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Commencement address of the year thus far given by English teacher, David McCullough Jr. at Wellesley High.
The highlights:
None of you is special
If everyone gets a trophy, trophies become meaningless
My, that was some damn fine smack.
We do, however, recall the closing lines from the address of our own high school proceedings, oh so many years ago and it went something like this:
Take your friendships seriously
Take your future studies seriously
Take your career seriously
Take the relationships with your family seriously
Take your recreational passions seriously
Take your marriage seriously
... but don't take life too seriously
Or words to that effect.
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4 comments:
I liked it until I watched it. I have to say, I found myself profoundly disliking the guy. I didn't finish it. The moral is fine, but the delivery revealed a scorn for the rest of us.
Graduation is just one more shitty day on your way to death.
I guess this is a talk that should happen with a Dad and his sons, not the inspirational speech to send off young people into the world.
At the same time, I was fascinated by the honesty of the English teacher. I couldn't help hate and love this guy at the same time.
Loved the first two-thirds, he was spot on...and kids (and everyone else) needs to hear that. Since he delved into marriage, he missed the opportinuty to make his last point on Selflessness relate to the parents of the graduates.
All I really remember from mine was, "when someone exceptional crosses your path, already be worthy of their friendship." That and the discovery that it's really stupid to wear high heals on grass.
If you need to be inspired at college graduation clearly it's come too late.
All I remember from Fred Barnes was being told we wouldn't remember anything he said.
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