毕业典礼独众的两分钟英语演讲稿范文（精选33篇）
I’m so happy to be here on your day and all of your day. It’s good to know there’s one Yalie who is happy I’m being here -- be here, at least one. (Laughter.) On “Overheard at Yale,” on the Facebook page, one student reported another student saying: I had a dream that I was Vice President and was with the President, and we did the disco funk dance to convince the Congress to restart the government. (Laughter.)
Another student commented, Y’all know Biden would be hilarious, get funky. (Laughter.)
Well, my granddaughter, Finnegan Biden, whose dad went here, is with me today. When she saw that on the speech, I was on the plane, Air Force Two coming up, she said, Pop, it would take a lot more than you and the President doing the disco funk dance. The Tea Party doesn't even know what it is. (Laughter.)
Look, I don't know about that. But I’m just glad there’s someone -- just someone -- who dreams of being Vice President. (Laughter and applause.) Just somebody. I never had that dream. (Laughter.) For the press out there, that's a joke.
I began to commute thinking I was only going to stay a little while -- four hours a day, every day -- from Washington to Wilmington, which I’ve done for over 37 years. I did it because I wanted to be able to kiss them goodnight and kiss them in the morning the next day. No, “Ozzie and Harriet” breakfast or great familial thing, just climb in bed with them. Because I came to realize that a child can hold an important thought, something they want to say to their mom and dad, maybe for 12 or 24 hours, and then it’s gone. And when it’s gone, it’s gone. And it all adds up.
But looking back on it, the truth be told, the real reason I went home every night was that I needed my children more than they needed me. Some at the time wrote and suggested that Biden can't be a serious national figure. If he was, he’d stay in Washington more, attend to more important events. It’s obvious he’s not serious. He goes home after the last vote.
Here’s something else I observed -- intellectual horsepower and tolerance alone does not make a generation great: unless you can break out of the bubble of your own making -— technologically, geographically, racially, and socioeconomically -— to truly connect with the world around you. Because it matters.
No matter what your material success or personal circumstance, it matters. You can't breathe fresh air or protect your children from a changing climate no matter what you make. If your sister is the victim of domestic violence, you are violated. If your brother can’t marry the man he loves, you are lessened. And if your best friend has to worry about being racially profiled, you live in a circumstance not worthy of us. (Applause.) It matters.
So be successful. I sincerely hope some of you become millionaires and billionaires. I mean that. But engage the world around you because you will be more successful and happier. And you can absolutely succeed in life without sacrificing your ideals or your commitments to others and family. I’m confident that you can do that, and I’m confident that this generation will do it more than any other.
Look to your left, as they say, and look to your right. And remember how foolish the people next to you look -- (laughter) -- in those ridiculous hats. (Laughter.) That’s what I want you to remember. I mean this. Because it means you’ve learned something from a great tradition.
In their flattering invitation letter, they asked me to bring along a sense of humor, speak about my commitment to public service and family, talk about resiliency, compassion, and leadership in a changing world. Petty tall order. (Laughter.) I probably already flunked the first part of the test.
But with the rest let me say upfront, and I mean this sincerely, there’s nothing particularly unique about me. With regard to resilience and compassion, there are countless thousands of people, maybe some in the audience, who’ve suffered through personal losses similar to mine or much worse with much less support to help them get through it and much less reason to want to get through it.
It’s not that all that difficult, folks, to be compassionate when you’ve been the beneficiary of compassion in your lowest moments not only from your family, but from your friends and total strangers. Because when you know how much it meant to you, you know how much it mattered. It’s not hard to be compassionate.
Actually, being Vice President to Barack Obama has been truly a great honor. We both enjoy getting out of the White House to talk to folks in the real America -— the kind who know what it means to struggle, to work hard, to shop at Kiko Milano. (Laughter and applause.) Great choice. (Laughter.)
I just hope to hell the same people responsible for Kiko’s aren’t in charge of naming the two new residential colleges. (Laughter and applause.)
