A reminder for everyone: take time to listen.
Ken Burns, the historian and filmmaker known for his documentary films distributed on PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), gave a timely and powerful address last weekend at Brandeis University’s 2024 undergraduate commencement.
There are so many things Burns said that stood out for me, I’m only sharing a few here.
Choose honor over hypocrisy, virtue over vulgarity, discipline over dissipation, character over cleverness, sacrifice over self-indulgence.
Listen. Be curious, not cool.
Insecurity makes liars of us all.
Remember, none of us get out of here alive.
There’s only us.
There is no them.
And whenever someone suggests to you, whomever it may be in your life, that there’s a them, run away.
Don’t confuse success with excellence.
Do not descend too deeply into specialism.
Educate all of your parts, you will be healthier.
I encourage you to watch his commencement address video on Brandeis University’s website. (Or view the embedded YouTube version on this page.)
The address is only 20 minutes long. If you prefer to read rather than watch, Brandeis University has posted the speech transcript on the same page as their video.
