Read the excerpt from "You're Not Special," a speech by David McCullough Jr.: "But, Dave," you cry, "Walt Whitman tells me I'm m
y own version of perfection! Epictetus tells me I have the spark of Zeus!" And I don't disagree. So that makes 6.8 billion examples of perfection, 6.8 billion sparks of Zeus. You see, if everyone is special, then no one is. If everyone gets a trophy, trophies become meaningless. . . . No longer is it how you play the game, no longer is it even whether you win or lose, or learn or grow, or enjoy yourself doing it. . . . Now it's "So what does this get me?" As a consequence, we cheapen worthy endeavors, and building a Guatemalan medical clinic becomes more about the application to Bowdoin than the well-being of Guatemalans. It's an epidemic — and in its way, not even dear old Wellesley High is immune . . . one of the best of the 37,000 nationwide, Wellesley High School . . . where good is no longer good enough, where a B is the new C, and the midlevel curriculum is called Advanced College Placement. And I hope you caught me when I said "one of the best." I said "one of the best" so we can feel better about ourselves, so we can bask in a little easy distinction, however vague and unverifiable, and count ourselves among the elite, whoever they might be, and enjoy a perceived leg up on the perceived competition. But the phrase defies logic. By definition there can be only one best. You're it or you're not. Instructions: In your response, give your opinion about how persuasive the speech is. Your response may be positive or negative, or a combination of both, as long as you are clear about your overall opinion. To support your argument, focus on McCullough's point of view, and his use of both evidence and rhetoric. Be sure to cite or describe specific evidence to support your ideas, organize ideas appropriately, use transitions to move from one idea to another, and end with a closing statement.