Now, look, folks, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I should day to you today, but the more I thought about it, I thought that any Class Day speech is likely to be redundant. You already heard from Jessie J at Spring Fling. (Laughter.) So what in the hell could I possibly say. (Laughter.)
Look, I’m deeply honored that Jeremy and Kiki selected me. I don't know how the hell you trusted them to do that. (Laughter.) I hope you agree with their choice. Actually I hope by the end of this speech, they agree with their choice. (Laughter.)
I felt like a fool. He then went on to say, Joe, it’s always appropriate to question another man’s judgment, but never appropriate to question his motives because you simply don't know his motives.
It happened early in my career fortunately. From that moment on, I tried to look past the caricatures of my colleagues and try to see the whole person. Never once have I questioned another man’s or woman’s motive. And something started to change. If you notice, every time there’s a crisis in the Congress the last eight years, I get sent to the Hill to deal with it. It’s because every one of those men and women up there -- whether they like me or not -- know that I don't judge them for what I think they're thinking.
Because when you question a man’s motive, when you say they're acting out of greed, they're in the pocket of an interest group, et cetera, it’s awful hard to reach consensus. It’s awful hard having to reach across the table and shake hands. No matter how bitterly you disagree, though, it is always possible if you question judgment and not motive.
Senator Helms and I continued to have profound political differences, but early on we both became the most powerful members of the Senate running the Foreign Relations Committee, as Chairmen and Ranking Members. But something happened, the mutual defensiveness began to dissipate. And as a result, we began to be able to work together in the interests of the country. And as Chairman and Ranking Member, we passed some of the most significant legislation passed in the last 40 years.
finally, when leaders wrap themselves in the flag, or the national anthem, and try to make you think that critics of your government don’t love and respect our country, real patriotism isn’t about honoring symbols. Real patriotism is about bringing truth to light, and when action is required, standing up and taking action.
In other words, real patriotism is about taking pains. So if you remember nothing else from today, remember that phrase. Or, to make it even simpler, just remember: T-Pain.
Graduates, as you leave this great university, I hope you will take the pains that are necessary to preserve and extend our democracy. Take pains to understand the other side. Take pains to expose lies. Take pains to reject scapegoating and xenophobia. Take pains not to fall for easy answers. And take pains to hold our leaders accountable for their words and their deeds.
If you do that, I have no doubt that truth – and America – will prevail. And my generation will be able to say, as we pass the leadership torch to yours, the same words that Washington spoke with his last breath: ‘Tis well.
So tonight, have one last drink, maybe at T’s, dance to your own beat or to the beat of Ninja Turtle Backpack Guy, and tomorrow, get to work. The world needs you more than ever.
Congratulations, and good luck.
Sometimes it takes things falling apart, for better things to fall into place. Sometimes it takes the most uncomfortable path, to lead your life to the most beautiful place. There's gonna be bad days, there's gonna be dark days, but you've gotta embrace it.
Because that pain is what makes you stronger. Failure is what makes you stronger.
You have to accept those down times, because once you realize those down times, are just as much part of life as anything else, you're able to strive again.
You'll never see the purpose of the storm, until you see the growth it produced. You'll never understand why you went through what you went through, until you see the strength, the power, the resilience that it built inside of you. Ask yourself why.
But this why is a better why, "Why am I doing this? Why am I failing? Why am I even getting myself in a situation where I could fail? Because I have a dream. Because I have goals."
Look, at a Gridiron Dinner not long ago, the President said, I -- the President -- “I am learning to speak without a teleprompter, Joe is learning to speak with one.” (Laughter.) But if you looked at my speechwriters, you know why.And the granddaughter of one of my dearest friends in life -— a former Holocaust survivor, a former foreign policy advisor, a former Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Congressman Tom Lantos -— is graduating today. Mercina, congratulations, kiddo. (Applause.) Where are you? You are the sixth -- she’s the sixth sibling in her immediate family to graduate from Yale. Six out of 11, that's not a bad batting average. (Laughter.) I believe it’s a modern day record for the number of kids who went to Yale from a single family.
