Marcus Van Diver

Professor Falkowski
Comm 2703*01 Media Performance
September 8, 2016
Paul Harveys Greatest Selections
When assessing the infamous workings of Paul Harvey, it is nearly impossible not to
recognize his signature piece known as If I were the Devil. Harveys memorable essay was a form
of social criticism that explained the steps that satan himself would take in order to send the United
States and the rest of human civilization into a state of decay, while leading humanity to its lowest
point. Within this two-minute speech, Paul Harvey mentions the steps the devil will take, starting
with subverting the Christian church and implying that man created the concept of god, to having
the media falsely report the salience of topics within the news to provoke the masses, to finally
having families, countries and churches be at war with themselves and each other until all of
human civilization eradicates itself. Harvey brilliantly concludes this dramatic tale by flipping the
image of a demonically-ridden world with that of a realistic picture, saying that the path to
destruction explained by the devil is already being displayed by the worlds inhabitants. The issues
mentioned in the essay are already happening in the real world. Due to the worlds problems
serving such a significance, Satan does not need to interfere, for his plan is complete.
Paul Harveys use of impeccable pregnant pauses, variety in tone and fluctuation of pace
within all of the twenty four stanzas imply the serious demeanor he wanted to convey in his
speech. In an effort to describe the insufficiency in ethics and morality in this country, Harvey
symbolized the devil as being the dark side of humanity and its implosion. With everything being
presented, Harveys words appear resoundingly and timelessly while being applied to todays

circumstances. The world is filled with good people, yet the darker side of humanity happens to
show its face more than often. In a world filled with issues of racial disparity, gender inequality,
poverty, drug addiction, false idolatry and systemic injustice, Harveys words come as a reality
check for those who listen. I am in agreement with just about all that is mentioned in this essay and
as Pauls priority circled itself around social change, we as humans should all give our efforts to
enacting that change in the fight for equality.
Another famous essay spoken on air by Paul Harvey was known as The Policeman, which
explicitly lists the positions, responsibilities and personalities the men and women in uniform must
take in order to keep their communities safe. Whether they are appraised for their actions in being
a mediator, lifesaver, social worker and a figure of authority, or vilified for wrongful persecution,
incorrect execution of a case, or implementing fear into the individuals they swear to protect,
Policemen and women are as Harvey describes in the beginning of his essay a composite of what
all men are. Harveys signature staccato delivery makes the entire piece feel as if it is a
conversation with his audience, keeping his listeners intrigued. He uses phrases, such as I guess
and names such as bully to keep his delivery from sounding formal. Furthermore, the pregnant
pause that he inserted into the last stanza before he went into a policemans salary brought the
emotion and salience of the issue into the conclusion, as Policemen have families to feed and
protect.
I deeply appreciated listening to this essay given by Harvey, as I have friends and close
family members that are serving and have served in blue. While hearing this the final line of this
essay, I immediately thought of this past summer, and the night of July 7, 2016 in Dallas.
Therefore, while hearing this essay for the first time, I have come to understand the Policemans
importance. The families of the lives that were lost in the line of fire have been affected

tremendously, yet this is part of the job that an authoritative figure has. Being on the force is an
occupation, and citizens must come to realize that those willing to risk their lives for our safety are
indeed people with their own perceptions, ideals and standards. However, the line of separation
regarding carrying out the law and brutality have become quite blurred in the past couple of years,
to the point where small percentages of policemen and women who unjustly persecute individuals
with no wrongdoing are creating the stereotypical perception of all men and women on the force
being alike. I believe in accountability for ones actions, and although I am aware that good men
and women exist on the force, I do believe that they should not have to face the harsh criticism of
all citizens, unlike their peers that commit the wrongdoing that should be treated justly for their
actions.
In what could be argued as one of his most memorable pieces to date, The Farmer is an ode
to the men and women who work tirelessly on their respective farms. Through their responsibilities
of milking cows, working on the fields, plowing tractors through corn fields to showing the
characteristics of dedication, persistence and strength, a farmer displays the strong work ethic and
selflessness that all Americans and humans should aspire to possess. In regards to his style of
speech, Harvey had used simplistic terms in listing the many jobs of a farmer, but uses techniques
of voice inflexion to convey the message. Likewise, he fluctuated in tempo when listing a farmers
characteristics, adding the conversational element into his essay and making his listeners feel
comfortable while observing his new tale. Within the speech, Paul Harvey had incorporated the
phrase So God made a Farmer after every ending of a stanza to not only reveal their importance
to the infrastructure that holds this country together, but explain how vastly underappreciated the
farming population has become. Harvey had given this speech in the 70s, and similar to his many
other projects, his words ring true to this day. A farmer is a selfless individual who works

relentlessly in order to put food on his or her familys plates and create, nourish and sustain natural
intangibles for their country to use. Their occupation is important for so many other reasons,
including the raising of a family successor. Harvey ends the passage with a thought-provoking
statement, as he says that a farmer must bale a family together with the soft, strong bonds of
sharing, and be someone who would laugh, and then sigh, and then reply with smiling eyes, when
his son says that he wants to spend his life doing what dad does. So God made a farmer. I truly
believe that farmers have become underappreciated in our society due to many advancements in
technology, and the feeling of replacement where you may not be able to feed your family is
horrifying. In rural counties within this country, those who do the backbreaking work deserve more
recognition and entitlement for their persistence to preserve the agriculture that makes this country
great.
Lastly, the great and memorable speech known as The Fireman was one of Harveys
greatest tributes, as he saluted the men and women working in the fire departments that risk their
lives everyday to save those engulfed in flames. A truly passionate memoir given to his listeners,
Harvey mentioned the tedious work they must do, the mental hardships they must face, the heavy
equipment that they must use and the pitch-black and smoky environment they must operate in.
Similar to a majority of his on-air essays, he spoke in a manner that was relaxed, substituting
formality with personal situations that may relate to his audience. He includes a firemans wife and
child who stay home as he works, and to further drive the emotional appeal, places an emphasis on
saving someones singed cat as a necessary job for those who serve. Although their job is
ultimately selfless, Harvey could not come up with an answer as to why men and women choose to
chase this profession. He then counters his statement, saying that It is time that somebody tried.

By doing this, the effect of solemnity is persuaded to his audience, provoking them to tune into his
opinionated explanation.
While listening to his rhetoric, the words could not sound more relevant to me. Although I
do not necessarily understand the experience of becoming enshrouded in smoke and fire, I do
understand the risk taken in the efforts to sustain human life in times of uncertainty. A thought of
the mental health of these fearless workers also comes to mind as the masks and the oxygen tanks
come off when a firefighter clocks out for the day, yet the harsh remembrances never leave. I
simply cannot fathom being in the environment that a firefighter has to be in every day, and
keeping the memories of destruction in my head would drive me to insanity. Much like policemen
and farmers, the men and women of fire departments are truly some of the most resilient and
selfless individuals there are in this world, and all deserve an unlimited amount of appreciation.

Works Cited
Brown, Andrea. "So God Made a Farmer..." Carroll County Comet. Carroll County Comet, 13
Mar. 2013. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
Mikkelson, David. "Paul Harvey: 'If I Were the Devil'" Snopes. Snopes, 05 Apr. 2015. Web. 08
Sept. 2016.