NBC interesting Valedictorian address
- From: ruth <Jesse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2006 13:24:14 GMT
from some high school in Jersey ( Mainland high?) Apparently the
principal wouldn't let the kid finish. http://tinyurl.com/hkluy
SPEECH of the Student
Published: Thursday, June 22, 2006
Updated: Thursday, June 22, 2006
Four years ago, we gathered here for an education. Today marks a
milestone in that pursuit, a culmination of four years of learning,
growth and shared memories. At such times, it is appropriate to reflect
on years past, to examine what we have done and what we have learned.
Today I am charged with that difficult task, and I would like to thank
the school for the opportunity to stand before my peers and reflect on
our time together.
Education can be defined a number of different ways. For me, it is the
product of human curiosity. Intellectual thought, as far as I can tell,
is nothing but the asking and answering of questions. In my reflection,
however, and I have reflected on this a great deal, I found that many of
life¹s most important questions are ignored here. What is the right way
to live? What is the ideal society? What principles should guide my
behavior? What is success, what is failure? Is there a creator, and if
so, should we look to it for guidance? These are often dismissed as
questions of religion, but religion is not something opposed to
rationality, it simply seeks to answer such questions through faith. The
separation of church and state is, of course, important, but it should
never be a reason for intellectual submission or suppression of any
kind. Ethics ? it is what defines us ? as individuals, as a society ?
and yet it is never discussed, never explained, never justified.
Rousseau, Descartes, Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Aquinas, nearly every major
writer I¹ve encountered devotes time to the subject. And it¹s not as if
these questions are without practical concern, that they are less
immediately relevant than science for instance. Our laws, our
institutions and all our actions are a reflection of our ethics. Our own
society owes itself to the writers of the enlightenment, but we never
probe their work ? we fail to espouse the movement¹s central principle,
doubt ? doubt everything. We study what is, never why, never what should
be. For that reason, the education we have received here is not only
incomplete, it is entirely hollow.
What¹s more, this same lack of focus can be found in many of the
subjects we do study. We approach history as though it were a story,
endlessly cataloging every major character or event. But the details of
that story are insignificant ? what is significant is the progression of
ideas. A study of history should get some sense of how the society he
sees around him developed from those built thousands of years ago, what
ideas changed and what changed them. When humanist scholars looked into
ancient Rome during the Renaissance, they searched for moral examples,
for ideas. They didn¹t mull on every single daily event. They were
inspired, and they transformed society. History is not an end in itself;
it should act as a tool for greater thought.
But it¹s not only history. I¹ve taken a literature class nearly every
year of my life, but never has a question so basic as ³What is good
writing?² come up. Literary technique, what should be the focus of the
class, is never discussed. How does an author develop plot? How can an
author control mood or tone in his writing? What is the advantage of one
author¹s methods over another¹s? Such matters are never discussed. We
read for the sake of reading, to talk about our interpretations in class
as though we were in a book club. But no attention is paid to why we
read the books we do, what makes them so special. And this pattern,
grade for the sake of a grade, work for the sake of work, can be found
everywhere. Ladies and gentlemen, the spirit of intellectual thought is
lost. I speak today not to rant, complain or cause trouble, and
certainly not to draw attention to myself. I have accomplished nothing
and I am nothing. I know that. Rather, I was moved by the countless
hours wasted in those halls. Today, you should focus on your child or
loved one. This is meant to be a day of celebration, and if I¹ve taken
away from that, I¹m sorry. But I know how highly this community values
learning, and I urge you all to re-evaluate what it means to be
educated. I care deeply about everyone here, and it is only our
fulfillment I desire. I will leave now so that the ceremony can go on.
Again, my deepest apologies, God help me
--
.
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