And, Mercina, I know that your mom, Little Annette is here. I don't know where you are, Annette. But Annette was part of the first class of freshman women admitted to Yale University. (Applause.)
And her grandmother, Annette, is also a Holocaust survivor, an amazing woman; and both I’m sure wherever they are, beaming today. And I know one more thing, Mercina, your father and grandfather are looking down, cheering you on.
You have earned the endorsement of those who have come before you and we expect that you will honor the legacy of improving the world by your contributions in [the] years to come.
And while it may not be easy to determine your passion or decipher your purpose, we will always be here to support you as you navigate this experience we call ‘life’.
We will always be here not just to tell you, but to show you that the only way around adversity isn not around it at all; it is straight through it.
So, expect adversity – expect adversity, excuse me. Invite it. And embrace it. Because it will be your greatest asset. It will help you be a better human being. It will teach you the same thing my mother taught me…that no morth and prosper!”
atter how bad you feel, that even at your lowest point, you got this.
Because Dukies…Dukies hear clearly, graduates, Dukies are like titanium. We might be dented on every side, but we are never crushed. And in the final analysis, we are “forever Duke”.
In sports, we call for “fresh legs” when our health is on the decline, when our bodies are met with dis-ease, or when veteran players get sick or tired. I would submit that my generation, most of your parents’ cohort, is the veterans and frankly, we are winded. We’ve been in the game since the clock started. Now, don’t get it twisted. W still got it. Thank you for that. But we still need your enthusiasm, your emotional intelligence and your energy to impact the field of play in this game we call life.
So let’s wrap this thing up – you ready? I asked you: were you ready? Because it’s time to move on to the really exciting stuff...the conferring of degrees! Somebody say amen.
So let me leave you with this.
Duke is a very special place. To get in is no small feat, but to get out is a real accomplishment.
Every one of you graduates is to be commended for your hard work and effort to this point. From our youngest grad at 20 years old to our most seasoned grad at 72, somebody say amen, you are all awesome and we are truly proud to welcome you into the Duke Family!
All across America – at family gatherings, in social settings and workplaces, on college campuses, and certainly on social media, Americans are losing the ability to conduct civil and productive dialogue with those who hold different political views.
And that has profound effect…profound implications for our ability to function as a society. After all, when you can’t talk with one another, you can’t understand one another. When we can’t understand one another, we can’t work together. When we can’t work together, we can’t do anything, at least not anything big and important.
We face a lot of hard challenges in America today – from climate change to gun violence, to failing schools to the opioid epidemic, and on campuses, from the frightening trend towards racism, sexism, hatred, anti-Semitism and intolerance of unpopular views and opinions.
To have any hope of overcoming these challenges, we have to start by reclaiming our civic dialogue from those who are debasing and degrading it – and preventing us from getting things done.
All of you can help do that – no matter what your politics are and no matter what line of work you pursue later on. Maybe your passion is science or education, or the arts or education, or medicine or health care, or business. There is not a single issue that isn’t affected by political debates. And there is not a single issue that isn’t threatened by the breakdown in our civic discourse.
I want you to know that, no matter where you are in life… No matter how low you have sunk… No matter how bleak your situation… This is NOT THE END.
This is not the end of your story
This is not the final chapter of your life.
I know it may be hard right now
But if you just hang in there
Stick it out
Stay with me for a little while…
You will find, that this tough moment will pass, and, if you are committed to USING this pain, using it to build your character, finding a greater MEANING for the pain, you will find that, in time, you can turn your life around, and help others going through the same struggles.
It means you’re willing to look foolish, you’re willing to run the risk of looking foolish in the service of what matters to you. And if you remember that, because some of the things your heart will tell you to do, will make you among your peers look foolish, or not smart, or not sophisticated. But we’ll all be better for people of your consequence to do it.
