Quote:

The principle is that ordinary people have extraordinary thoughts — I’ve always believed that — and that ordinary people can speak poetically. (Studs Terkel)

Response:

Extraordinary thoughts are ideas that are outside of the ideal “box” that is created by society. The question is what and who defines these thoughts as extraordinary? Is it the “ordinary people” or is it decided by the already defined and placed on a higher pedestal “extraordinary people.” People who speak poetically tend to have a way with words. It is the placement of their words and how it is said that makes it poetic. Terkel’s quote speaks about ordinary people having extraordinary thoughts and ordinary people speaking poetically however if they have theses abilities to speak poetically and think extraordinarily then they are in fact not “ordinary.”