SlamNation - Taylor Mali - "Like Totally Whatever" 

Why is he like.. you know, angry?

Maybe the reasons teenagers use these devices is because we're told by society that we aren't allowed to know what we are talking about until we have a college degree and a few years under our belt. Maybe all this pressure is too much. Maybe I want to voice my opinion but am not willing to. Not because I am stupid, but because I know there is always someone, someone like Mr. Mali, getting ready to cut us down. We will speak up when you learn to give us room to be heard.

"In linguistics, a filler, filled pause, hesitation marker or planner is a sound or word that is spoken in conversation by one participant to signal to others a pause to think without giving the impression of having finished speaking." like, uh, um, and you know have different meanings in conversation but all serve as saying I'm not done speaking yet people who use filler words are thinking they are not inarticulate they are finding the right words

Listen to Melissa lozada

"It is not enough to question authority, you have to speak with it to!" So true, so true.

Interesting to compare this poem to Mellisa Lozada-Oliva "Like Totally Whatever" she wrote in response to this. They both have good points, with two completely different points of view, but ultimately wanting the same thing: for people to use their voice and be heard.

I am not hearing enough people saying with conviction that they don't know enough though. When I feel like that - which is often - I say it as loud and as clear as possible: "I don't know enough to have a solid opinion on this topic".

I'm writing an essay on this poem for a class in uni, and I am so glad I decided to look him up for this video. He speaks in such a way that it just makes more sense and literally enforces the poem in your memory... ya know? ;)

Man, how I'd love to have him as a teacher... amazing thinker and slam poet :)

Would have been quicker and just as effective to simply say "damn kids get off my lawn"

melissa ENDED him

As someone who speaks with conviction naturally, I can tell you that people in general don't like it and find it intimidating. They don't say anything to my face but behind my back they apparently have A LOT to say. It's hard to be like this nowadays. People have no spine, no independent thoughts. I certainly can see the cowardly and idiot8from the brave easily.

I thought he is gonna end his speech with " and the WWE belt is gonna be mine"

I am using this in my speech classes. It is interesting to see my student's reactions to hearing what they sound like. Do I sound like that? No way!!!!

I'm presenting my research at Student Research Day this week at my University... I've been watching this video for inspiration. I need to learn how speak with conviction!

"...bandwagon of my own uncertainty" I like that!

If I actually do become an English teacher, I'll have to show this day 1. I love finding these old slam poetry performances. I think I still have this on a dusty vhs tape somewhere.

I used to be the same way. I wouldn't speak like I was sure because I was afraid I would be wrong and call me out on it. Now, I speak like I know what I'm talking about and will admit I'm wrong, if I am or admit I could be wrong if I'm not sure. I'm intelligent and I'm not going to act differently so no one can blame me if I'm wrong.

@roro271812 well, he IS a teacher. But yeah, this is the kinda stuff that needs to be shown in more classrooms around America

My english teacher showed us this. I am so grateful

English is not my first language but i completely understand where he is coming from. and in a way his message is universal and is true about any other langauge =, because every language has ummms and you know ? and ughh. You know ?

I like this guy. And I relate to those who are nervous about speaking with conviction and authority--I have had the same issue. I realized that I had a self-esteem problem, not to mention trouble trusting in my own point of view. As some have said in these posts, it is useful, and an entirely legitimate reponse, to simply admit when you're not sure yet, don't feel you have enough info to go on, etc. In fact, that alone makes one sound intelligent and mature. But trust yourself more, too.

I will definitely be showing it in mine!

This is like, a totally awesome video, you know?

I KNOW!!! I'm always afraid of sounding like I know what I'm talkin about, cuz people always trying to correct each other where i'm from, so i've defaulted to never verbally committing one view or another haha.

Most every teenager in America should hear this poem.

So that's how you drop a mic :D

Dude all of his pieces are like come to Jesus moments. I LOVE IT!!!

@highjr2 Awesome! I actually had my English teacher show this in class. Safe to say, I got a few unhappy glances from students who actually talk like that lol

This is really good. I listened to this in my poetry class a while ago. :)

He should do this performance in congress and for the house. So totally true in this country and thats a sad thing.

