Jerry Seinfeld | Duke's 2024 Commencement Address

Duke University
12 May 202416:52

Summary

TLDRThe speaker, a comedian invited to Duke University's commencement ceremony, offers a humorous yet profound reflection on life and success. He encourages graduates to let go of the pressure to find a singular passion, instead advocating for the pursuit of fascination and the importance of hard work, attention to detail, and falling in love with various aspects of life. He emphasizes the value of humor as a survival tool and a means to navigate life's absurdities. The speaker also defends the concept of privilege, urging graduates to be proud of their achievements and education, while cautioning against the overemphasis on money and material success. He concludes by reminding the audience to embrace the journey and enjoy the process, rather than rushing to an endpoint, and to never lose their sense of humor in the face of life's challenges.

Takeaways

  • 🎓 Embrace the privilege of education: The speaker emphasizes the importance of being proud of one's educational achievements and using them as a foundation for future success.
  • 💼 Work hard and smart: A strong work ethic is highlighted as a key to success, with the understanding that effort always yields a positive outcome, even in the face of failure.
  • 👀 Pay attention to details: Being observant and attentive to one's surroundings and circumstances can lead to a deeper understanding and better decision-making.
  • 💖 Fall in love with life: The speaker encourages the audience to find love and fascination in all aspects of life, not just in people, but also in everyday objects and experiences.
  • 🚫 Avoid the trap of certainty: It's suggested that being unsure about one's path can lead to a more exciting and fulfilling life, as opposed to a predictable one.
  • 😂 Maintain a sense of humor: Humor is presented as a vital tool for navigating life's challenges and for maintaining perspective on the absurdity of human existence.
  • 💭 Be open to change: The speaker advises against being overly confident in one's life direction, as this can limit the potential for growth and discovery.
  • 🧠 Use your intelligence wisely: While intelligence is a powerful tool, it's also important to recognize its limits and not rely solely on it to dictate one's life choices.
  • 💰 Focus on the 'cool' factor in jobs: The pursuit of a job that one finds interesting and fulfilling is more important than just making money.
  • 🌟 Be proud of your achievements: There is no need to be embarrassed about one's advantages or accomplishments; instead, use them as a springboard for further success.
  • 🚀 Embrace the journey: The speaker encourages the graduates to enjoy the process of life, including the challenges and the pursuit of personal and professional growth.

Q & A

  • What is the speaker's opinion on the concept of 'privilege'?

    -The speaker defends the concept of 'privilege,' suggesting that it is something to be used and proud of, rather than being embarrassed about. He mentions his own background as a Jewish boy from New York as an example of privilege that has positively influenced his life.

  • What does the speaker suggest as the three real keys to life?

    -The speaker proposes that the three real keys to life are: 1) Bust your ass, meaning to put in effort regardless of the task at hand, 2) Pay attention, which involves being mindful and aware of your surroundings and circumstances, and 3) Fall in love, encouraging the audience to find love not just in people, but in anything and everything.

  • Why does the speaker believe that 'fascination' is better than 'passion'?

    -The speaker argues that 'fascination' is preferable to 'passion' because it is less intense and not as overwhelming. He suggests that passion can be embarrassing and make others uncomfortable, whereas fascination allows for a more sustainable and less dramatic approach to interests and work.

  • How does the speaker feel about the use of artificial intelligence (AI)?

    -The speaker expresses a critical view of AI, describing it as the most embarrassing thing humans have invented. He implies that reliance on AI is a sign of human failure to perform tasks or think critically.

  • What does the speaker suggest about the importance of humor in life?

    -The speaker emphasizes the importance of maintaining a sense of humor, stating that it is a powerful and essential quality for navigating the human experience. He advises the audience not to lose their sense of humor, even if it sometimes leads to discomfort or hard feelings.

  • Why does the speaker criticize the rush to achieve endpoints in life?

    -The speaker criticizes the focus on endpoints because he believes that the richness of human experience lies in the journey, not the destination. He encourages the audience to enjoy the process of working and loving, rather than being overly concerned with the outcomes.

  • What does the speaker mean when he says, 'The less secure and confident you feel in the direction, the more surprises and excitement you will have in store'?

    -The speaker is suggesting that uncertainty and a lack of clear direction can lead to unexpected opportunities and adventures. He posits that being open to the unknown can make life more interesting and fulfilling.

  • How does the speaker view the concept of work?

    -The speaker views work positively, stating that it is 'wonderful' and that if one finds their job unsatisfying, they should take the initiative to change it. He emphasizes the importance of enjoying one's work and not blaming work itself for dissatisfaction.

