Err In The Direction of Kindness

George Saunders delivered the commencement speech at Syracuse University for the class of 2013. Here’s an excerpt. You can find the complete speech at the link.

“Your life is going to be a gradual process of becoming kinder and more loving: Hurry up. Speed it along. Start right now. There’s a confusion in each of us, a sickness, really: selfishness. But there’s also a cure. So be a good and proactive and even somewhat desperate patient on your own behalf – seek out the most efficacious anti-selfishness medicines, energetically, for the rest of your life".

“Do all the other things, the ambitious things – travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim naked in wild jungle rivers (after first having it tested for monkey poop) – but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness. Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial. That luminous part of you that exists beyond personality – your soul, if you will – is as bright and shining as any that has ever been. Bright as Shakespeare’s, bright as Gandhi’s, bright as Mother Theresa’s. Clear away everything that keeps you separate from this secret luminous place. Believe it exists, come to know it better, nurture it, share its fruits tirelessly.”

Saunders has taught in the graduate writing program at Syracuse University for the past 16 years. His fourth book of stories, “Tenth of December,” was recently published by Random House. His his first book, “CivilWarLand in Bad Decline,” was published in 1996. He’s also written two other collections, “Pastoralia” and “In Persuasion Nation”; a novella.


http://6thfloor.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/george-saunderss-advice-to-graduates/?_r=0