That’s what I want you to most remember. Not who spoke at the day you all assembled on this mall. You’re a remarkable class. I sure don't remember who the hell was my commencement speaker. (Laughter.) I know this is not officially commencement. But ask your parents when you leave here, who spoke at your commencement? It’s a commencement speaker aversion of a commencement speaker’s fate to be forgotten. The question is only how quickly. But you’re the best in your generation. And that is not hyperbole. And you're part of a remarkable generation.
I’m not afraid to take a stand
Everybody come take my hand
We’ll walk this road together, through the storm
Whatever weather, cold or warm
Just to let you know that, you’re not alone
Holla if you feel that you’ve been down the same roadYeah, It’s been a ride…
I guess i had to go to that place to get to this one
Now some of you might still be in that place
If you’re trying to get out, just follow me
I’ll get you out…You can try and read my lyrics off of this paper before I lay ‘em
But you won’t take the sting out these words before I say ‘em
Cause ain’t no way I’m let you stop me from causing mayhem
When I say ‘em or do something I do it, I don’t give a damn
What you think, I’m doing this for me, so fuсk the world
Feed it beans, it’s gassed up, if a thing’s stopping me
I’mma be what I set out to be, without a doubt undoubtedly
And all those who look down on me I’m tearing down your balcony
No if ands or buts don’t try to ask him why or how can he
From Infinite down to the last Relapse album he’s still shit and
Whether he’s on salary, paid hourly
Until he bows out or he shit’s his bowels out of him
Whichever comes first, for better or worse
He’s married to the game, like a fuсk you for christmas
His gift is a curse, forget the earth he’s got the urge
To pull his dick from the dirt and fuсk the whole universe
Ok quit playin’ with the scissors and shit, and cut the crap
I shouldn’t have to rhyme these words in the rhythm for you to know it’s a rap
You said you was king, you lied through your teeth
For that fuсk your fillings, instead of getting crowned you’re getting capped
And to the fans, I’ll never let you down again, I’m back
I promise to never go back on that promise, in fact
Let’s be honest, that last Relapse CD was “ehhhh”
Perhaps I ran them accents into the ground
Relax, I ain’t going back to that now
All I’m tryna say is get back, click-clack BLAOW
Cause I ain’t playin’ around
There’s a game called circle and I don’t know how
I’m way too up to back down
But I think I’m still tryna figure this crap out
Thought I had it mapped out but I guess I didn’t
This fuсking black cloud’s still follow’s me around
But it’s time to exercise these demons
Let me say that again.
The reason anyone gets depressed always comes down to the CONSISTENT thoughts we think, and the CONSISTENT beliefs we hold.
If I believe I am fat, horrible, ugly and unworthy of love, I will most likely become depressed or have depression thoughts
If my thought process is “I must be in a relationship and earn X amount to be happy” I might get depression if I don’t achieve those goals.
The point here is that anyone that is depressed, is so, because there is an external factor that didn’t materialize in their life – i.e…. (They have lost something outside of their control, or don’t have something that is out of their control) the most common reasons for depression are : a lost a job, relationship break downs or non existence, body image, comparison to others.
The only way out of this is to work on yourself, every day.
In school we are taught how to get a job, but no one teaches us how to live in a state of happiness. No one teaches us how important our conscious and unconscious thoughts and associations are.
Is our happiness not worth more than a job?
Yes it is.
And before you say, happiness won’t pay my bills – happiness WILL pay your bills, when you realize you will be 10 times more energized, focused and take positive action in your life, when you FIRST choose to develop yourself as a priority, and THEN get to all the “stuff” of the world.
Let me conclude with this. I’m not going to moralize about to whom much is given, much is expected, because most of you have made of yourself much more than what you’ve been given. But now you are in a privileged position. You’re part of an exceptional generation and doors will open to you that will not open to others. My Yale Law School grad son graduated very well from Yale Law School. My other son out of loyalty to his deceased mother decided to go to Syracuse Law School from Penn. They're a year and a day apart in their age. The one who graduated from Yale had doors open to him, the lowest salary offered back in the early ‘90s was $50,000 more than a federal judge made. My other son, it was a struggle -- equally as bright, went on to be elected one of the youngest attorney generals in the history of the state of Delaware, the most popular public official in my state. Big headline after the 20xx election, “Biden Most Popular Man in Delaware -- Beau.” (Laughter.)