  • What is the speaker's stance on the pursuit of money?

    -The speaker advises against an overemphasis on making as much money as possible. Instead, he encourages the pursuit of what one finds 'cool' or interesting, suggesting that money will follow eventually.

  • Why does the speaker mention his experience with bees and his cartoon movie?

    -null

  • What is the main piece of advice the speaker gives to the graduating class?

    -The main piece of advice the speaker gives is to not lose their sense of humor. He stresses that humor is vital for navigating life's challenges and for maintaining perspective, and it is something that should be cherished and utilized throughout their lives.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Commencement Speech Satire

The speaker begins with a satirical tone, thanking the audience and the university for the invitation. He humorously criticizes the idea of bringing in a comedian for entertainment at a graduation ceremony, suggesting that it might be a way to lower the intellectual level of the event. The speaker then pokes fun at the university's process of selecting students, implying that they are always looking for replacements. He encourages the graduates to let go of the pressure of finding a single passion and to instead find fascination in their work. He shares his three keys to life: working hard, paying attention, and falling in love with anything and everything. The speaker emphasizes the importance of effort, attention to detail, and the joy of loving even the smallest things in life.

05:03

💰 Privilege and AI Critique

The speaker defends the concept of privilege, using his own background as a Jewish boy from New York to illustrate the benefits it can bring. He humorously discusses his honorary degree from Duke University and the pride one should take in their education. The speaker then criticizes artificial intelligence, suggesting that it is an embarrassing invention because it implies human inability to perform tasks. He argues that the rush to find answers and complete projects overlooks the richness of human experience, which lies in work and love. The speaker encourages the audience to enjoy the process rather than rushing to an endpoint.

10:05

🤔 Embracing Uncertainty and Humor

The speaker addresses the graduates who are unsure about their future, suggesting that they are the luckiest because they are open to surprises and excitement. He challenges those who believe they have their path figured out, implying that they may be wrong. The speaker encourages embracing confusion and being open to the unknown. He also emphasizes the importance of humor as a survival tool, advising the graduates not to lose their sense of humor despite their ambitions to create a more just and inclusive society. He argues that humor is essential for navigating the complexities and absurdities of life.

15:07

💼 The Value of Work and Humor

The speaker discusses the relationship between work and personal satisfaction, arguing that if one hates their job, they should leave it. He celebrates work as a wonderful aspect of life and commends the graduates as hard workers. The speaker also reflects on the importance of humor, stating that it is more than just a means for stress relief or entertainment but a perspective on the absurdity of life. He advises the graduates to focus on becoming rather than having, suggesting that personal growth is more important than material wealth. The speech concludes with a reminder to maintain their sense of humor and a farewell to the graduating class.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Entertainment

Entertainment refers to the act of providing amusement or enjoyment. In the context of the video, the speaker humorously suggests that he was invited to provide 'light entertainment' to the graduates, implying that humor and levity can play a significant role in important occasions, such as a commencement ceremony.

💡Privilege

Privilege is a special right, advantage, or immunity granted to a particular person or group. The speaker discusses the concept of privilege, emphasizing that it should be a source of pride rather than embarrassment. He uses his background as a Jewish boy from New York and the prestige of having a Duke education to illustrate the positive aspects of privilege.

💡Passion

Passion is a strong and barely controllable emotion or feeling. The speaker advises against the common advice of 'following your passion,' suggesting instead to find something one can do well and be fascinated by. He argues that passion can sometimes be overrated and that fascination is a more sustainable and less stressful motivator.

💡Fascination

Fascination is a state of intense interest or attention. The speaker contrasts fascination with passion, advocating for the latter as a more balanced and less intense approach to life and work. He suggests that finding fascination in one's work or hobbies can lead to a more enjoyable and fulfilling life.

💡Effort

Effort is the exertion of physical or mental energy to achieve a goal. The speaker emphasizes the importance of effort in all aspects of life, stating that it 'always yields a positive value' even if the desired outcome is not achieved. He uses the metaphor of 'busting your ass' to convey the message of hard work and dedication.

💡Attention

Attention is the act of focusing one's mind on something. The speaker advises the graduates to 'pay attention,' using the example of being attentive during a deep-sea exploration. He suggests that being observant and aware of one's surroundings and circumstances is crucial for success and understanding.

💡Love

Love is an intense feeling of deep affection or emotional attachment. The speaker encourages the graduates to fall in love with anything and everything, not just people. He shares his personal love for trivial objects, like a BIC pen, to illustrate how finding joy and love in the mundane can enrich one's life.

