Experience decision depth, knowledge determines breadth

Dear President Faust, members of the Harvard Group, directors of the Supervisory Board, teachers, parents, friends, and most important graduates,

Thank you, let me have the opportunity to share this wonderful day with you.

I am not sure that I am worthy of the honor of the Harvard University graduation ceremony speaker. Last year, I boarded this podium. Ms. JK Rowling, a British novelist who is a billionaire, was originally a student of classical literature. Standing here the year before was Mr. Bill Gates, a super rich man, a philanthropist and a computer genius. This year, unfortunately, your speaker is me. Although I am not very rich, at least I am a nerd.

I am very grateful to Harvard University for giving me an honours degree. This is very important to me, maybe even more important than you think. You know, academically, I am a different kind of our family. My brother received a doctorate in medicine from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. from Harvard University; my brother received a law degree from Harvard University. When I got the Nobel Prize, I thought my mother would be happy. However, I am wrong. On the morning of the announcement, I called her. She listened and said, "This is a good message, but I want to know, when will you come to see me next time?" Now among our brothers, I finally got it. Harvard degree, I think this time, she will be satisfied.

There is another difficulty in giving a speech at the Harvard University graduation ceremony. That is, some of you may have opinions, and I don't like to repeat what I said in my predecessor speech. I ask you to understand me for two reasons.

First, in order to generate influence, it is important to repeat the same information. In science, the first finder is important, but before being recognized, the last person to make this discovery may be more important.

Secondly, an author who draws on others is on the best path pioneered by a predecessor. Harvard graduate and poet Emerson once wrote: "My best thoughts were stolen from the ancients." The painter Picasso declared that "excellent artists borrowed, great artists steal." So why? The speaker of the graduation ceremony does not apply the same standard?

I would also like to point out that it is ironic for me to give a speech to a Harvard graduate, because if I ventured to submit an application to Harvard University, I would be rejected. My wife, Jean, was the admissions officer at Stanford University. She assured me that if I applied to Stanford University that year, she would reject me. I gave her the draft of this speech and she strongly opposed my use of the word "reject". She never refused any applicant. In the rejection letter, she always wrote: "We can't provide you with the opportunity to enter." I can't tell the difference between the two. However, the admissions officers of those popular schools are always very realistic, and they are called "rejected directors." Obviously, I need to learn how to sell myself.

Graduation speeches follow the structure of classical sonatas, and my speech is no exception. It was just the first movement - a brisk chat. The next second movement is the advice to the door. Such advice is rarely valuable, almost destined to be forgotten and never practiced. But, as Wilde said: "What you can do for advice is to give it to others because it has no use for you." So, here is my advice. First, don't forget the predecessors when you achieve success. Thanks to your parents and friends who support you, to those who have inspired you, especially those who are not good at class, because they force you to teach yourself. On the whole, self-learning ability is essential in excellent liberal arts education and will be the key to your success. You have to hug your classmates and thank them for the many nights that have been with you, which has brought unmeasurable value to your education. Of course, you also want to thank Harvard University. But even if you forget this, the alumni association will remind you. Second, be a generous person in your future life. In any negotiation, the last little benefit is left to the other party. Don't take the money off the table. In cooperation, don't leave honor to yourself. Anyone who has successfully cooperated should receive 90% of all honors.

In the film Harvey, Jimmy Stewart's role, Elwood P. Dowd, fully understands this. He said: "Many years ago, my mother once said to me, 'Elwood, living in this world, you can be either a smart person or a good person." "I have been a smart person and have been doing it for many years." ...but, I recommend you to be a good person. You can quote me.

My third piece of advice is to follow your hobbies when you start a new phase of life. If you don't have a hobby, go find it. If you can't find it, don't give up. Life is too short, so you can't walk by empty hands, you have to pour your affection for something. I am a super gluten at your age, and my goal is to be a physicist. After graduating from college, I spent another 8 years at the University of California at Berkeley. After finishing my postgraduate studies, I completed my postdoc, and then went to Bell Labs for 9 years. Throughout the years, all the fun of my focus and career has come from physics.

I also have one last piece of advice, which means that hobbies are important, but you should not only consider hobbies. When you are gray-haired, dying, and looking back, you need to be proud of what you have done. There is no pride in material life and possessiveness that you achieve. Only those people and things that have been influenced by you and changed by you will make you proud.

The Obama administration is laying a new foundation for America's prosperity and sustainable energy. But we still have a lot of things we don't know. This requires your participation. In this speech, I request all Harvard graduates here to join us. You are our future intellectual leaders. Please take the time to deepen your understanding of the current dangerous situation and then take appropriate action. You are the future scientists and engineers, and I ask you to give us a better technical solution. You are future economists and political scientists, and I ask you to create better policy choices. You are future entrepreneurs and I ask you to make sustainable development an integral part of your business.

Finally, you are humanitarians, and I ask you to speak for humanity. One of the most brutal ironies of climate change is that the most hurt people are the most innocent people - the poorest people in the world and those who have not yet been born.

The end of this final movement is the quote from two humanitarians.

The first quote comes from Martin Luther King. This is his comment on the end of the Vietnam War in 1967, but it seems to be very suitable for commenting on today's climate crisis.

"I appeal to people all over the world to unite and abandon the gap between race, color, class and nationality. I appeal to all and unconditional love for all mankind. You will suffer misunderstanding and misunderstanding, and the world who believes in Nietzsche's philosophy will recognize You are a weak and cowardly coward. But this is absolutely necessary for human existence.... My friend, the fact is that tomorrow is today. At this moment, we are facing the most urgent situation. In the unpredictable life And in history, there is one thing called repentance."

The second quote comes from William Faulkner. In December 1950, he gave a speech at the Nobel Prize-winning dinner, talking about the role that the world should play in the shadow of the nuclear war.

"I believe that mankind will not only exist, he will also win. Mankind is immortal, not because he only has a voice in everything, but because he has a soul, a spirit of compassion, sacrifice and endurance. The poet and writer's responsibility is to write this spirit. They have the power to sublimate the human heart and make humans recall the things that have made him extremely glorious in the past—courage, honor, hope, self-respect, compassion, compassion, and sacrifice.”

Dear students, you play a pivotal role in our future. When you pursue your personal ambitions, I hope that you will also carry forward dedication, actively voice, and help improve the world in all aspects of the big and small. This will give you the greatest satisfaction.

Finally, please accept my warmest congratulations. I hope that you will succeed and I hope that you will protect and save our planet for your children and all future children.