With over 1.2 million views since October 2016, Botticelli makes the point that as Americans we tend to look away from some major medical problems such as HIV and AIDS in the 80's and addiction in the present day. Botticelli builds credibility in his talk by telling his story of growing up with and facing addiction because of his sexuality and telling the audience that he was nominated to be director of drug policy, which gives credit to that he knows both about addiction and about the HIV and AIDS epidemic which he compares it to. He uses a very intellectual and persuasive approach in his speech and uses evidence to prove his point by comparing current addictions to the AIDS and HIV epidemic because they both had an enormous number of deaths each year and how the public views these two epidemics. Botticelli uses Logos to secure his point the most powerful being facts about addiction and disease such as "Today in the United states only one in nine people get care for their disorder" (Botticelli) and that "decades of scientific research has shown that this [addiction] is a medical issue"(Botticelli). These are the most important because they give a quantifiable number to how society ignores addiction. He tries to teach those listening to his speech that to be able to treat addiction it needs to be understood and that those struggling with addiction really need help not prison or scorn from those around them. He really wants those who know someone struggling with addiction or public officials who can help those with addiction to be his audience so they can make a difference in the world. He captivates this audience at 10:05 when he is describing how we should see these people with substance abuse problems when he really pauses in between each description to bring emphasis to his point. Also at 5:31 he does something similar with a pause but this time he uses it to really highlight that addiction held him back more than being gay did. If he could do anything better though he should have made more points to connect how helping those with an addiction rather than locking them up would better help society as a whole. Overall though, how would he have the general population find these addicts before its too late for them?
Botticelli's talk relates to the American and Global dream because he wants to end this cycle of addiction and give more people an opportunity at life. In "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson a point is also made that incarcerating those facing addiction is looking past the fact that it is a medical condition and giving those addicts no help to fight that addiction. Both Botticelli and Stevenson see that there is a need to help these people overcome their addiction instead of having them locked away in a cell. Botticelli wants to give these addicts the opportunities in America which is, as stated in Obama's Keynote Address to the 2004 Democratic National Convention "a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who had come before"(Obama). America is still trying to make itself this land of opportunity because that is the basis of the American Dream but it has to get closer to the Global Dream of prosperity for all and giving help to those who need it, which is what this speech was about.
To conclude I very much liked the speech because it highlighted the cycles this country can go through of sweeping problems under the rug so we do not have to think about them anymore. Addiction touches everyone in their lifetime in their family and friends and he shows that too. Botticelli brings addiction close to home so everyone can understand it and try to grow from that understanding to make this world a better place for everyone. After listening to this speech the takeaway seems to be that we have to help addicts get help. As it was in the 1980's with people dying from AIDS this country now has so many people dying from addiction and still we follow the same cycle we did 30 years ago. Botticelli is trying to get everyone to talk about the problems of addiction so those dealing with it can get help.
Botticelli's talk relates to the American and Global dream because he wants to end this cycle of addiction and give more people an opportunity at life. In "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson a point is also made that incarcerating those facing addiction is looking past the fact that it is a medical condition and giving those addicts no help to fight that addiction. Both Botticelli and Stevenson see that there is a need to help these people overcome their addiction instead of having them locked away in a cell. Botticelli wants to give these addicts the opportunities in America which is, as stated in Obama's Keynote Address to the 2004 Democratic National Convention "a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who had come before"(Obama). America is still trying to make itself this land of opportunity because that is the basis of the American Dream but it has to get closer to the Global Dream of prosperity for all and giving help to those who need it, which is what this speech was about.
To conclude I very much liked the speech because it highlighted the cycles this country can go through of sweeping problems under the rug so we do not have to think about them anymore. Addiction touches everyone in their lifetime in their family and friends and he shows that too. Botticelli brings addiction close to home so everyone can understand it and try to grow from that understanding to make this world a better place for everyone. After listening to this speech the takeaway seems to be that we have to help addicts get help. As it was in the 1980's with people dying from AIDS this country now has so many people dying from addiction and still we follow the same cycle we did 30 years ago. Botticelli is trying to get everyone to talk about the problems of addiction so those dealing with it can get help.