And as your parents will understand, my dad’s definition of success is when you look at your son and daughter and realize they turned out better than you, and they did. But you’ll have opportunities. Make the most of them and follow your heart. You have the intellectual horsepower to make things better in the world around you.
You’re also part of the most tolerant generation in history. I got roundly criticized because I could not remain quiet anymore about gay marriage. The one thing I was certain of is all of your generation was way beyond that point. (Applause.)
Graduates, you’re probably asking yourself some big, important questions right now on this important day, like how am I going to make a living? Will I ever have a mattress as nice as the one I had in the Forty? Will I ever again experience the magic of free Uber rides?
And the biggest question of all, after Chancellor Wrighton retires, will he still wear double-breasted suits? I’m going to say yes to that one.
Today, you’ll have to say farewell to many of the things that served as your support system and that got you through these stressful times, like Ted Drewes, toasted ravs, John’s Donuts, gooey butter cake. Thank goodness, WashU has also one of the world’s best medical centers.
Now, before I go any further, let me take a moment to congratulate another group who is here today and does deserve a lot of credit, and I’m talking about your parents and your family. What about a nice round of applause for them?
They’re out there beaming, not even thinking about the cost of tuition, and I’m sure they are just thrilled that some of you will be moving back into their basements.
Wherever you’re headed in the days and months ahead, I want to leave you with some food for thought, so let me turn to the real message of my speech.
ou know what I do have: two hands and two feet. I have a brain in my head and air in my lungs, and what else do I really need?Like what else do you really need to begin a today to lead the life you know you are meant to lead? You know in your heart what it is. And what more do you need to change before you step into that? I stood up, and I looked at them, and then next feeling which has been the biggest resource in my life since - “gratitude”.You can either pick one thing in life, resentment or gratitude, get on the side, I promise you. I looked at that moment and realized I may not have my mother ever again, but I had these resources. I had myself and I could go forward.
And then others will look to you, not with pity but with HOPE, because your strength will become their HOPE, their strength.
You really can be that powerful.
You can ditch the victim story, you can leave the pain behind and FOCUS on how you will react next. How you will react positively.
Read. Read all you can read to get your mind in a positive place.
Take steps to ensure you will be in a better position next time – whatever pain you are suffering – how can you ensure it won’t show again – Take little steps… and soon you will be at the top of the stair case.
Don’t give up
You are worthy
You are more than worthy!
You deserve to experience how great life can be – and you owe it to the world to be that positive change for others. To inspire others – who will look to you and say – he did it, she did it, and I can do it too.
Don't give up. You are worthy. You are MORE than worthy!
Well, good morning, everyone. Hello, WashU, how is everyone doing?
Let me start with the most important words I can say today: Congratulations to the distinguished graduates of the great Class of 20xx.
I’d like to welcome everyone here – and Chancellor Wrighton for extending the invitation. I’ve known the chancellor for more than a decade, and I want to congratulate him for everything he has done to both transform this campus and raise academic standards.
If there are…if there are any older alumni present, be glad you applied back when you did. I can just tell you that certainly I would not have gotten into WashU today. For the record, I was the kind of student who always made the top half of the class possible.
Graduates, it’s a great honor to be your Commencement speaker. I accept the fact that I wasn’t your first choice. But unfortunately, T-Pain couldn’t make it. Mandatory vocal rest, he said. Actually, that’s the same reason I didn’t go out last night and sing karaoke at T’s.
Today’s a beautiful day. But this is St. Louis, and so before leaving my hotel this morning, I also packed a winter parka.