💡Humor

Humor is the quality of being amusing or funny. The speaker stresses the importance of maintaining a sense of humor, arguing that it is a vital tool for navigating the complexities and absurdities of life. He cautions against losing this essential quality, even in the pursuit of creating a more just and inclusive society.

💡Work

Work refers to the physical or mental effort spent to achieve a purpose or result. The speaker redefines the common notion that no one wishes to have spent more time working, arguing that it depends on the job and one's attitude towards it. He encourages the graduates to find work they love and to quit if they find themselves in a job they hate.

💡Cool Job

A 'cool job' is a term used to describe a profession or occupation that is considered desirable, interesting, or exciting. The speaker suggests that the pursuit of having a cool job is more important than focusing solely on making money. He emphasizes personal satisfaction and fulfillment over financial success.

💡Becoming

Becoming refers to the process of growing or developing into a different state or condition. The speaker advises the graduates to focus on 'becoming' rather than 'having.' He suggests that personal growth and development are more important than material possessions or status, aligning with the theme of self-improvement and life-long learning.

Highlights

The speaker humorously criticizes the decision to bring in a comedian to entertain graduates of Duke University, one of the world's finest institutions.

The university has been talking to other students they would like to replace the graduates with, to show them what options are out there.

The speaker dismisses the common advice to 'follow your passion', saying it's more important to find something you can be great at and that fascination is better than passion.

He shares his three real keys to life: 1) Bust your ass, 2) Pay attention, 3) Fall in love with anything and everything.

The speaker defends the concept of privilege, saying it's something to be proud of and use to your advantage.

He criticizes the invention of AI as humanity's most embarrassing creation, saying it's a justification for laziness.

The speaker encourages graduates to focus on enjoying the journey and process of work and love, rather than rushing to an endpoint.

He says those who are still confused about their path are the luckiest, as they are open to more surprises and opportunities.

The speaker argues that work is wonderful if you love your job, and you should quit if you don't.

He emphasizes the importance of not losing your sense of humor, as it is essential for navigating the absurdity of life.

The speaker advises graduates to focus on becoming the coolest version of themselves, rather than just acquiring wealth.

He says humor provides perspective on the silliness of human existence and is the most powerful quality for survival.

The speaker thanks the graduates for the honorary degree and ridiculous outfit, and encourages them to enjoy the ride ahead.

Throughout the speech, the speaker uses humor and self-deprecating jokes to entertain and make important points.

The speaker shares personal anecdotes and experiences, such as growing up Jewish in New York and making a cartoon about bees.

He offers unconventional advice, like falling in love with inanimate objects and finding fascination in the small details of life.

The speaker challenges societal norms and expectations, such as the stigma around privilege and the obsession with success and money.

He provides a unique perspective on the value of a Duke education, saying graduates should be proud of their accomplishments but not defined by them.

Transcripts

00:04

Thank you.

00:06

Oh my God, what a beautiful day.

00:08

What a beautiful class.

00:12

We love you guys.

00:17

I am here today at the gracious invitation

00:20

of President Price and the Duke Board of Trustees.

00:24

Because after spending four years at what is considered

00:27

one of the finest institutions of higher education in the world,

00:31

they apparently feel that perhaps some light entertainment

00:35

will get you all to the final realization.

00:38

You know, I think I've really had enough of this place.

00:43

Let's bring in a comedian.

00:44

Let's bring the sophistication and erudition of the Duke

00:47

experience down a couple notches.

00:51

And I thought, maybe that does make sense.

00:52

Maybe the thinking was, what we really want

00:55

is to just get these kids the hell out of here.

00:58

What would give them that last final push?

01:01

Because what you might not be fully aware of

01:04

is that the entire time you have been at this wonderful university,

01:08

we have been meeting and talking to other kids

01:12

that we would like to replace you with.

01:16

Not because we weren't happy with you.

01:18

Not at all.

01:19

You have been great.

01:21

It's just, you know, we want you to see what's out there.

01:26

I don't want to say exactly how many kids we talked to.

01:29

It's roughly this many.

01:33

And we met a lot of wonderful kids a lot.

01:36

Was there a time when we were thrilled to

01:38

have you come here to learn, grow and flourish?

01:41

Of course, there was that time has passed.

01:46

We do offer graduate programs in a number of different disciplines.

01:49

If you and your parents

01:50

want to stall your ultimate uselessness for a few more years.

