Commencement Speeches, What Would You Say ?
•May 30, 2017
Graduation season rolled in again a couple of weeks ago. It is that time of the year when we hear all these commencement speeches. Speakers are supposed to encourage the new graduates to go out and defy the gods. Many people wonder how one prepares for these speeches and what makes one qualified to give one.
Graduates this year are facing immense challenges economically, politically, and socially. Their democracy is on life support, and the new “gig” economy does not produce good-paying jobs for them. It is all about surviving as opportunities are scarce for the new college graduates. Moreover, socially, the country is divided into unending cultural wars.
I have heard many commencement speeches throughout the years. However, the best speeches I have heard were delivered by Steve Jobs and David Foster Wallace. Both of them were given in 2005. Steve Jobs gave his speech at Stanford University, and Wallace addressed students at Kenyon College. Both men offered some basics as to how students could directly deal with some of the challenges that they would face after finishing college. These two men went beyond the flattery and the banal platitudes that characterized the substance of these speeches.
Steve Jobs’s speech was funny, profoundly witty, and filled with compelling personal stories that appeared to have been taken out from the pages of a book about Greek mythology. Ironically, Steve Jobs was a college dropout. He explained to students that he did not see the value of staying in college; hence, he dropped out. That might have been tough for those students graduating that year. They have made great sacrifices, and a college dropout is telling them that college education might not be worthwhile.
Three themes ran through Steve Jobs’ speech: “Connecting the dots, love, and loss, and stay hungry-stay foolish.” There was so much wisdom in this speech. “Having setbacks are good for the soul, things that you do in life might not make sense to you in the short-term, but later in life, you will connect the dots,” Steve Jobs told students. Moreover, what I thought was the best line in his speech, “life is a change agent; it clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now; you will gradually become the old.”
On the other hand, David Foster Wallace’s speech given in May 2005 at Kenyon College was somewhat more abstract but immensely useful for students to engage. Wallace was a writer and a university instructor of English who taught creative writing. He published a novel Infinite Jest and it was considered one of the best English-language novels written in the last one hundred years. Tragically, David Foster Wallace hanged himself in September 2008. Wallace started his commencement speech with this didactic little parable. This speech became widely known as “This is water.”
Wallace went on to explain to students that sometimes it is unexplainably challenging to see the most obvious things. Yes, those things that are in our faces that we somehow are not consciously aware that they are there. Most of us can relate to this, sometimes the solutions to the problems we are facing might just be before us, but we somehow cannot see them. Either by choice, as one might argue, we just avoid seeing the elephant in the room.
Wallace let students have it. He told them point-blank that real education was not about accumulating knowledge. It was about developing the skill of what to choose to think about the options we have in front of us. Students were asked to take a look at their “default settings”; that is, the way how we are all have been wired and how those settings dictate our choices. He made the case that it is possible to alter this “default settings” and that students can develop that skill. Furthermore, that they could start looking at things differently. He also asked them to embrace the struggle of choosing and not letting their “default settings” dictate their choices. That was what Wallace called “real freedom.” He wrapped up his speeches with this, “this is water, this is water.” A genuinely brilliant commencement speech.
It would be tough to give a commencement speech in these times of economic and daunting political challenges facing this country. Yes, how does one tell students graduating this year that civility matters, that tolerance is good for our community and that social graces are vital for civil society? Yes, how does an individual do this? We have a president who was elected last year, who succeeded by breaking all the social norms of decency and that he continues doing it as President.
I have been in many graduation ceremonies, two of them as a student. If I were to give one of these speeches, it would be the shortest one ever.
This is what I would say; I will start by talking about the humanity of their degrees. That is, talking about the usual suspects, the responsibilities of citizenship, global affairs, and the beautiful struggle of connecting with something bigger than oneself. In light of the new economic order in this country, I will also talk about their degrees as an economic payoff. After all, these students have invested heavily in their education.
