Snapchat创始人斯皮格尔在南加州大学毕业典礼英语演讲稿

Word文档Snapchat创始人斯皮格尔在南加州大学毕业典礼英语演讲稿DeanEllis,honoredguests,faculty,family,friends,andtheClassof2022,

Icannotbegintoexpressmygratitudeforyourgenerositytoday.Thankyousomuchforinvitingmetojoinyouincelebratingyourgraduation!Threeyearsago,Icouldneverhavecomprehendedsuchanopportunity.Thankyou,thankyou,thankyou.

Aboutthreeyearsagotoday,Iwasrightwhereyouare.Iwassittinginafoldingchair,justlikethatone,andIwaswearingmycapandgown,waitingtowalkonstage.ButIwasntgraduating.Whentheyshookmyhandandtookmypicture,theyhandedmeanemptyfolder.YouseeatStanford,theyletyouwalkthroughgraduationevenifyouhaventactuallyfinishedtherequirementsnecessarytogetyourdiploma.Yougettopretendthatyouaregraduatingjustlikeeveryoneelse,eventhoughyouarent.TheUniversityhadcreatedthisprogramforstudentswhowereusingthesummertermtofinishuptheirdegrees.IwasusingitbecauseIwasembarrassed,andIdidntwanttobeleftoutofthecelebrations.WhatwasIgoingtodo?Stayinmydormroomwhileallofmyfriendsprocessedintothestadiumandtossedtheircapsintotheairwithoutme?SoIsatinthehotsunandIlistenedtoCoryBookertalkforwhatfeltlikequiteawhile,andIwavedtomyfamilywhohadtraveledallthewaytoStanfordtowatchmenottograduate.Bytheway,hi,Mom!

Itonlyrecentlyoccurredtome,whilepreparingthisaddress,howtotallyabsurdthiswholecharadewas.Itremindedmethatoftentimeswedoallsortsofsillythingstoavoidappearingdifferent.Conforminghappenssonaturallythatwecanforgethowpowerfulitiswewanttobeacceptedbyourpeerswewanttobeapartofthegroup.Itsinourbiology.Butthethingsthatmakeushumanarethosetimeswelistentothewhispersofoursoulandallowourselvestobepulledinanotherdirection.Conformityissofascinatingandsopervasivethatithasbeenstudiedforaverylongtime.See,itturnsouttherearetwothingsthatcandramaticallyreduceconformityinagroupsetting.Thefirstisasingledissentingvoice,andthesecondistheabilitytocommunicateprivatelywithothermembersofthegroup.Ourgovernmentgivesustherighttoprivacyandtherighttoexpressourselvesfreelyinthehopethatwemightmitigateconformity.Democracywasntdesignedtopromotepopularthought.Itwasarchitectedtoprotectdissent.For,asPresidentKennedysaid,Conformityisthejaileroffreedomandtheenemyofgrowth.

IrecentlyfellinlovewithastoryaboutagreatpieceofAmericanart.AnditsaboutaguynamedBobRauschenberg.Hewasayoungartist,andhewenttogovisithisidol.Youknow,hereallylovedthisguyandhewastotallyterrified.HewassonervousthathewasclutchingabottleofJackDanielsforliquidcourage.Andthetruthis:heactuallywasntjustvisiting.HewasvisitingBilldeKooningtoaskforsomething.HewantedoneofBilldeKooningsdrawings.Yousee,BilldeKooning,hewasadumbguy,heknewexactlywhatRauschenbergwasupto,becauseRauschenberghadrecentlybeenexperimentingwithhisownart.Hehadbeencreatingthesedrawingsandthenerasingthem.ButthatwasntenoughforBobRauschenberg,becauseBobRauschenbergdidntwanttojusterasehisownart,hewantedtoerasetheartofhishero.SodeKooningobligedbuthetookhistime,andhetorturedtheyoungartistashewanderedaroundhisstudioinsearchoftheperfectdrawing.Hedidntwanttojustgivehimarandomdrawing.Hewantedittobesomethingreallygreat,somethingthathereallyloved.Andhefinallysettledonadrawingthatwasvery,veryhardtoerase.Itwascomprisedoflayersofleadandcharcoal.AndhegenerouslygaveittoBobRauschenberg.AccordingtoBob,ittooknearlytwomonthstoerasethedrawing.ButitwasJasperJohnswhocamealongandframeditandhegavethatdrawingatitle,calledEraseddeKooningbyBobRauschenberg.ItwasJasperJohnswhorecognizedthatintheprocessoferasingdeKooningswork,BobRauschenberghadactuallycreatedsomethingnew,hisownnewworkofart.

IlovethisstorybecauseBilldeKooninghadthehumilitytorecognizethatthegreatestthingwecandoisprovidethebestpossiblefoundationforthosewhocomeafterus.Wemustwelcomeourownerasure.SoImaskedonequestionmostoften:Whydidntyousellyourbusiness?Itdoesntevenmakemoney.Itsafad.Youcouldbeonaboatrightnow.Everybodylovesboats.Whatiswrongwithyou?AndIamnowconvincedthatthefastestwaytofigureoutifyouaredoingsomethingthatistrulyimportanttoyouistofindsomeonewhooffersyouabunchofmoneytopartwithit.Sothebestthingisthatnomatterwhetherornotyousell,youwilllearnsomethingveryvaluableaboutyourself.Ifyousell,youwillknowimmediatelythatitwasnttherightdreamanyways.Andifyoudontsell,youreprobablyontosomething.Maybeyouhavethebeginningofsomethingmeaningful.Butdontfeelbadifyousellout.Justdontstopthere.Imean,gosh,wewouldhavesoldourfirstcompany,forsure.Butnoonewantedtobuyit.Whenwedecidednottosellourbusiness,peoplecalledusalotofthingsbesidescrazythingslikearrogantandentitled.ThesamewordsthatIveheardusedtodescribeourgenerationtimeandtimeagain.TheMillennialGeneration.TheMeGeneration.Well,itstrue.Wedohaveasenseofentitlement,asenseofownership,because,afterall,thisistheworldwewereborninto,andweareresponsibleforit.

ThefunnythingaboutEraseddeKooningisthatitisntforsale.ItssafeandsoundintheSanFranciscoMuseumofModernArt.Itstremendouslyvaluable,butitbearsnoprice.Youalreadyhaveinsideofyoualloftheamazingthingsyouneedtofollowthedreamsthatyouhave.Andifyougetstuckalongtheway,theresatonoffreeinformationavailableontheInternet.Havefaithinyourselfandthepersonyouaregoingtobecome.Knowthatyouarecapableofallofthegrowththatwillbeexpectedofyouandthatyouexpectfromyourself.Youwilltackleeverychallengeheadedyourwayandifyoudontitwontbeforlackoftrying.Someonewillalwayshaveanopinionaboutyou.Whateveryoudowonteverbeenough.Sofindsomethingimportanttoyou.Findsomethingthatyoulove.Youaregoingtomakealotofmistakes.Ivealreadymadeatonofthemsomeofthemverypubliclyanditwillfeelterrible,butitwillbeokay.Justapologizeasquicklyasyoucanandprayforforgiveness.

Whenyouleavehere,youregoingtofaceagreatchallenge:afull-timejob.Andthehardestpartisgoingtobegettingusedtosolvingproblemsthatdontyethaveanswers.Intimesofdespair,youmaybelievethecynicwhotellsyouthatonepersoncannotm