01:56

I can't imagine how sick you are

01:58

of hearing about following your passion.

02:02

I say, the hell with passion.

02:05

Find something you can do that would be great

02:09

if you try something and it doesn't work.

02:11

That's okay too.

02:13

Most things do not work.

02:16

Most things are not good.

02:18

You know this already.

02:20

From your short lives. You leave the house.

02:23

You come back.

02:24

How was Pi and hard,

02:29

It was okay.

02:31

That's why everyone tries so hard to get in here.

02:34

Duke actually is really good.

02:36

The school is the square handicap button

02:39

that opens the Brodhead doors to your life.

02:44

Unless it's those heavy wooden doors at the West Union.

02:47

Those will kill you.

02:49

Let go of this idea that you have to find this one great thing.

02:54

That is my passion, my great passion.

02:57

With your shirt torn open and your heaving, pec muscles.

03:01

It's embarrassing.

03:03

Just be willing to do your work as hard as you can with the ability you have.

03:07

We don't need the heavy breathing and the outstretched arm from your passion.

03:12

It makes coworkers uncomfortable in the cubicle next to you.

03:17

Find fascination.

03:18

Fascination is way better than passion.

03:21

It's not so sweaty.

03:23

I will give you my three real keys to life.

03:26

No jokes in this part, okay?

03:29

They are number one.

03:31

Bust your ass.

03:32

Number two. Pay attention.

03:35

Number three. Fall in love.

03:38

Number one. You obviously already know.

03:40

Whatever you're doing, I don't care if it's your job,

03:42

your hobby, your relationship.

03:43

Getting a reservation at M Sushi.

03:46

Make an effort.

03:48

Just pure stupid.

03:50

No real idea what I'm doing here effort.

03:53

Effort always yields a positive value.

03:56

Even if the outcome of the effort is absolute failure of the desired result.

04:03

This is a rule of life.

04:04

Just swing the bat and pray is not a bad approach to a lot of things.

04:10

Number two.

04:11

Pay attention.

04:13

If you're in a small submersible that looks like a giant kazoo

04:16

and going to visit the Titanic seven miles down at the bottom of the ocean,

04:22

and the captain of the vessel is using a Gameboy controller.

04:26

Pay attention to that.

04:29

What are you checking out down there?

04:32

Oh, I see what happened.

04:33

This ship sank.

04:36

Now I understand why it never made it into port.

04:41

If the fish where you are have eyes like Shelley Duvall and a bendy straw

04:45

with a work blade hanging off their head, you do not belong there.

04:51

If the fish are going, I can't see a goddamn thing.

04:55

You won't either.

04:57

Number three, fall in love.

04:59

It's easy to fall in love with people.

05:02

I suggest falling in love with anything and everything.

05:06

Every chance you get.

05:08

Fall in love with your coffee, your sneakers,

05:11

your blue zone parking space.

05:14

I've had a lot of fun in life.

05:15

Falling in love with stupid, meaningless physical objects.

05:18

But the object I love the most is the clear barrel BIC pen, $1.29

05:23

for a box of ten.

05:25

I can fall in love with a car turn signal switch that has a nice feel to it.

05:29

A pizza crust that collapses with just the right amount of pressure.

05:33

I have truly spent my life focusing on the smallest things

05:37

imaginable, completely oblivious to all the big issues of living.

05:43

Find something where you love the good parts and don't mind

05:47

the bad parts too much.

05:49

The torture you're comfortable with.

05:52

This is the golden path to victory in life.

05:55

Work. Exercise. Relationships.

05:58

They all have a solid component of pure torture,

06:02

and they are all 1,000% worth it.

06:05

Privilege is a word that has taken quite a beating lately.

06:09

Privilege today seems to be the worst thing you can have.

06:13

I would like to take a moment to defend it.

06:17

Again.

06:18

A lot of you are thinking.

06:19

I can't believe they invited this guy.

06:22

Too late.

06:24

I say use your privilege.

06:27

I grew up a Jewish boy from New York.

06:29

That is a privilege.

06:30

If you want to be a comedian.

06:35

Thanks.

06:37

If I messed up a funny story around my relatives, they would go.

06:41

That's not how you tell that joke.

06:43

The prostitute is has to be behind the drapes when the wife comes that

06:48

you went to Duke.

06:50

That is an unbelievable privilege.

06:52

I now have an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree from Duke University.

06:57

And if I can figure out a way to use that, I will.

07:01

I haven't figured anything out yet.

07:04

I think it's pretty much as useful in real life

07:06

as this outfit I'm wearing.