I drove over here, and I was lucky: I found a very convenient parking space – on West Campus – so I took the shuttle over. It was worth it. What an amazing place this is. Where else could I see the bunny? And the DUC.
Still, I was disappointed that, in all my walking around, I did not get to see the school’s most famous icon: Ninja Turtle Backpack Guy. Demetri, way to dance to your own beat.
There’s no silver bullet, no single formula, no reductive list. But they all seem to understand that happiness and success result from an accumulation of thousands of little things built on character, all of which have certain common features in my observation.
First, the most successful and happiest people I’ve known understand that a good life at its core is about being personal. It’s about being engaged. It’s about being there for a friend or a colleague when they're injured or in an accident, remembering the birthdays, congratulating them on their marriage, celebrating the birth of their child. It’s about being available to them when they're going through personal loss. It’s about loving someone more than yourself, as one of your speakers have already mentioned. It all seems to get down to being personal.
That's the stuff that fosters relationships. It’s the only way to breed trust in everything you do in your life.
Let me give you an example. After only four months in the United States Senate, as a 30-year-old kid, I was walking through the Senate floor to go to a meeting with Majority Leader Mike Mansfield. And I witnessed another newly elected senator, the extremely conservative Jesse Helms, excoriating Ted Kennedy and Bob Dole for promoting the precursor of the Americans with Disabilities Act. But I had to see the Leader, so I kept walking.
I’ve been lucky. And my wish for all of you is that not only tomorrow, but 20 and 40 and 50 years from now, you’ve found that sweet spot, that thing that allows you to get up in the morning, put both feet on the floor, go out and pursue what you love, and think it still matters.
Some of you will go to Silicon Valley and make great contributions to empower individuals and societies and maybe even design a life-changing app, like how to unsubscribe to Obama for America email list -- (laughter) -- the biggest “pan-list” of all times.
Some of you will go to Wall Street and big Wall Street law firms, government and activism, Peace Corps, Teach for America. You’ll become doctors, researchers, journalists, artists, actors, musicians. Two of you -— one of whom was one of my former interns in the White House, Sam Cohen, and Andrew Heymann —- will be commissioned in the United States Navy. Congratulations, gentlemen. We're proud of you. (Applause.)
But all of you have one thing in common you will all seek to find that sweet spot that satisfies your ambition and success and happiness.
I’ve met an awful lot of people in my career. And I’ve noticed one thing, those who are the most successful and the happiest -- whether they’re working on Wall Street or Main Street, as a doctor or nurse, or as a lawyer, or a social worker, I’ve made certain basic observation about the ones who from my observation wherever they were in the world were able to find that sweet spot between success and happiness. Those who balance life and career, who find purpose and fulfillment, and where ambition leads them.
I was raised by a tough, compassionate Irish lady named Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden. And she taught all of her children that, but for the grace of God, there go you -- but for the grace of God, there go you.
And a father who lived his motto that, family was the beginning, the middle, and the end. And like many of you and your parents, I was fortunate. I learned early on what I wanted to do, what fulfilled me the most, what made me happy -— my family, my faith, and being engaged in the public affairs that gripped my generation and being inspired by a young President named Kennedy -- civil rights, the environment, trying to end an incredibly useless and divisive war, Vietnam.
The truth is, though, that neither I, nor anyone else, can tell you what will make you happy, help you find success.
You each have different comfort levels. Everyone has different goals and aspirations. But one thing I’ve observed, one thing I know, an expression my dad would use often, is real. He used to say, it’s a lucky man or woman gets up in the morning -- and I mean this sincerely. It was one of his expressions. It’s a lucky man or woman gets up in the morning, puts both feet on the floor, knows what they’re about to do, and thinks it still matters.
Of course, some people say defending the indefensible is just politics as usual, but I don’t accept that – and I hope you won’t, either.
When extreme partisanship replaces reason, logic, facts and data, the country suffers – and special interests win. I’ve seen it time and time again, on issue after issue: gun violence, education, public health, and even one that threatens life as we know it: climate change.
