Article #368-1 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from Acres of Diamonds: Our Every-day Opportunities, by Russell H. Conwell

My friends, that mistake is very universally made, and why should we
even smile at him. I often wonder what has become of him. I do not know
at all, but I will tell you what I “guess” as a Yankee. I guess that he
sits out there by his fireside to-night with his friends gathered around
him, and he is saying to them something like this: “Do you know that man
Conwell who lives in Philadelphia?” “Oh yes, I have heard of him.” “Do
you know that man Jones that lives in Philadelphia?” “Yes, I have heard
of him, too.”

Then he begins to laugh, and shakes his sides and says to his friends,
“Well, they have done just the same thing I did, precisely”--and that
spoils the whole joke, for you and I have done the same thing he did,
and while we sit here and laugh at him he has a better right to sit out
there and laugh at us. I know I have made the same mistakes, but, of
course, that does not make any difference, because we don’t expect the
same man to preach and practise, too.

As I come here to-night and look around this audience I am seeing again
what through these fifty years I have continually seen-men that are
making precisely that same mistake. I often wish I could see the younger
people, and would that the Academy had been filled to-night with our
high-school scholars and our grammar-school scholars, that I could have
them to talk to. While I would have preferred such an audience as that,
because they are most susceptible, as they have not grown up into their
prejudices as we have, they have not gotten into any custom that they
cannot break, they have not met with any failures as we have; and while
I could perhaps do such an audience as that more good than I can do
grown-up people, yet I will do the best I can with the material I have.
I say to you that you have “acres of diamonds” in Philadelphia right
where you now live. “Oh,” but you will say, “you cannot know much about
your city if you think there are any ‘acres of diamonds’ here.”

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Acres of Diamonds by Russell H. Conwell**

Context of the Source

Acres of Diamonds (1915) is a famous lecture-turned-book by Russell H. Conwell, a Baptist minister, lawyer, and founder of Temple University. The speech, delivered over 6,000 times in his lifetime, centers on the idea that opportunity is not found far away but in one’s immediate surroundings—if only people would recognize and seize it. The title comes from a parable Conwell tells about a farmer who sells his land to search for diamonds, only to discover later that the new owner finds diamonds on the very property he abandoned.

This excerpt is part of Conwell’s persuasive, conversational style, blending humor, self-deprecation, and moral instruction to drive home his message: people overlook the wealth (literal and metaphorical) right in front of them.

Breakdown of the Excerpt

1. The "Mistake" and Universal Human Folly

"My friends, that mistake is very universally made, and why should we even smile at him. I often wonder what has become of him..."

Reference to the Parable: Conwell is alluding to the farmer from his earlier story who abandoned his land to search for diamonds elsewhere, only to miss the fortune beneath his feet.
Universal Application: He suggests that this is not just one man’s folly but a common human tendency—people chase distant opportunities while ignoring what’s available nearby.
Rhetorical Question: "Why should we even smile at him?" implies that judging others for this mistake is hypocritical because most people do the same.

2. The Hypocrisy of Laughter (Irony & Self-Deprecation)

"I guess that he sits out there by his fireside to-night with his friends gathered around him, and he is saying to them something like this: ‘Do you know that man Conwell who lives in Philadelphia?’ ‘Oh yes, I have heard of him.’ ‘Do you know that man Jones that lives in Philadelphia?’ ‘Yes, I have heard of him, too.’"

Dramatic Irony: Conwell paints a scene where the foolish farmer is now mocking others (like Conwell and "Jones") for making the same mistake he did.
Humor & Relatability: The audience laughs at the farmer, but Conwell flips the script—they are just as guilty.
Self-Deprecation: "I know I have made the same mistakes"—Conwell includes himself, making the critique less accusatory and more communal.

"Then he begins to laugh, and shakes his sides and says to his friends, ‘Well, they have done just the same thing I did, precisely’--and that spoils the whole joke, for you and I have done the same thing he did..."

The Punchline: The joke is on everyone because the farmer’s ridicule of others mirrors the audience’s own behavior.
Theme of Self-Awareness: Conwell forces the audience to recognize their own blind spots.

3. The Gap Between Preaching and Practice

"...and while we sit here and laugh at him he has a better right to sit out there and laugh at us. I know I have made the same mistakes, but, of course, that does not make any difference, because we don’t expect the same man to preach and practise, too."

Hypocrisy of Society: People preach wisdom but don’t follow it (e.g., Conwell himself admits his failures).
Cynical Tone: "We don’t expect the same man to preach and practise" suggests that society accepts this double standard.
Call for Change: By acknowledging this, Conwell challenges the audience to do better.

4. The Audience’s Blindness to Opportunity

"As I come here to-night and look around this audience I am seeing again what through these fifty years I have continually seen—men that are making precisely that same mistake."

Repetition for Emphasis: "Fifty years" and "continually seen" reinforce that this is a persistent, generational problem.
Direct Address: He points at the audience, making the message personal.

"I often wish I could see the younger people... they have not grown up into their prejudices as we have, they have not gotten into any custom that they cannot break, they have not met with any failures as we have..."

Youth as Hope: Conwell believes younger people are more open-minded because they haven’t yet been conditioned by failure or rigid thinking.
Critique of Adults: Older generations are stuck in their ways, making them less likely to see opportunities.
Regretful Tone: He wishes he had a younger audience because they might actually act on his message.