I will touch upon the following three themes: Flexibility. I will tell students that they should know what they want in life and do whatever they can to reach that goal. But at the same time, they should be flexible enough and accept what life has in store for you. This can also be applied in the political system we have in place. They should defend their political positions.
Nevertheless, they must make an effort to make adjustments if things or circumstances changed or if they have been presented with a fact-driven persuasive argument. In light of the corrosive partisanship in Washington, this will serve their country well. I will also tell them that they should try to create their opportunities as good-paying jobs are no longer a reality in this country
Second, I will make a case for them to develop a thick skin. If you endeavor to avoid those who disagree with you, you will be excluding 99% of the people in this world, I will tell them. Granted, some people might hate you, but the great majority of them might just disagree with your positions or ideas. Always give people the benefits of the doubt unless they prove themselves otherwise. You should know that in a free society, we let people say whatever they want in the name of liberty. So, do not be a sensitive soul and smile even when people talk about your mom. Rather than advocating for safe spaces where people have to act in a political corrected way, you should not care what people think of you and engage them whenever is possible.
Finally, I will tell students to develop a strong foundation and have the courage and strength to say “No.” This is tough. Life is a road paved with many temptations. We should all pray for wisdom so we can identify those moments when all the stars appear to have been aligned, and the natural thing to do is to say “yes.” Resist.
Thank you for reading.
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References used.
David Foster Wallace Transcript of 2005 Kenyon College Commencement Address. May 21, 2005. faculty.winthrop.edu. 21 May 2005. Web. 24 May 2017.
Krajeski, Jenna. “This is Water.”New Yorker 19 Sept. 2008. Web. 28 May 2017.
“You have got to find what you love, Jobs says.” News.Stanford.edu. 14 Jun 2005. Web. 24 May 2017.Weber
Weber, Bruce. “David Foster Wallace, Influential Writer, Dies at 46.” New York Times. 14 Sept. 2008. Web. 28 May 2017
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Photos credit: Photos were downloaded from paid websites with password-protected from one of the colleges where I teach.
Commencement speaches are supposed to be motivating. They’re supposed to light a fire that cannot be stopped. Or at least the speech is supposed to provide some sort of reassurance that anything is possible, and nothing is impossible so long as you put your mind to it.
I don’t know much about commencement speeches, I’ve never attended a university graduation, nor did I even pay attention to my high school one. However, there is one speech that just struck me and filled me with pride, it wasn’t from any of my military graduations, it wasn’t even my graduation. It was the commencement speech at the University of Texas.
The University was graced by Navy Admiral William Mcraven, and his speech just lit a fire. I listen to it ever so often when in need of some motivation. Although the entire speech is moving. There is one thing that stands out. In his speech to the graduates he states, “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” (Mcraven), it’s the first task of the day, accomplishing said task will give you a sense of pride, a sense of accomplishment, you will want to go out and accomplish more tasks. He concludes this portion of his speech by stating, “and if your day is bad and you didn’t accomplish anything, at least you get to come home to a made bed… That you made.”, this speech was unbiased, generalized so that those who do not wish to serve can still utilize the same principles to get ahead in life.
The day I graduate I’d like to be moved just like those Texas University alumn were by the old Admiral..
Listening to commencement speeches are powerful and interesting speeches to listen to as the people who are giving the speeches know what life is their for them as they are the ones who went through their journey in success. It is the reassurance for the the next generation graduates to give them the best luck and prepare to seek their path after graduation. It is supposed to give motivation by using analogies of things and compare them how it can relate to society. I wouldn’t know what speech to give but if I were to give a speech, it would be short.
I would say, Many have experience different, but their all similar in there own way. The similarity about the experience of everyone’s pathway is that we all go through a struggle. But the struggle helps us learn what the reality can be after graduation, and that struggles helps us become a stronger independent person thats ready to take on any challenge thats in front of them. We all go experience the bumps in our paths, but look at where we are, we all made to the end for now, but this is just the beginning to our journeys.
