桑德斯演讲如何更善良.doc

桑德斯演讲如何更善良

OnMay11attheCarrierDome,writer,professorandclassof88alumnusGeorgeSaundersdeliveredtheconvocationspeechfortheCollegeofArtsandSciencesatSyracuseUniversity.

Morethantwomonthslater,thatspeechhasbeguntocauseripplesacrosstheInternet.

Yesterday,theNewYorkTimesreleasedafulltranscriptofthespeech(availableontheschoolswebsitesinceMay20).ItssincebeenpickedupandrepostedbycountlessblogsandwebsitesincludingtheHuffingtonPost.

SaundershasbeenteachingcreativewritingatSUformorethan15years.TheNewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorhaswontheNationalMagazineAwardfourtimes.

Inhisspeech,hemakesonecriticalrequestofthestudentsinattendance:Errinthedirectionofkindness.

Completetexthere:

Downthroughtheages,atraditionalformhasevolvedforthistypeofspeech,whichis:Someoldfart,hisbestyearsbehindhim,who,overthecourseofhislife,hasmadeaseriesofdreadfulmistakes(thatwouldbeme),givesheartfeltadvicetoagroupofshining,energeticyoungpeople,withalloftheirbestyearsaheadofthem(thatwouldbeyou).

AndIintendtorespectthattradition.

Now,oneusefulthingyoucandowithanoldperson,inadditiontoborrowingmoneyfromthem,oraskingthemtodooneoftheirold-timedances,soyoucanwatch,whilelaughing,isask:Lookingback,whatdoyouregret?Andtheylltellyou.Sometimes,asyouknow,theylltellyouevenifyouhaventasked.Sometimes,evenwhenyouvespecificallyrequestedtheynottellyou,theylltellyou.

So:WhatdoIregret?Beingpoorfromtimetotime?Notreally.Workingterriblejobs,likeknuckle-pullerinaslaughterhouse?(AnddontevenASKwhatthatentails.)No.Idontregretthat.Skinny-dippinginariverinSumatra,alittlebuzzed,andlookingupandseeinglike300monkeyssittingonapipeline,poopingdownintotheriver,theriverinwhichIwasswimming,withmymouthopen,naked?