In this season of graduation, it is a time of gratitude and optimism. Commencement speech is a public form of art to express aspirations. It uplifts graduates in motivational life advice that are hopeful and realistic in tone. Many universities turn to leaders in politics, arts, and business. Others are poets, artists, founders and educators for guidance and inspiration.
Make a Good Art
Neil Gaiman is a bestselling author, delivered a remarkable speech at Philadelphia’s University of Arts in 2012. His encouraging speech was made into a book which he imparted his ideas about one’s vision, strength and courage. He challenges the young musicians, writers, painters to take a step and conceive brand new ideas. He motivated fledging artist to dare to make mistakes and make a good art.
I hope you’ll make mistakes. If you’re making mistakes, it means you’re out there doing something. And the mistakes in themselves can be useful… And remember that whatever discipline you are in, whether you are a musician or a photographer, a fine artist or a cartoonist, a writer, a dancer, a designer, whatever you do you have one thing that’s unique. You have the ability to make art.
Life is sometimes hard. Things go wrong, in life and in love and in business and in friendship and in health and in all other ways that life can go wrong. And when things get tough, this is what you should do. Make good art.”
A Cartoonist Advice
Bill Watterson is a cartoonist and creator of the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. His speech in Keynon College Commencement in 1990 was drawn from his personal and professional insights about creatively living the life with integrity. He emphasizes on the values necessary not only for success in chosen career but the value of happiness and finding life’s meaning.
I still haven’t drawn the strip as long as it took me to get the job. To endure five years of rejection to get a job requires either a faith in oneself that borders on delusion, or a love of the work. I loved the work.
Drawing comic strips for five years without pay drove home the point that the fun of cartooning wasn’t in the money; it was in the work. This turned out to be an important realization when my break finally came.
You will find your own ethical dilemmas in all parts of your lives, both personal and professional. We all have different desires and needs, but if we don’t discover what we want from ourselves and what we stand for, we will live passively and unfulfilled. Sooner or later, we are all asked to compromise ourselves and the things we care about. We define ourselves by our actions. With each decision, we tell ourselves and the world who we are. Think about what you want out of this life, and recognize that there are many kinds of success.
The best graduation speeches are masterpieces. It is a gentle reminder of what is present and urge to have faith in the future with full of hope, confidence, integrity and kindness.
Photo Attribution:
Featured and 1st image By Steve Pavey (Steve Pavey) [CC BY 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons
2nd image by Pigby (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
