Dreamin' Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 I am one of the very few who haven't read a single Harry Potter book, but I thought this was worth passing along. J.K. Rowling's Harvard University Commencement Address ... those who choose not to empathise may enable real monsters. For without ever committing an act of outright evil ourselves' date=' we collude with it, through our own apathy. ... If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful, but with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped transform for the better. We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.[/quote'] Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 I am one of the very few who haven't read a single Harry Potter book, but I thought this was worth passing along. J.K. Rowling's Harvard University Commencement Address You and me both Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gogo Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 J.K. Rowling's Harvard University Commencement AddressI'm a big HP geek, and I enjoyed that, too. Thanks, Judy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
the carlos Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 How long is that David Foster Wallace one? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 How long is that David Foster Wallace one? It Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Three dollars and 63 cents Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Wow, that was a really wonderful speech. Thanks for posting it. I teach college writing, mostly freshmen, and I may have my classes read this. She has a lot to say that I think could be really valuable to students just starting college, too. More and more, I see kids who are so obsessed with achieving what they think others want them to that they lose their imagination, their willingness to try to see things differently than others have and to take chances. Failure can be devastating to some of them, even if it's a B+ on a paper instead of an A. I think there's something to be said for screwing up sometimes. It can be good to get it out of the way early on and get on with things. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Life is difficult, and complicated, and beyond anyone's total control, and the humility to know that will enable you to survive its vicissitudes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
austrya Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 You know, I think a lot of parents should have to read that speech too. It drives me crazy when a kid doesn't make the team and mom and dad have to bitch and complain to the coaches until the coaches just get sick of listening to it and put the kid on the team to shut the parents up. Kids need to know what it's like to fail. They need to know that if they want to make it, they need to work hard and not just depend on mom and dad to get them in. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 You know, I think a lot of parents should have to read that speech too. It drives me crazy when a kid doesn't make the team and mom and dad have to bitch and complain to the coaches until the coaches just get sick of listening to it and put the kid on the team to shut the parents up. Kids need to know what it's like to fail. They need to know that if they want to make it, they need to work hard and not just depend on mom and dad to get them in.Couldn't agree more, but this is partly the fault of parents who have no problem turning their kids into over-protected pussies and partly the fault of the times. Remember, the coach is probably a parent too! Johnny gets a trophy for failing and then gets to school and can't understand why, by putting little to no effort in, he fails and then goes on to under perform in his shitty job after high school.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
austrya Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 I hate that they don't give out trophies to the first place teams around here anymore. Every kid just gets the same generic medal that says "Clinton Soccer" or whatever. Everyone is so afraid of making someone be better than the rest because they're afraid it will hurt someone's feelings. Sometimes those feelings need to get hurt so kids know how to deal with it. Plus, it kind of sucks that the kids don't have trophies to decorate their rooms with. They could care less about the medals. Everyone else has one too. What's cool about that? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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