Not just America.. The whole world

This poem gave me a lot of things in one way or another: confidence, inspiration, laughter. I performed it about three years ago at a summer program, got a great response, and because of that I kept getting up on stage to perform every time I could until the program ended. This poem is very near and dear to my heart and speaks to me as a message for people to DEMAND confidence not only in the words they speak but themselves as a whole. With that being said, I am SHOCKED that so many people have come back to this video from Melissa Lozada-Oliva's own video simply to give Taylor Mali a digital beating on the assumption that he meant this poem to seem oppressive and to only apply to WHITE MEN. It is about CONFIDENCE in your IDEALS and yourSELF: WHOEVER you may be. I got goosebumps from watching Melissa's version of the poem, and yes there is SOLID truth in her strong words. But SHAME on you all that came back here just to tear down on not only a slam poem that was posted SIX and a half years ago, but one that has SO MUCH heart and did NOT deserve the sickening ridicule you gave it.

Say what you believe in a manner that bespeaks the determination with which you believe it! of contrary to the wisdom bumper sticker..

doesn't sound much like poetry, more like an attempt at stand up comedy. not really a fan

his unnecessary anger makes me cringe

men always speak with authority when they have none

Hilarious and thoughtful poem :)

At "I implore you", he channeled Jeff Bridges so strongly!

its completely my fault that i don't speak with conviction though. Its because I don't have the time or desire to do the research required to formulate an opinion I am certain of for most of the hot topics of today. I've always felt that people are too quick to speak up on a topic which they have no first hand experience and maybe thats where that comes from. Its maybe not people feeling its uncool to know things, but rather, people are simply realizing how little they know. is that a bad thing?

Fucking great poem..

at 1:50 he sounds like Markiplier

LiKe.. um, this TayLoR guy kinda like, ROCKS? But to be more 'deCLARaTiVe' (just 2 show that i 'GET where he's coming from) he's ToTaLLy GREAT! (ya-KNOW?)

Wow!

lol @ 1:30 i thoght that was john & kate gossling

@roro271812 cuz the kids don't listen anymore.

My English class needs to watch this..... They are so Inarticulate and don't even seek to expand their vocabulary, then again. I can't really complain, I can't pronounce 90% of the words I know. So like.... totally whatever.

Anybody in 2023 looking like 🤯

@JadenSmith6irl lol i can see where you're coming from

In case you hadn’t noticed, it has somehow become uncool to sound like you know what you’re talking about? Or believe strongly in what you’re saying? Invisible question marks and parenthetical (you know?)’s have been attaching themselves to the ends of our sentences? Even when those sentences aren’t, like, questions? You know? Declarative sentences-so-­‐called because they used to, like, DECLARE things to be true, okay, as opposed to other things are, like, totally, you know, not- have been infected by a totally hip and tragically cool interrogative tone? You know? Like, don’t think I’m uncool just because I’ve noticed this; this is just like the word on the street, you know? It’s like what I’ve heard? I have nothing personally invested in my own opinions, okay? I’m just inviting you to join me in my uncertainty? What has happened to our conviction? Where are the limbs out on which we once walked? Have they been, like, chopped down with the rest of the rain forest? Or do we have, like, nothing to say? Has society become so, like, totally . . . I mean absolutely . . . You know? That we’ve just gotten to the point where it’s just, like . . . whatever! And so actually our disarticulation . . . ness is just a clever sort of . . . thing to disguise the fact that we’ve become the most aggressively inarticulate generation to come along since . . . you know, a long, long time ago! I entreat you, I implore you, I exhort you, I challenge you: To speak with conviction. To say what you believe in a manner that bespeaks the determination with which you believe it. Because contrary to the wisdom of the bumper sticker, it is not enough these days to simply QUESTION AUTHORITY. You have to speak with it, too.

why doesn't he go to classes and talk to kids

Melissa Lozada did it better

He scares me but I love this poem!

you guys realise this is a satire right? Note the last few seconds, strongest there.

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