Russell Conwell was the founder and the first president of Temple University. He was born in Massachusetts and later studied to become an orator, a writer, and lawyer. He is commonly known for writing an inspirational lecture commonly known as, Acres of Diamond, that he delivered over five hundred times from 1900-1925. A story, given by his tour guide when he visited the ancient rivers of Tigris and Euphrates, motivated the speech. The speech was repeatedly delivered due to public demand and the central idea behind it was to enlighten people on how to find their “acres of diamonds.” The essay aims to discuss the ongoing importance of the speech.
The circumstances that led to the great speech in history, Acres of Diamonds, are simple. The speech departs from the aspects of rhetoric and therefore, breaks the rules of oratory. The diamonds as put in the speech have been acquired by many. It was delivered during the Gilded Age, a period when America was experiencing industrial revolution (Temple University, n.d). Around this time, many believed that hard work was the key to amassing wealth to oneself. However, only a few people amassed a lot of wealth. Many people could not afford to meet their basic needs. For this reason, the speech was relevant as it encouraged to look beyond their poverty; the speech aimed at inculcating self-belief so that people could create wealth for themselves. This is proved by the period that Russell delivered the speech, which was at the turn of the nineteenth century (Temple University, n.d).
The story involves a wealthy Persian by the name Ali Hafed. He was however not contented with what he had and this led him to sell his property. This was after he was convinced that he would end up being richer if he owned just a piece of diamond. He left his family under the care of his neighbor and went to the mountains of the moon and the rivers in search of the diamonds. He was however not successful and within no time, he wore rags, a sign of poverty (Conwell, 1915). Like any other lecture, Conwell did not expect to deliver the speech ever again. To his surprise, though, the speech was in high demand as it ended up motivating many people due to its valuable lessons.
The speech was of great importance to the people who paid to listen. Russell gave a detailed explanation of why diamonds were a man’s best friend. He reminded the listeners that it was possible to acquire wealth as it was within their reach (Six, 2013). They did not have to travel everywhere since the resources they required were within their proximity (Conwell, 1915).
According to History matters by Harper Brothers, Russell states, “now then, I say again that the opportunity to get rich, to attain unto great wealth, is here in Philadelphia now, within the reach of almost every man and woman who hears me speak tonight, and I mean what I say”(Conwell, 1915, n.p). The author of the speech goes further to elaborate that the speech has had an impact as many people have already found their diamonds, and it is a matter of believing in oneself.
In the world today, the speech has had many impacts. The audience is taught various lessons on how to acquire the diamonds. For one to be successful, they should know their customers. Ali did not realize that selling all his property to the neighbor would have made him even richer. Russell advised investors to take note of their “neighbors”, where they come from and what they do during their spare time (Six, 2013). Failure to do this, he reassures that the neighbor will get rich leaving the subject behind. Russell pitied the children of the wealthy who end up inheriting a large sum of wealth. For this reason, he believes that they do not get the chance to earn their living, which is one of the best things in this life (Six, 2013). This statement has propagated many people to invest in their children’s education, as this is one of the best assets one can give to kids.
People aiming to get rich are discouraged from giving up in case they fail the first time. Russell elaborates this particular point when he tells of a man who turned sixty-two cents into forty million dollars after he lost half of his little amount on things no one considered important. He says, “how fortunate that young man loses the first time he gambles” (Cornwell, 1915, n.p). Today, people have come to learn that an office does not determine the greatness of a person. Russell declares that if one is not great by the time they acquire an office, then there is a possibility that they will never be great. He states that titles do not represent a character and attacks the egocentric as, “puffed-up balloon, held down by their feet” (Six, 2013, n.p).
In conclusion, Russell’s speech is a real motivation in today’s society especially to someone who is interested in acquiring wealth. The speech has influenced many as it just encourages one to look closely at their environment since that is where the opportunities lie. The author goes further to encourage individuals to embrace honor and integrity when amassing their wealth. Money is never a problem but one’s attitude towards it. In addition, is always important to have that positive attitude no matter the circumstances happening around the world. It is, therefore, important to ensure that one uses their wealth to serve the society, as it is a noble thing. The speech is a truly inspirational lecture on the road to success. This is a must-read for everyone. Although the speech was made a century ago, it is still relevant to the world today because many of the principles highlighted in that speech are applicable to the day-to-day life of today.
References
Conwell, R. (1915). Acres of Diamonds. New York, NY, USA.
Six, E. (2013, June 20). 10 Lessons from Russell Conwell's Acres of Diamonds. Retrieved February 29, 2016, from Bright Hub Education: http://www.brighthubeducation.com/social-studies-help/127989-ten-lessons-from-conwells-acres-of-diamonds/
Temple University. (n.d.). Acres of diamonds. Retrieved February 29, 2016, from Temple: https://www.temple.edu/about/history/acres-diamonds