I believe that commencement speeches are meant to tell you the truth about how the world is really like whether we want to hear it or not. And i agree with Wallace when he said “education was not about accumulating knowledge” it’s not about how much you know it’s about what you’re going to do with it. I also wanted to add that i agree that we as people should not be easily offended by others. Some of us, like myself, are so used to being in our own bubble that it’s time to get out of it and appreciate this nation for what it is and for what it allows us to do, like speak freely and if that means that my feelings will get hurt then so be it, because that insult will only make me stronger and become a better person.
Commencement speeches purpose is to motivate graduates to succeed in the real world. In my opinion commencement speeches are not all pleasant and comforting they tell the hard truths of the world and what is to come. It all depends on peoples values and how they were raised and how they take these speeches, if they take it under consideration or offence. My high school commencement speech I remember the girl that was speaking she was motivating us to keep up the hard work and also reminding us that the world is not easy and sacrifices will have to be made. If I were to give a speech I would congratulate my class and motivate them to take risks because people don’t get anywhere by playing it safe. I will tell them that life only gets harder in the future and sometimes we will be brought down but at the end we will always bring ourselves right back up. Ill tell them too that not all may make it in the future but it all depends on them and what choices they make that leads them to their future. Everyday we make choices, whether good or bad.
I remember there was a time in middle school when my year was the graduating class and I wanted to be the one to give a commencement speech so what we had to do to be able to give the speech was basically write out speech out and try out in front of staff and they chose the winner to give the speech. I remember I stood up for hours writing it thinking it was the best speech I could have written at that time. When it was my turn to try out in front of the staff I stood up I delivered my speech and I thought it was really good. Describing how all of us were going to move on and do better things in high school and how we were not going to slack off. Just a lot of do good stuff and tried to motivate everyone. But then the next day they gave us the results and I was not the one to make it I was actually devastated to hear that since I really wanted to do it. Then again you people do not always get what they want that’s where tough skin comes in. All I could do at that time was just be mad inside and continue moving on with the next day. Everything heals in time I guess you can say. No one can stop time. So basically my advice is to keep on moving on. Dory once said ” Just keep swimming”.
For me a commence speech is where one must say the brutal truth. That after college you will find job and have a nice life afterwards, but it doesn’t mean it will happen. Many of the newly graduated have a tough time finding a job after college many go back to flipping burgers because their diplomas are meanings less. And for me that is what a speech should be about saying the truth instead of heading it behind an reality that might or might not happen. We need to have more people say the truth and motive us to be stronger individuals after college. I’m saying that commence speeches are to be sad and depressing they just need say the truth. If i was to ever give one I won’t hold myself back because let’s face it, after college we need to still fight our way through even holding in our hands a bachelors or masters.
Students have to take advantage of having the chance of getting an education. Having an education is not just the fact of preparing yourself to do what you like but to face all the issues that society has. facing the reality would make students better persons, they would realize that life is not as merciful as school is. Graduating fom college is a tool to develop students minds to really go out there and find a way to survive in a world with shortage of opportunities.
Commencement speeches are supposed to be inspiring like the hard work you just put in school really matters and your going out in the world to do good. There might have been a point when these people up there giving the speech had the opportunities available to them to actually do something great but the american dream has died. A degree is worthless now, a high school diploma a bachelor degree is insignificant people with degrees are struggling in our current economy because there are no jobs that pay well. The debt accrued in college just keeps growing from the inability to pay it back. Some of the people up on the podiums giving these speeches try to convince us to keep working hard and that nothing is out of reach if we keep up the hard work. “This is water”, was the perfect ending by Wallace because we are drowning and the water keeps rising and the air decreasing.
Commencement speech are a uplifting lesson given by people who have achieved the accolade of success. This speech is delivered to give students the view of the real world and although their education careers have finished they have only begun the path of something great.
I remember when I graduated from high school Oscar De La Hoya gave us a speech and spoke about the importance of never giving up. He stated how he took punches in the ring and even though it took so much out of him he was able to over come the hardship and won a boxing gold medal in the Olympics. That made me feel amazing because I remember my struggle and everything that set me back and hearing a man that went through many of the same things as me gave me the ambition to reach for glory.