Yesterday, I stood with WashU’s next chancellor, Andrew Martin, and the president of Ohio State University to announce that Bloomberg Philanthropies will help sponsor the first-ever climate summit of Midwestern universities next year right here on this campus.
We were joined by your mayor here, Lyda Krewson, because St. Louis, and WashU, has never…has always been a real leader on climate change.
Last year, this city was one of the winners of a climate competition my foundation ran. And we are now providing about $2.5 million of resources to help St. Louis increase energy efficiency and expand solar power – a goal that WashU is helping the city to achieve. Thank you very much.
I can remember my mother -- a sweet lady -- looking at me, after we left the hospital, and saying, Joey, out of everything terrible that happens to you, something good will come if you look hard enough for it. She was right.
The incredible bond I have with my children is the gift I’m not sure I would have had, had I not been through what I went through. Who knows whether I would have been able to appreciate at that moment in my life, the heady moment in my life, what my first obligation was.
So I began to commute -- never intending to stay in Washington. And that's the God’s truth. I was supposed to be sworn in with everyone else that year in ’73, but I wouldn’t go down. So Mansfield thought I’d change my mind and not come, and he sent up the secretary of the Senate to swear me in, in the hospital room with my children.
you -- you’re on the cusp of some of the most astonishing breakthroughs in the history of mankind -— scientific, technological, socially —- that’s going to change the way you live and the whole world works. But it will be up to you in this changing world to translate those unprecedented capabilities into a greater measure of happiness and meaning -— not just for yourself, but for the world around you.
And I feel more confident for my children and grandchildren knowing that the men and women who graduate here today, here and across the country, will be in their midst. That’s the honest truth. That's the God’s truth. That's my word as a Biden.
Congratulations, Class of 20xx. And may God bless you and may God protect our troops. Thank you.
The second thing I’ve noticed is that although you know no one is better than you, every other persons is equal to you and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
I’ve worked with eight Presidents, hundreds of Senators. I’ve met every major world leader literally in the last 40 years. And I’ve had scores of talented people work for me. And here’s what I’ve observed: Regardless of their academic or social backgrounds, those who had the most success and who were most respected and therefore able to get the most done were the ones who never confused academic credentials and societal sophistication with gravitas and judgment.
Don’t forget about what doesn’t come from this prestigious diploma -- the heart to know what’s meaningful and what’s ephemeral; and the head to know the difference between knowledge and judgment.
But even if you get these things right, I’ve observed that most people who are successful and happy remembered a third thing: Reality has a way of intruding.
I got elected in a very improbable year. Richard Nixon won my state overwhelmingly. George McGovern was at the top of the ticket. I got elected as the second-youngest man in the history of the United States to be elected, the stuff that provides and fuels raw ambition. And if you’re not careful, it fuels a sense of inevitability that seeps in. But be careful. Things can change in a heartbeat. I know. And so do many of your parents.
Six weeks after my election, my whole world was altered forever. While I was in Washington hiring staff, I got a phone call. My wife and three children were Christmas shopping, a tractor trailer broadsided them and killed my wife and killed my daughter. And they weren’t sure that my sons would live.
Many people have gone through things like that. But because I had the incredible good fortune of an extended family, grounded in love and loyalty, imbued with a sense of obligation imparted to each of us, I not only got help. But by focusing on my sons, I found my redemption.
The world right now is in the middle of a mental health crisis.
It’s estimated almost half the population suffers from depression at some stage throughout their life.
Rather than join the cue, it’s important we it’s learn why we get down, and then how we can change it, because believe it or not, we create our own negative feelings and we can also ensure that we turn our lives around and be a positive change for others.
The reason anyone gets depressed always comes down to the CONSISTENT thoughts we think, and the CONSISTENT beliefs we hold.
In fairness to George, ‘pains is taken’ is the way they spoke back then. Today, Washington would probably say ‘take pains.’ Or maybe T-Pain.
