Paul Harvey, a well-known radio commentator, had a voice recognized by millions. At the height of his career, he reached over 24 million listeners with his unique style and insightful messages.
One of his most talked-about broadcasts aired on April 3, 1965. In this speech, titled If I Were the Devil, Harvey shared a vision of the future—one that many believe has become reality today.
He started by saying, “If I were the Devil…” and then outlined how he would influence society if he wanted to take control.
Harvey said he would start with small whispers, slowly convincing people that what was once considered wrong should be accepted as normal. He would tell the young that religion was outdated and that personal desires should come first.
He would change the way people viewed work and morality, making them believe that discipline and responsibility were unnecessary. Schools would focus on intelligence but ignore emotional discipline, leading to a society driven by impulse rather than reason.
Harvey also said he would influence entertainment, making sure that books and movies promoted harmful ideas. He would push for content that encouraged laziness and self-indulgence while removing anything that encouraged strong values.
He would take God out of schools, courthouses, and even churches, replacing faith with science and psychology. He would turn religious holidays into celebrations of materialism rather than their original meanings.
He would weaken the family unit by causing division, sending children away from their parents’ influence and forcing people into strict systems of control.
Harvey ended by saying that if he were the Devil, he would simply continue on the same path—because, in his view, society was already heading in that direction.
His words, spoken decades ago, remain widely discussed today. Many believe his predictions were surprisingly accurate, making If I Were the Devil one of his most remembered speeches.