Graduation is no doubt a joyous occasion, meant to celebrate the achievements of men and women who have put a great deal of work and effort into obtaining their degrees. On a separate note, it is also true that there is a great deal of uncertainty in people’s future. It’s a fact which a many people already know, or will soon find out. That being said, someone could certainly talk about how meaningless their degree really is, and how hard it’s going to be, but that is not the point of a commencement speech. The point of the speech is very simple, to empower people and remind them of the things that they can achieve. Warnings and tips are all well and good but the goal is not to discourage. Ultimately it is a celebration of the achievements of hard working individuals, reminding them that they have the potential for much more.
Commencement speeches are meant to be inspiring, to provide wisdom and advice for a better future. What the speeches do not say or mention is how many graduates go on in life not actually working in what they studied for. They do not provide guidance for students who just got a major in art and have no idea what to do with their degree or better yet their life. Commencement speeches should touch some light in this field. It would be extremely hard for me to give a commencement speech. I would not know which words to choose. Your message has to be short, intelligent and must have ambiguity as these are college graduates you are speaking too. Lets put all those hours of reading into work. I know I would acknowledge their choice and thank them for them. College may not be for everybody but a lot more people should definitely be involved. It’s difficult to choose the words. You cannot make the speech too long as you would loose your audience. And you cannot make your speech too dull and full with literature you have to throw some sort of joke or phrase that would lead to the entertainment of the crowd for some seconds.
I think commencement speeches are nothing but a cheesy waste of time. Yes graduating is awesome and it should be a very proud moment not only for the grad but for their family as well. However, every speech is similar, I do think it can be encouraging and make the grads feel proud but they always say the same thing every year at graduations. Most grads do not even pay attention. If I had a chance of giving a commencement speech I would tell my class about my story and how my mother struggled to give us what we have today and I would think the class would get bored and not even listen,
I applaud the speeches given at every graduation, although at times I think it is the same speech for every single class so if it actually is written every single year for each class has to be one of the most touching things to hear. These speeches are for motivation to give students to start their new chapter in life whether its graduating high school and entering the struggle of college or a speech from college and going into the real adult world. They are meant for reassurance that at one point they had to go through that new chapter, they are meant to motive and inspire.
Reading this article makes me believed that commencement speeches are to show the truth about what is really going on in our world whether it’s good or bad. I stronglu agree with what Wallace said in the article, education was not about accumulating knowledge. It’s really more about what you’re going to do with that knowledge. What I’ve learned from this is how we should not let what people think or say about one another , offend us. Some people who don’t or are not involved with the outside world, & we must get involved and appreciate the fact that we are allowed to speak for ourselves. We shouldn’t care about what other day yo offend us, it’ll only make us stronger as a person and learn from it.
It is very traditional for commencement speeches to partake in graduation ceremonies as farewell wisdom to students taking the next step of their lives. I too have always wondered how such individuals qualify to give a eloquent speech briefly. In today’s world it is very tough for graduating students to go out and find something that they invested their time in, instead it puts them in an economic disaster that leads to stress and tragedy. I do strongly believe that in America particularly that other opportunities are abundant for acclaiming the American dream but it is too how you think and decide your own fate. Overall people like Steve Jobs give a different perspective of how else can you can be successful with or without a degree, I am always impressed by speeches like him because it is a moment of mentorship that can either impact you for a lifetime or a lost cause.
Commencement speech are suppose to motivate us but in reality some speeches are just meant to open you eyes and face reality because it not going to be easy what we are going to face in the future. speech should at least have a bit of passion in it something that people we actually believe in it shouldn’t just cause you false hope and make it harder for other to live this way. The article will be more helpful if it would of should a percentage of how much graduate we are talking about and with that we will know the true facts about the truly graduates. However if I would of written a commencement speech I would really know the right way to set it up because first I would have to get fact about what is going around in my community and environment even through it my not convince everyone that listen to it at least I would know that I am aiming for the key point that I truly want to focus on. For the last thing even though these speech can convince you or they don’t you should listen to what you truly believe an don’t let other make that decision for you.