07:10

But so what?

07:10

I'll take it.

07:12

My point is, we're embarrassed about things

07:14

we should be proud of and proud of things we should be embarrassed about.

07:18

When I was writing my TV series.

07:23

Thanks.

07:26

What a crowd.

07:30

So on

07:30

my staff in the 90s, we had a lot of Harvard guys.

07:33

They were fantastic, but I could never understand why

07:36

these guys were so embarrassed about being from Harvard.

07:39

They would never talk about it.

07:41

They would never mention it.

07:42

I'm not talking about Harvard now.

07:44

I'm talking about the way it used to be.

07:47

You're never going to believe this.

07:49

Harvard used to be a great place to go to school.

07:53

Now it's Duke.

08:02

You didn't fake your fabulous education.

08:05

You earned it. Be proud of it.

08:07

Don't just drop it on people right before you serve in pickleball.

08:11

Okay? Duke 24, coming at you.

08:14

But if it comes up, if someone asks, don't say it.

08:17

Looking down, stubbing your toe in the dirt.

08:21

When someone asks, where did you go to school?

08:23

You say, I went to Duke.

08:24

Watch them take that uncomfortable hard swallow.

08:30

AI, on the other hand, is the most embarrassing thing

08:32

we've ever invented in mankind's time on Earth.

08:35

Oh, so you can't do the work?

08:37

Is that what you're telling me? You can't figure it out.

08:40

This seems to be the justification of AI - I couldn't do it.

08:45

This is something to be embarrassed about.

08:47

The ad campaign for ChatGPT GPT should be the opposite of Nike.

08:51

You just can't do it.

08:55

Making fake brains is risky.

08:58

Frankenstein proved that he was so dumb

09:02

he thought a monster needed a sport jacket.

09:06

It's not a wine tasting.

09:07

We're terrorizing villagers.

09:10

No one's going to tell you.

09:11

I'm sorry, Mr.

09:12

Stein, it's jackets only this evening.

09:15

What I like is we're smart enough to invent I dumb enough to need it.

09:19

And still so stupid we can't figure out if we did the right thing.

09:23

Making work easier.

09:25

This is the problem.

09:27

So obsessed with getting to the answer,

09:30

completing the project, producing a result which are all valid things,

09:36

but not where the richness of the human experience lies.

09:41

The only two things you ever need to pay attention to in

09:44

life are work and love.

09:47

Things that are self justified in the experience

09:50

and who cares about the result.

09:53

Stop rushing to what you perceive as some valuable endpoint.

09:57

Learn to enjoy the expenditure of energy

10:00

that may or may not be on the correct path.

10:04

Now, if you have been at this amazing place for four years

10:07

and still have no idea what you like, what you're interested in,

10:11

or what you want to do in life, you are the luckiest ones here.

10:16

Those of you

10:18

that think you know

10:20

what you want to do are very likely wrong, and perhaps

10:23

even overestimating your ability to do it.

10:28

You have convinced yourself

10:30

that you know who you are and what's going on in the world.

10:34

You don't know either.

10:36

The less secure and confident you feel in the direction,

10:40

the more surprises and excitement you will have in store.

10:44

That's good.

10:45

So the better the job you've done in finding a path for yourself,

10:48

the more boring and predictable your life is going to be.

10:52

If you're sitting here today completely confused, feeling lost, adrift,

10:56

and totally abandoned, you might even be a genie.

11:01

I say congratulations,

11:03

you win the Duke commencement ceremonies of 2024.

11:07

You are about to go on a hell of a ride.

11:11

About work, You know how they always say nobody ever

11:13

looks back on their life and wishes they spent more time at the office?

11:17

Well, why?

11:18

Why don't they?

11:20

Guess what? Depends on the job.

11:22

If you took a stupid job that you find out you hate and you don't leave,

11:25

that's your fault.

11:26

Don't blame work. Work is wonderful.

11:28

I definitely will not be looking back on my life wishing I worked less.

11:33

If that's not how you feel at work. Quit.

11:36

On your lunch break. Disappear.

11:37

Make people go. What happened to that guy?

11:40

I don't know, he said he was getting something to eat.

11:41

Never came back.

11:44

The one thing I know about this gang here you are all worker bees.

11:48

And I mean that as the highest compliment.

11:51

I love bees.

11:55

Beautiful, amazing.

11:57

Elegant society.

11:59

I made a cartoon movie about bees you may have watched as a child.