But Washington, really, Washington’s point, and Washington U.’s motto, are principles I hope that all of you will take to heart: truth will prevail where pains are taken to bring it to light. And with truth comes strength.
The pains that every generation has taken to bring light are why secession didn’t succeed…secession didn’t succeed in 1794 or 1861. The pains taken by abolitionists, and suffragettes, and civil rights marchers, and marriage equality advocates brought America’s core truth to light: that all people are created equal.
And today…today, the necessity of taking pains to bring truth to light is greater than ever because the tools for spreading lies are more powerful than ever.
Since the dawn of democracy, there have always been those, to paraphrase Socrates, who try to make the weaker argument appear the stronger and who care more about winning debates than being truthful.
The good news is the way to clean up the pollution can be found in [the] three words written on the cover of your diploma. It’s the motto of this great university: ‘Per Veritatem Vis’ (strength through truth). And it’s a motto that fits perfectly with a university named for George Washington.
In 1794, during President Washington’s second term, there was a faction ginning up support for secession. Washington recognized the threat it was…threat it posed – and he was confident that it would not succeed. He wrote in a letter, and I quote, ‘It is not difficult by concealment of some facts, and exaggeration of others to bias a well-meaning mind, at least for a while.’
But, he continued, ‘Truth will ultimately prevail where pains is taken to bring it to light.’
Now, I know the phrase ‘pains is taken’ probably just horrified every English major here. As kids, we were taught that Washington never told a lie, but they never told us he had trouble with subject-verb agreements.
All of you have been part of this institution’s long tradition of advocacy and activism. Don’t leave it behind. Carry it with you, and take on this challenge to bring truth to light.
To help you get started, let me offer some quick advice for dealing with modern-day sophists who try to obscure – and deny – truth.
When those …when those in the political arena engage in name-calling and other schoolyard chants, and are trying to distract your attention away from the real issues and from their inability to address them or their unwillingness to put forward practical solutions – don’t be distracted.
When they tolerate attacks on minority groups, especially those who profess a faith that some find threatening, they are empowering those who traffic in hatred – don’t tolerate it.
When they denounce journalists as ‘enemies of the state,’ and declare any critical coverage to be ‘fake news,’ and dress up lies as ‘alternative facts,’ they are trying to fool you into trusting only the news that comes from their mouths – don’t be fooled.
When they exaggerate the risks we face from immigrants without talking about all the benefits they have brought to our country, they are preying on people’s fears – don’t let them get away with it.
When they tell…try to tell you who you can love, or even who you can be, they are either pandering for votes or playing God – don’t put up with it.
When they promise you a free lunch, or free college, or free medical care, or free income, remember that a bill always comes due – don’t let them pass the buck.
When they prevent speakers from being heard, by shouting them down or creating spaces where differing opinions are not permitted, they are trying to win arguments by bullying and censorship instead of facts and reason. Don’t let them suppress free speech even…even when you find that speech to be deplorable. Protecting their right to speak is the only way to protect your right to speak.
When people romanticize the past, just remember something my mother, who lived to 102, told me: the good old days were never that good.
So if…even if you hate politics – and there are certainly plenty of good reasons to hate politics these days – you will have to engage in political dialogue, if only to survive Thanksgiving dinner with your crazy uncle. And you will have to judge the arguments made by candidates if you are going to vote intelligently.
The question I hope you will ask yourself [is]: on what basis will you make those judgments?
It would be natural to think that a degree from one of America’s top colleges has prepared you as a skilled judge of political debates. But unfortunately, a recent study found that the smartest and most knowledgeable voters can actually be the worst judges. And the reason is they are most likely to make judgments based on which party is making the argument rather than on the argument itself.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. ‘I would never do that,’ you say. But it happens unconsciously all the time. People have a tendency to assume the worst about those on the other side of the aisle. And when it comes to those on your side, they tend to see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. And that’s why – you can applaud if you want – that’s why educated and knowledgeable people excuse these actions that are ethically wrong and defend statements that are blatant lies.