"Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life. You might never fail on the same scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well have not lived at all. In which case, you failed by default."
The best aphorism was cleverly hidden amidst a joke: "Achievable goals: the first step towards personal improvement." Remember her point: the 'crucial importance of imagination' is not quixotic. Too many people I know like to 'dream the impossible dream', and that's just how far they get.
Another I liked: "Your qualifications, your CV, are not your life, though you will meet many people of my age and older who confuse the two."
A very well done speech, and a quite decent speaker.
It reminded me very much of the line from fight club:
"You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your fucking khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world. "
As a recent Harvard graduate who was disappointed in his University President (Larry Summers) and his commencement speaker (Tim Russert), I can say I was really thrilled to hear both Faust's and Rowling's speech. Both were truly excellent, but Rowling's was particularly relevant to her audience given the tendencies of Harvard seniors to view life as a race to the top of Goldman Sachs. Harry Potter aside, Rowling continues to impress me as an amazing person and a model for entrepreneurs. For example, want to know who gets good contract terms? Look at J.K. Rowling. Want to see someone who knows how to control the media? J.K. Rowling once more. She's very understated, hasn't destroyed anyone's livelihood, and yet she's immensely successful (and still down-to-earth). I hope to be like her one day.
(edit) What I mean is that she should've not gone into elaborating on this subject at all. It would've been equally damaging if she would've called him a "ladies man" or a "sex bomb". It's a type of a character detail that I think is better not to be discussed explicitly. Not for this particular character.
I don't know about other people, but this comment of hers did spoil the reading of the last book for me.
"It's like her stupid, self-serving claim that Dumbledore was gay. She wants credit for being very up-to-date and politically correct - but she didn't have the guts to put that supposed "fact" into the actual novels, knowing that it might hurt sales. What a pretentious, puffed-up coward. When I have a gay character in my fiction, I say so right in the book. I don't wait until after it has had all its initial sales to mention it."
The books in the Ender series are my favorite books, and I have never read the Harry Potter books, so I must ask those who have, is his description of the parallels between the two series correct?
> "A young kid growing up in an oppressive family situation suddenly learns that he is one of a special class of children with special abilities, who are to be educated in a remote training facility where student life is dominated by an intense game played by teams flying in midair, at which this kid turns out to be exceptionally talented and a natural leader. He trains other kids in unauthorized extra sessions, which enrages his enemies, who attack him with the intention of killing him; but he is protected by his loyal, brilliant friends and gains strength from the love of some of his family members. He is given special guidance by an older man of legendary accomplishments who previously kept the enemy at bay. He goes on to become the crucial figure in a struggle against an unseen enemy who threatens the whole world."
If so, that is both amusing and relieving. Since I know Ender backwords and forwards, I can save myself the time reading Harry Potter.
Regardless of the lady and her tactics in the publishing business, you have to admit this is quite a good speech. When I first saw it at the top, I thought to myself: "holy crap why is this on HN?" But after watching it, I can't help thinking how nice it was to have my optimism needle bumped up a notch.
It's accurate, but he's cherry-picking events from both books to illustrate his points. The above description could be Ursula LeGuin's Wizard of Earthsea series as well. Hell, Orson Scott Card stole the ansible from LeGuin's Hainish novels.
Without the school aspect, it could be Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. Without the flying in mid-air, it could be Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic books or Sherwood Smith's Wren's Quest series.
From the article: "It's true that we writers borrow words from each other ? but we're supposed to admit it and not pretend we're original when we're not. I took the word ansible from Ursula K. LeGuin, and have always said so. Rowling, however, denies everything."
"The books in the Ender series are my favorite books[...]I can save myself the time reading Harry Potter"
Weird, I would never miss a chance to read a book that compares to another favorite book of mine.
I have noticed the similarity in themes, too, but I have enjoyed both Harry Potter and Enders Game. They are not similar in the sense of being clones. Also, the "flying game" is only a side plot in HP, and was for me the least interesting aspect of the books.
Yeah, I was saying that with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek. I do plan to eventually read the Harry Potter books. I think the only reason I haven't so far is my irrational disdain for anything trendy. Completely stupid nonreason, I know, but I can't help it.
What other things did you dismiss based on that heuristic?
Since you probably missed Harry Potter because of it, I am going to claim that you miss some good things with the heuristic. On the other hand there is doubtless a lot of crap that is popular.
Would be interesting to see some statistics, but maybe people have to do that on an individual basis.
I missed Dan Brown's books with that thinking. I avoided those silly Goosebumps books as a kid. It also keeps me firmly away from TV.
I think a big part of it is that I really don't like discussing books/movies with other people. I know that is odd. I just like to have the story in my head and interpret it as I please, without having to hash it over with everyone else in the world.
It's paid off for Harry Potter. I get perverse enjoyment out of rejecting my girlfriend's sister's desire to discuss whether such and such character is in love with such and such other character. Since I haven't read it, she won't ramble at me for more than a couple seconds. I fully plan on reading it someday, once the furor dies down and there is no risk of having a coversation about it. ;)
Given Rowling's position I don't think she feels a need to prove anything to anyone. Especially about being "up-to-date" and "politically correct".
This remark sounded more like something she'd said just to see how public would react. Or perhaps to intentionally annoy certain people (religious zaelots and such). I just can't imagine JKR sitting at home, bitting her fingernails and thinking "Damn, I am not politically correct enough .. I should really do something about it".
Well... if you know a bit more about Card outside of Ender novels, you tend to take what he says as wrong by default. He's so opposite to what you'd expect him to be I often fantasize he's trolling.
What, you couldn't tell Albus was gay from the first 6 books?
It's not canon anyway, so you can go on pretending he's straight or asexual or caprasexual. Hell, I pretend the epilogue doesn't exist, and that is canon.
Your conception of failure might not be too far removed from the average person's idea of success.
She hit that nail on the head. And it goes not just for the Harvard graduates in the audience; a lot of people at Hacker News could 'settle' for a life most people would envy. It's nice to be reminded of that from time to time.
"They'll grow up," says 1983 graduate David Epstein. "They'll have a broader worldview and they'll understand that there are many, many ways to contribute. You know what they say — the freshman bring so much, and the seniors take away so little."
A great message. Most of us invariably get caught in the rat race, every action merely one to make out CV's better, and the number on the monthly check higher. Though what makes us humans, and good people is not the ability to buy a bigger house, or have our names in the headlines of the week, but the capacity to reach out - reach out to those who need us, and to make the world a better place for all of us.
