As people tuned in for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent Senate committee confirmation hearings, many heard his voice and immediately tuned out. Yet, listeners’ less-than-stellar auditory experience is not necessarily be a bad thing.
RFK Jr. has spoken publicly about his voice, which is the result of a rare neurological condition called spasmodic dysphonia. In an interview last year, he told The Los Angeles Times that he feels “sorry for the people who have to listen” to him.
Certainly no one can argue that his voice was made for radio or TV—a fact that sets him apart from most of his political peers. RFK Jr.’s grating voice stands in stark contrast to the mellifluous tones of politicians everywhere.
That’s not surprising in a political system that rewards public perception over intelligence and showmanship over rational deliberation.
Studies suggest that…
