Part 6/17:
Understanding the importance of articulateness is motivating. If students grasp that their ability to think and communicate clearly is akin to wielding a sword or wearing armor, their motivation to learn and improve skyrockets. Yet, the speaker admits his astonishment that this connection between writing and empowerment isn't made explicitly clear to learners.
He suggests that there exists a kind of "conspiracy"—not overt but systemic—that trends toward making individuals weaker or less challenged, possibly to suppress competition or maintain control. An uninformed or unchallenged populace, after all, is easier to manage.