http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/18720284/2012/06/06/full-transcript-youre-not-special-speech
It’s long, but worth the read, the first couple of paragraphs notwithstanding…
I guess that was pretty good. However, I was disappointed that he twisted the speech into a positive message at the end. It would have been more interesting if it was like “You are not special… fuck you guys”.
^ good point, but I guess he didn’t want a mass suicide on his conscience. Would have been cool if he threw in a “use sunscreen” at the end.
good one
I thought it was awesome, his last paragraph first half is exactly how I live my life
I’m special.
I loved it. Just what every high school and college grad needs, a nice whack off their pedestal and back down to reality.
When I graduated, I knew both times that I was smart and capable. But so are lots of other people who went to better and more visible schools, which kind of left me working below where I know I could be. I didn’t have the school or personal connections, so now I know I just need to work hard, build my skills, and I’ll eventually get to where I want to be.
I like to spit on people’s birthday cakes too.
Being told “you’re not [that] special” is important for students, but I don’t think graduation is the time to do it.
He makes up for it a bit at the end, when he says that you can still live a fulfilling life without being special, and maybe that’s what students need to hear: “here’s how to feel happy and enjoy your life even if you aren’t one-in-a-million.”
He seems pretty bitter about marriage too. I’ll bet nobody wants him to give a speech at a wedding reception.
I would be such a mood-killer if I was writing the commencement, it would be worse than what he came up with
My understanding is that he is a very well liked teacher at the school and the tone, which doesn’t come through in the text, was lighter than the message.