rich and therefore no one will (or pretend not to) notice.” Well, Mr. Richie Rich, actually everyone will notice, even if no one says anything. And there is not enough heavy gold cordsm nor acrylic nail in the world capable of distracting the attention from a speech disorder.

For anyone who understands the power of the voice and every person who sings or is somehow related to the music world should be able to understand it. Our voice, the way we talk, it is our own melody, so to speak. People are drawn to captivating speech just as they are drawn to a beautiful melody.

Neglecting speech problems is like not caring about your own music. And, even if you have nothing to do with music, never sang a note in the shower your entire life etc, try to think of your speech as your unique, non-transferable sound signature.

Now, be honest: Have you ever taken a moment to listen to yourself? Do you like what you hear?

How does your voice sound? Pleasant? Irritating? Caliming? Warm? Welcoming? Out of tune?

Your voice is an instrument that can carry emotion, convey information, and create connections. Just like a musician practices and refines their technique, you can improve the quality of your speech by paying attention to your articulation, intonation, and rhythm.

Embrace the potential of your voice and unlock the power of effective communication in your personal and professional life. And, believe me, it will make you shine much more than any accessory ever could.

Be seeing (and hearing) you,

G.F.

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One of the things I like most about podcasts is the possibility of doing other things while listening to an episode. I am not a fan of multitasking at all, but sometimes the only way to get started on a necessary, but boring task is to combine it with a more pleasant chore. Podcasts work like a charm! There is just one catch to the format: it makes anyone too susceptible to the power of voices.

As I often say, voices are very powerful. I once read that hearing is the second sense to reach the brain the fastest, second only to smell. So how do you escape the spell of an interesting podcast narrated by a beautiful voice? It is simply impossible!

Anyway, precisely because I am aware of this weakness of mine, I try to change programs quickly, so as not to develop any severe form of crush on an unknown voice. You do not have to tell me, and for the sake of discretion, I will not ask you, but I am sure it has happened to you, too, and we both know that kind of crush can be a huge problem.

While a flesh-and-blood obejct of desire is subject to mistakes, like any human being, the voices hover over our heads, fluttering, intangible and infallible. Enigmatic, voices can be very deceiving. One of the most commom mistakes is to assume that the rest of the body matches the voice, which is not always true. For whatever reason, some extraordinaire voices choose the most plain bodies to live. Go figure!

Today I received a very kind compliment on the comments of one of the podcasts I produce (the complete list you can find by clicking here), which made me very happy, because a kind compliment is always welcome. On the other hand, it reaffirmed what I already knew: voices go much further than we may ever suppose. It also made me think about the size of the responsibility of any content producer, which today basically means all of us.

In this moment of virtual assistants, the multiplication of applications that allow you to change and edit voices with high fidelity, and very sophisticated chatbots, I would like to suggest a moment of silence and reflection on the role you want your voice to play.

Oh, and you can access my current number one crush-podcast by clicking here. Unmissable, essential and another great reason to learn Portuguese.

Be seeing you!

G.F.