Growing up and attending school I always looked forward to the speeches at the end of the school terms and hearing what these successful people have to say about their experience in life. Because really that’s what the commencement speeches are all about, selecting a credible person who has stood for ideals that as a whole we can come to appreciate because they essentially made people better or helped make things easier. So, I disagree that these students need to be told direct things about their life instead they should continue listening from people like Steve jobs that innovate and make the narrative their own. A huge issue graduates face today is originality there is so much innovation and creativity that it has become harder to make something out of anything. The opportunity however has increased but to really make the next best thing is a scarcity of brilliant minds. Instead what I believe graduates today must focus on is themselves and who they are. Finding yourself in this new economy, this new social movement and this era where we have taken decencey and the law to an extreme level with a president like Trump who repeatedly let’s people have it. It’s important in a time like this that students are shown how it is to succeed by presenting people who are living this era now, by presenting those who have made it and especially those who have failed and picked themselves up. If it’s one thing I learned from all speeches I heard is that these people failed multiple times before they landed one success that changed their lives. And that’s the mindset we must have and our students should carry to be not afraid of failure but to welcome it because every setback is a setup for a comeback. And if these students know what they want out of life, I think going after it is it’s own achievement and financial security is very important but to jeopardize what you will do your entire life I do not believe that is a price I would pay. I’ve met more successful people with student loans in their desired careers then I have those who only went after the money and are actually happy. Doing what you love is crucial to who you are and what you leave behind and if you can secure yourself financially all the more reason but I think pursuing your passions are at the end of the day the most vital part of you. It only takes one moment to make everything change and become this extremely wealthy person and there is a billion reasons why you chose to play it safe. When doing the math in the long run it works out just fine and that is what I think we need to hear more of today. A sense of firm reality and hope that we can still innovate, create and change the world. Because times change and soon when most of the baby boomers are long gone we will have us and future graduates ready to take on the duties we will leave behind. Life is too short therefore I think we must make the most of it by believing in yourself but with two feet on reality.
Listening to commencement speeches are very powerful. I believe they are uplifting and inspiring. These speeches are to push forward the graduates to the next chapter of their lives. They are to challenge the students to the fullest of their potential. I think these speeches don’t need to only to be encouraging, but they need to challenge students to exceed their limits. One thing I like about commencement speeches is that they really open the eyes to a student that hasn’t completely realized what’s to come next. It is a wake up call to graduates that they need to step into what is to come. I like the fact that graduates are being sent off with the truth. Because in my opinion, thats exactly what they need at that point in life.
Commencement speaches are interesting everyone has a different story. They all have a way of seeing life and explaining what they have lived through. Everyone is different so there are different goals. The way they act or how much they put in is also based on each individual. There are times things happen naturally. One can be gifted or one might be doing something and get offered something new that they might be good at. There are risks one might have to take but one will never know unless they try. One might actually be surprised on how much one can do and if one fails it is part of the lesson. Everyone’s life is different so they might take certain things differently and because of it the meaning of what one says up there giving a speach can impact others differently. There will be different view and one does not know how much one thing said can mean to others.
I have heard a few commencement speeches, including two of my own as a student. I think most speakers do a pretty good job on saying how they have felt through their years of studies and what it is like to finally accomplish their goal but I really liked listened to what Mr. Wallace said about the water, a little vague, but then explained. It’s true, sometimes you can’t see something when it is staring you in the face. And it is also true with what you would have liked to say in your commencement speech, it is hard. Life is tough and you will not get a free pass on life, it does not work that way. I would be very neverous to deliever a commencement speech but if I would, I would make sure my fellow classmates understand that it is a tough world out there but that we should be proud of ourselves on that day because we have accomplished something for ourselves.