12:02

If any of you felt slightly uncomfortable all about the sexual undertones

12:07

in the relationship between Barry the Bee and Vanessa, the florist

12:11

who saved his life, I would like to apologize for that now,

12:15

I may not have calibrated that perfectly,

12:18

but I would not change it.

12:19

And this is probably the biggest point I would like to make to you here today

12:23

regarding humor.

12:25

I'm going to try and reach across

12:26

a couple generations here to tell you the most important thing.

12:29

I am confident that I know about life.

12:32

I'm 70. I'm done.

12:34

You are just starting.

12:36

I only want to help you.

12:39

The slightly uncomfortable feeling of awkward humor is okay.

12:44

It's not something you need to fix.

12:46

I totally admire the ambitions of your generation

12:50

to create a more just and inclusive society.

12:53

I think it is also wonderful

12:55

that you care so much about not hurting other people's feelings

12:59

and the million and one ways we all do that every second of every day.

13:03

It's lovely to want to fix those things, but, all caps, BUT,

13:07

what I need to tell you as a comedian, do not lose your sense of humor.

13:12

You can have no idea at this point in your life

13:14

how much you are going to need it to get through.

13:17

Not enough of life makes sense for you to be able to survive it without humor.

13:23

And I know all of you here are going to use all of your brains

13:26

and muscle and soul to improve the world,

13:29

and I know you're going to do a bang up job, and when you're done, as I am now,

13:37

I bet

13:37

the world because of you will be a much better place.

13:41

But it will still not make a whole hell of a lot of sense.

13:44

It'll be a better, different, but still pretty insane mess,

13:50

and it is worth the sacrifice

13:52

of an occasional discomfort to have some laughs.

13:56

Don't lose that.

13:57

Even if it's at the cost of occasional hard feelings, it's okay.

14:01

You got to laugh. That is the one thing at the end of your life

14:04

you will not wish you did less of.

14:05

Humor is the most powerful, most survival, essential quality

14:10

you will ever have or need to navigate through the human experience.

14:15

The other thing I see going on that throws a lot of people...

14:18

(applause) Thank you.

14:22

I was hoping you'd like that part.

14:26

The other thing I see going on that throws a lot of people off

14:29

these days is thinking, I've got to make as much money as I can.

14:32

I personally believe the real game is I want to have the coolest job.

14:37

When I started out as a comedian, I did not think I was funny.

14:40

I thought, I'm a little funny.

14:42

Maybe I wouldn't have to be that funny.

14:44

I just have to be funny enough to feed one person.

14:46

And I could do that with a loaf of wonder bread in a jar, peanut butter,

14:50

a loaf of bread and some peanut butter.

14:52

That was my actual plan.

14:54

That's how you think when you do not have a Duke education.

14:59

I just wanted to have this super cool job.

15:02

And cool is a word not easily defined.

15:04

It's really just whatever you think is cool.

15:07

So just go for what you think is the coolest.

15:09

Money will be made eventually, somehow.

15:13

Try not to think about it so much.

15:15

I see this messing people up a lot.

15:17

Put it to the side a little.

15:19

Don't think about having, think about becoming.

15:22

Having is fine, but focus on becoming.

15:26

That is where it's at.

15:27

And I know you're not really even listening to this speech, and that's okay,

15:32

I wouldn't either.

15:33

You're graduating.

15:34

You're thinking about yourself or timing your mobile order from Yalla!

15:38

truck. That's all cool.

15:41

But the one thing I really do care about communicating to you

15:43

is don't lose your humor.

15:45

Forget the rest.

15:46

Forget your education, your degree, your privilege.

15:48

All of you here would do fantastically well without any of it.

15:53

All of you here, without question, are the best of the best.

15:58

Just don't lose your, your humor.

16:00

It's not an accessory.

16:02

It's your Stanley Cup water bottle on the brutal long

16:04

hike of life.

16:08

And humor is not just for the stress relief

16:10

or even just a simple fun of laughing, but for the true perspective

16:13

of the silliness of all humans and all existence.

16:17

That's why you don't want to lose it.

16:19

Try to enjoy some of the dumbness of it all.

16:23

That's the best life advice I can give you.

16:25

I wish you luck. I wish you love.

16:28

Thanks for the phony degree and the ridiculous outfit.

16:31

Go get him, Duke. Class of 24.

16:33

Throw the hat up.

16:34

Let's get out of here. Congratulations.

16:37

(Applause)

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Verwandte Tags
Commencement SpeechDuke UniversityLife AdviceHumorGraduationSuccessPassionPrivilegeWork-LifeInspirationalEducationAI Ethics
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