2014May27.

Infrontofundergraduatesandfamilies,John
deliverstheColumbiaUniversitycommencementaddress.

JOHN
DearGraduates,

Onthisspecialday,withfriendsandfamilyandnewscrews
about,youmaybehungoverandboutingwithabitofanxiety.
Anxietyaboutyourstrengths,yourweaknesses,yourpassions,
yourobligations,yourorigins,yourprospectivedomaininthe
world.You'vespentsomuchtimeexcellingandmeetingthe
expectationsofyourguardiansandold,tenuredinstitutions,of
beingtoldtojumpandjumphigherinasimulatedbut
pressurizedenvironment,atthepriceofwell,indentured
reimbursementthatyouforgetyouhaveexperiencedonlyasmall
fractionofyourlife,thatyouhavethewholethingaheadof
youyet.Youwonderifyouhavewhatittakestothrive,orjust
tosurvive,tocreateyourownexpectations,tomakeaplaceof
belongingforyourself.Idon'thopetoanswerallofyour
questions.

Irrepressiblelaughterfromthegraduatesandattendees.

JOHN
ButIwasinvitedhere,soIllshareafewobservationsthatmy
ownlifeandworkhaveaffordedme.

Weliveinaworldtransformingatanexponentialrate.Truly,
weallarefortunateenoughtowitnessanindustrialrevolution,
whatIbelievetobethemostpivotalmomentinhistoryfor
humankindsincetheWesternEnlightenment.Theinternet
permeatesmuchoftheworldonallmannerofdevices,peopleare
abletoformandnurturemeaningfulrelationshipsacrossborders
andoceans,biomedicalinnovationisseeingazenithatthe
intersectionofbigdataandgeneticintervention,andweare
exploringtheboundariesbetweenhumanandtechnological
intelligenceasmuchasbetweenworldsinthesolarsystem.We
canalsosaypizzatoourphoneandseeitappearatourdoor
in2040minutes.Sorcery,really.

Limitlessimagination,thereseemstobe,andproliferating
capitalaswell.Theworldisbecomingwealthierandmoreequal.
Don'ttakemywordforit.Datafromtheworld'sleading
developmentorganizationstellusthis.Still,skepticsamong
youarecurrentlyaskingyourselveswhatillusionI'mpainting.

Iftheworldisbecomingmoreprosperousandequal,whydoes
everypieceofmediaweseeshowussuchanunhappy,violent
reality?

Manyhistoriansarguethatthemostpeacefultimesinhistory
belongtoubiquitousreign,whenasinglemonarchhasconquered
everythingaround.Thereispeacebecausepoweriscentralized,
andtherearen'tcompetingstatestobloweachotherup.That
maybetrue,butproponentsofdemocracyhavealwaysrebutted
thatsuchasystemcreatesamonochromaticexperiencefor
people,thatoneoverarchingregimeunderanyfamilynameor
ideologyrendersthedaytodayofbeingahumanbeing
flavorlessandstagnant.Ifthat'sthecaseaswell,andweare
currentlyapproachingapointofstrifebecausethereisan
AmericaandaChinaandaRussiatocontendwitheachotherin
thesameweightclass,eachwithleadersbearingarmstoprotect
theirowncultureandwayoflifeasmuchastheiroverlapping
claimstoterritoryandresources...wereachthecruxofmy
historicalquandary.Where,then,doesleadershipforpeacecome
from?Ifnotfromheadsofstateandcaptainsofindustry,who
istoleadthecharge,tosettheexampleforaglobalsociety,
onethatrespectsdifferencesandplacesthesafetyand
happinessofchildrenbeforemoredistantgoalsabstractedfrom
ourhubris?

Theanswer,Ibelieve,isthatitcomesfromeveryoneelse.You,
Classof2014,aretheleadersofeveryoneelse.Agroupof
brilliantyoungmindsfromahundredcountries,whoareborn
fromvastlydifferentbackgroundsbuthavespentfouryearsin
theutopiaofcollege,studying,researching,organizing,
sporting,wining,dining,hugging,whateverrhymeswithhugging,
philosophizing,playing,being,coexistinginasphereof
youthfulpassionandintellectualenergy.Youarethehopefor
keepingusallontheboatheadingtowardanewhorizon.
Together,youhavethedistilledpotentialandhumilitytobe
everydayheroes.Toinnovate,toputeachotherbefore
yourselves,towatcheachotherandeachother'scommunities
growbecauseyouwishtoseeit.Tofearideology,andbed
pragmatism.Altruisticpragmatism.Showusasolidaritythe
worldhasneverseenbefore.Doitwithyourcolorsandaccents
andshapesandnotionsheldbrightlyinoneanother'seyes,do
itnow,anddoitloudly.Ifyouacceptthisresponsibility...
Imhappytogiveyouajob!

Theaudienceeruptsinapplause.


JOHN
Wow,Iguessthatswhatyouwantedtohear!Thankyoufor
inspiringusalltobebetter.Nowgoforward,anddistribute
thefuture.