I think commencement speeches are supposed to leave the graduates with a sense of hope and hunger for success in the next step in their lives, but instead a lot of the times the speeches end up giving them false hope. I’ve heard quite a few commencement speeches and in most of them they just kind of tell the graduates what they want to hear, ” That they will find a job, that they will make money, that they will get out of debt,” while this may be motivating for some, I think this prepares others for failure. If I were to give a speech id be brutally honest and tell them that things might not always work out the way we panned. I would try to provide them with some tips about life and the economy in case things do go awry for them. That is something I would like to hear at my commencement speech.
I think commencement speeches are supposed to leave the graduates with a sense of hope and hunger for success in the next step in their lives, but instead a lot of the times the speeches end up giving them false hope. I’ve heard quite a few commencement speeches and in most of them they just kind of tell the graduates what they want to hear, ” That they will find a job, that they will make money, that they will get out of debt,” while this may be motivating for some, I think this prepares others for failure. If I were to give a speech id be brutally honest and tell them that things might not always work out the way we panned. I would try to provide them with some tips about life and the economy in case things do go awry for them.That is something I would like to hear at my commencement speech.
The commencement speeches are suppose to be motivational and inspiring for college graduates. First time ever hearing the speech Steve Jobs and David Foster Wallace gave are great and it gave me a good sense of direction. I would not know what to say to all these students who have invested in to much time and effect in their education. As one would say they might keep it short and simple but thats not always the case. I like both speeches and what they both had as examples to get the students to understand what can one do with their education even when things may not be going the way one expected, also how one should not allow others to control how one may think, and to be able to see what opportunities life may have in store for them. If I ever had to give a commencement speech I would have a lot of personal stories that involve struggles of life, life learning lessons, and situations that didn’t kill me but made me stronger. So I believe the speech I would give might almost be a combination of both Steve Jobs’ and David Foster Wallace’s commencement speeches.
I was always under the impression that a commencement speech was somehow a reflection on the things of the past, but really it is the beginning of something new. It’s about the future, it’s about hopes, it’s about dreams and ambitions. But most of all it should be a reality check. After college we all have to become more accountable, more aggressive, and even more ambitious because unlike the speakers of these commencement speeches, our careers have just begun. For us the future looks and feels different especially to everyone else but to us it’s the same. We’re fish in the water that don’t know we’re swimming, and it’s probably better that way. Quite frankly a lot of us would probably freak out if we thought we could drown. I don’t think we can afford to be afraid to fail because the measure of success is forever changing. If we don’t try we automatically lose. But even though it looks quite bleak these days I feel more optimistic than ever before. The future certainly won’t be easy but no on ever really said it would be either.
Commencement speeches have the power to make people think about the life in which they will pursue after they have now completed their education. For those who have not yet completed their education, commencement speeches can motivate them to pursue higher education and find something that they love to do. In terms of developing a tough skin, I too think that is greatly important. Not everyone is going to agree with my ideas or beliefs, and I think it is important for me to accept that, if not, I were to go insane. Steve Jobs gave a great commencement speech, and I am not saying that just because you mentioned it, I have honestly watched that speech a numerous of times. He did a great (job) to inspire students and people of different backgrounds to one day become successful in pursuing dreams.
Most of the time when I go to a graduation I always hear the same commencement talking about having hope and to follow your dreams which are boring. Although when I went to my cousin’s high school graduation there was a doctor who gave the commencement speech. At first, I though she probably going to say to follow your dreams, never give up and to stay in school. When she got up on the podium she explained how she went to school got her degree. Then when she finished the introduction she told the students that life was going to be a pain and that there will be times where they will feel the possible will become the impossible and that fear will consume them. I was shocked and also the students. I though she would motivate them but she told them how life really is. Even though she told them that, she later told them to never let fear consume them and to make the impossible possible. It has been one of my favorite speeches because she told what they were really going to face in life. I feel that giving a commencement speech you have to inspire the students to give them faith something to hold on too. Also to tell them that money isn’t the only happiness in the world and to know who they are and they want to be.
Thanks for the great post on your blog, it really gives me an insight on this topic.~,*-,