Senior Thesis: A Tremendous Responsibility

Trying to decide what to write my senior thesis on feels like trying to decide what I'll major in, but more frightening if that's even possible. Why? Because my senior thesis, just like declaring a major, will be judged by family, friends, and strangers. Because my senior thesis, just like declaring a major, will reflect on what kind of person I am and what I hold valuable. Because my senior thesis, just like declaring a major, needs to be something that is purposeful, true, and gives back in a new and transformed way the precious givens that have been gifted to me. 

And that is a tremendous responsibility.

When studying rhetoric, I learned the various jobs of the rhetor. What I had to do to transform all the thoughts, beliefs, and values passed on to me into old and well-worn words, arranged in new and creatively fresh ways to craft a speech that would hopefully spark a result, a "do" from the audience. Hopefully persuading them. But I didn't just learn how to write a speech, or speak better, or be more persuasive. I learned that I have many responsibilities, not just to the audience, but to all the teachers and friends and people and parents and God who have been before me, giving to me. Now it's my turn to give back, and give something worthy. I want it to be good and true. Solid and lasting. They say that we will be forgotten but our words live on, and in many ways that's true. Things rust away and get eaten by moths. But Augustine says that words are never things. So I want them to be good words. 

In rhetoric class, your friends and fellow students are willing to lend you their ears because they are expected to do so and respect and care for you. Outside the classroom, there's no guarantee that your audience will listen . There's no guarantee that your audience will agree, no matter how reasonable you are, how much evidence you have, or how persuasive you are. There's no guarantee they will be impacted by what you say. But we are still commanded to be ready and to give an answer for the hope within us, with gentleness and respect. To do it with the best of the ability that has been gifted to us so that hopefully, we will persuade them.

So I want them to be good words.

And that is a tremendous responsibility.