Soapbox

Someone soapboxing in Chinatown, San Francisco.

For the race car, see soapbox (car).

A soapbox is a metaphorical raised, improvised platform on which one stands to make an impromptu speech, often about a political subject. The phrase arises from olden times when speakers would literally stand on a soapbox (a crate containing bars of soap) or a similar item to gain height. The term is also used metaphorically to describe a person engaging in often flamboyant impromptu or nonofficial public speaking, as the phrase "He is on his soapbox", or "Get off of your soapbox, jerk."

Hyde Park, London is famous for its Sunday soapbox orators, who have assembled at Speaker's Corner since 1872 to speak about religion, politics, or even shoe sizes.

A modern form of the soapbox is the blog, an internet site on which anyone can publish their thoughts, often for free.

External link

[Guide to London Hyde Park]

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