Monday, October 17, 2011

Steve Jobs 2005 Stanford Commencement Address

In lieu of Steve Jobs' recent passing, one of your fellow classmates suggested that I post his 2005 Stanford commencement speech, and as this student mentioned in their email to me "its applicable since many of the students in Comm 1010 seem to just be starting their college careers." I completely agree.  Jobs has an interesting and relevant take on the role of higher education (college/university) in our lives. While I certainly do not encourage you to drop out of college after hearing this speech, I do encourage you to take in Jobs' perspective and your own perspective and consider the similarities and dissimilarities you may have. In order to make it through your college years, I find it particularly important to have an idea of what that diploma means to you and your life. 


Here is the link: http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/11/video-steve-jobs-2005-stanford-commencement-speech/

Questions to consider:
1. What is Jobs' take on the role of higher education in our lives? Does Jobs' perspective on higher education seem relevant to your life?
2. What is your take on the role of higher education in our lives? Our society emphasizes high school, then college, then find a job. Is this realistic?

By the way, I apologize for not posting sooner, but this past week was hectic for me due to my wedding. Consequently, everyone gets a freebie for the week that will count towards their participation grade.

15 comments:

  1. I believe that education is the key to success, but the means in which one acquires such success doesn't matter to me. College is not the only place to get an education: and who says education is only book smarts? Maybe the only way to truly learn something is to experience it, like through an internship. Besides, in today's economy students are paying for college more than ever and then graduating without finding a job. I'm not saying that the college path is wrong path, just that it's only one path.

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  2. I agree very much so with Katelynn. In my english class this semester, we are reading a book called Outliers and it talks a lot about this subject. Through reading the first half of the book I have come to believe that college is not the only way one can achieve success. The experiences we go through as people a lot of the time, are ways we work to succeed.

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  3. Like Traci, I'm also reading Outliers in my english class. This book really showcases the fact that there are many ways to become successful, and that college just isn't the right fit for some people. Having a college degree does not guarantee that you will be successful.

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  4. I admire Steve Jobs for the way he lived his life. He had no idea what he wanted to do, but he did know what he did not want to do. I believe the most important lesson from his speech is to do what you love, and not to settle. For most of us, college is a time consuming step that we have to take in order to eventually reach our goals, and do what we love, but it isn't necessarily for everyone. The role of higher education in our lives is significant, and it is important to go to college and get a higher education but it shouldn't define us. We cant get wrapped up in what society wants from us, but rather stay true to ourselves and take steps that our necessary to find our own happiness.

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  5. Job's take on higher education primarily focuses on if a person wants to do it in their life. He wasn't happy with it, so he quit, which then gave him more opportunity to take interests in things that he really wanted to do with his life, like calligraphy. His perspective on higher education really does not seem relevant to my life. I need a degree to fall back on in my life. Jobs are more willing to hire people who have more credentials and qualifications.

    Honestly, if people have the resources and time to go to college, then I think they should go. (But then again, I like school, so that is probably a biased statement.) Most people are not going to "get lucky" with a $2 billion corporation. Reliance on that will eventually falter. The economy is not very good right now anyways, so I do not mind at all that I am still in school.

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  6. Im a firm believeer that college isn't for everyone, in Steve Job's case it wasnt for him. I dont think that education isn't the key to success because look at Job's he didn't have a college degree but he found something that he loved to do and made that his life and was extreamly successful. I think education is what you make of it. I also believe the mind is a powerful thing if you want to be successful you will be, regardless of a college degree or not. Everyone has a different deffinition of success and I believe that it's your personal deffinition the one that matters most! What your mind can believe you can achieve!!

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  7. I'm from a small town that was centered around the agriculture industry, so I know for a fact that people can be successful and happy without a high education. I don't really think college is emphasized as the next stage after high school, at least it wasn't in my town. There are so many opportunities available now, that college isn't necessarily the next stage right after high school; enlisting is always an option as well as trade schools. College will always be around but if it's not what someone is wanting to pursue right out of high school they shouldn't feel pressured into going, because it would just be a waste of everyone's time. As Steve Jobs was saying, people should be doing what makes them happy.

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  8. After reading Job's speech, I totally agree with him. I do believe that college is an important aspect in modern day but people put too much on getting a higher education. For instance, I'm a musical artist and I sometimes want to drop-out and pursue my career as an artist but I know that that's a huge risk to take. My mother has always told me to follow my dreams especially if I'm good at what I do but always have a back-up plan. So for now I stay on top of my music while going to school so when I graduate, I can pursue music to its fullest extent.

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  9. We actually just watched this clip in my Career Counseling class! Steve Jobs was a very interesting man. I liked his very open-minded approach to college a lot more than the typical choose a field immediately mindset. It does not seem to be very practical though. I think if every one went to classes they wanted to, that did not appear to have any relevance for their lives, it would be even more confusing in the end. I know that a lot of my least favorite classes were ones that I would never have chosen to go to, but were actually very beneficial. Didn't he still have to pay for sitting in on those classes? It just doesn't seem like a very realistic approach in this day and age.

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  10. I somewhat agree with Jobs in the sense that a college degree isn't necessary to achieve success. I don't particularly like the process of school systems. I don't believe Jobs is an outlier for, he did not get lucky. I believe many talented people out there are also making their dreams come true without a diploma. I myself find lessons I've learned outside of school to be far more helpful in pursuing an abundant future. Yes, I am attending college but, do I believe a degree will get me closer to where or what I want to accomplish in life? I am constantly weighting the pros and cons but only time will tell.

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  11. I agree with Jobs to an extent, I think that experience is the key but you also need a basic understanding of how everything works. Although I know that my degree won't help me as much as if i were to just go out and make indie films, college is also giving me a knowledge of general information so that i have something to fall back on and i will always have that knowledge.

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  12. I agree most with Steve Jobs in the fact that there is no point in a life that you don't love. One could tell that Steve Jobs was completely in love with what he did, and wouldn't settle for anything less - highlighted in the speech. This is an important lesson for every person to keep in mind. I don't believe he means that everything is going to be easy and fruitful, that would lose half of the learning experience. However, discipline and hard work should always be guided towards something that one believes in and truly loves. This is why higher education is such an important staple in our lives for those who want to succeed numerous boundaries - it doesn't just teach us things, but it gives us life lessons on commitment, hard work, and perseverence.

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  13. I found the speech both corny and slightly inspiring. I do not care for "you can do it!" speeches because I feel like it's a very exclusive attitude to have. Although, there's a level of truth in his words because you do have to take control of your live and having death be huge catalyst for change is something I can appreciate.

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  14. I think Jobs' and I differ in educational stance, my grandparents provided me with an education via the Texas tomorrow fund which I am very grateful for. I will stick with it until I graduate no matter what it takes and take care of business to ensure I make him proud. Financial burden isn't a vital factor in my college experience, I only take the classes I have to in order to receive my degree. Perhaps after I graduate I can return for my Masters with a different perspective as I will be paying out of pocket. I believe that college is vital in today's society in that there is so much educational competition. We are similar in idea that connecting the dots thus making a future with self belief. A degree will pave roads that would often be dirt, it is realistic to pursue your dream and integrate it into society. But who you know is very important today, being qualified never hurts though.

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  15. I'm with Rich, experience is the key but you need practice and experience to enhance your knowledge on certain fields you want to go in to. But at the same time college isn't for everybody and it's one in a million of people who are really successful and make things happen with such an competitive market.

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