5. The Core Message: "Acres of Diamonds" in Philadelphia

"I say to you that you have ‘acres of diamonds’ in Philadelphia right where you now live. ‘Oh,’ but you will say, ‘you cannot know much about your city if you think there are any ‘acres of diamonds’ here.’"

Metaphor of "Acres of Diamonds": Represents unseen opportunities—wealth, success, fulfillment—that people fail to recognize in their own communities.
Skepticism of the Audience: The imagined rebuttal ("you cannot know much about your city...") shows that people dismiss local potential, assuming real success must come from elsewhere.
Challenge to Perception: Conwell is provoking the audience to re-examine their surroundings.

Key Themes in the Excerpt

The Illusion of Distance – People believe opportunity lies far away, but true wealth is often local.
Self-Deception & Hypocrisy – Humans mock others for the same flaws they possess.
Youth vs. Experience – Younger minds are more adaptable, while adults are set in their ways.
The Power of Perspective – What you seek may already be in your hands if you learn to see it.
Personal Responsibility – No one else will recognize your opportunities for you.

Literary Devices Used

Device	Example	Effect
Irony	The farmer laughing at others for his own mistake	Highlights human hypocrisy
Self-Deprecation	"I know I have made the same mistakes"	Makes Conwell relatable, softens critique
Rhetorical Questions	"Why should we even smile at him?"	Engages audience, prompts reflection
Metaphor	"Acres of diamonds"	Opportunity is hidden in plain sight
Repetition	"Fifty years," "continually seen"	Emphasizes the persistence of the problem
Dramatic Scenario	The farmer mocking Conwell and Jones	Makes the lesson vivid and memorable
Direct Address	"I say to you that you have ‘acres of diamonds’..."	Personalizes the message

Significance of the Excerpt

Timeless Wisdom on Opportunity – The idea that people overlook local potential remains relevant in entrepreneurship, career growth, and personal development.
Critique of the "Grass is Greener" Mentality – Conwell challenges the belief that success requires leaving home, a message that resonates in an age of migration and digital nomadism.
Call to Action – Unlike purely motivational speeches, Conwell doesn’t just inspire—he confronts the audience with their own biases.
Foundation of Temple University – The philosophy behind Acres of Diamonds influenced Conwell’s educational mission: helping people see and seize local opportunities.

Final Interpretation: Why This Excerpt Matters

Conwell’s excerpt is not just about wealth—it’s about perception. The real "diamonds" are skills, relationships, untapped markets, and unrecognized talents in one’s immediate environment. The humor and self-awareness in his delivery make the lesson sting less but stick more.

His biggest insight: The problem isn’t a lack of opportunity—it’s a lack of vision. And the first step to change is laughing at yourself, not others.

Would you like a deeper dive into any specific aspect, such as the historical impact of this speech or how it applies to modern self-help philosophy?

Questions

Question 1

The speaker’s use of the hypothetical farmer’s laughter at "Conwell" and "Jones" primarily serves to:

A. illustrate the universality of human ambition as a driving force for progress.
B. expose the absurdity of seeking validation from those less successful than oneself.
C. force the audience to confront their own complicity in the very folly they ridicule.
D. demonstrate how storytelling can bridge the gap between abstract ideas and personal experience.
E. highlight the generational divide in how opportunity is perceived and pursued.

Question 2

The line "we don’t expect the same man to preach and practise, too" is best understood as:

A. a cynical observation about the societal tolerance for hypocrisy in moral instruction.
B. a self-deprecating admission of the speaker’s own failures to live up to his teachings.
C. an appeal to the audience’s pragmatism by acknowledging the difficulty of idealistic consistency.
D. a rhetorical device to shift blame from the individual to systemic cultural expectations.
E. a subtle critique of religious leaders who demand perfection from laity but not themselves.

Question 3

The speaker’s preference for addressing "younger people" is rooted in the assumption that:

A. their lack of experience makes them more susceptible to persuasive techniques.
B. they are inherently more altruistic and thus more likely to act on communal opportunities.
C. their minds are not yet constrained by the cognitive rigidities of failure and habit.
D. they possess a natural optimism that older generations have lost through disillusionment.
E. their educational environments provide structural advantages for implementing his ideas.

Question 4

The phrase "acres of diamonds" functions in the passage as:

A. a literal invitation to reconsider the economic potential of urban real estate.
B. a nostalgic reference to a bygone era when local industries thrived without globalization.
C. a metaphor for the unrecognized value embedded in one’s immediate circumstances.
D. an ironic juxtaposition between material wealth and the intangible rewards of contentment.
E. a call to action for collective investment in underdeveloped neighborhood resources.

Question 5

The passage’s overarching argumentative strategy relies most heavily on:

A. inductive reasoning, building from specific anecdotes to a general principle.
B. emotional manipulation, leveraging guilt and humor to bypass rational resistance.
C. paradoxical framing, exposing contradictions in the audience’s beliefs to provoke insight.
D. ethical appeal, positioning the speaker as a flawed but trustworthy moral authority.
E. comparative analysis, contrasting the opportunities available to youth versus adults.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: C

Why C is most correct: The speaker’s hypothetical scenario—where the farmer laughs at others for repeating his own mistake—is a mirror held up to the audience. The humor collapses when the audience realizes they, too, are guilty of the same folly (overlooking local opportunities while judging others for doing so). This is a classic rhetorical trap: the laughter turns inward, forcing self-reflection. The passage’s power lies in this exposure of complicity, not in abstract observations about ambition (A), validation (B), storytelling (D), or generational differences (E).