Conan O'Brien Delivers Dartmouth's Commencement Address
Dartmouth・16 minutes read
The speaker humorously addresses the challenges and advice for graduates, parents, and the tough job market, emphasizing the difficulty of finding work due to aging baby boomers not retiring, and the importance of learning from failures and striving to succeed, even in the face of adversity. Anecdotes about career setbacks and unexpected opportunities are shared to encourage embracing disappointment as a catalyst for clarity, conviction, and originality in pursuing evolving dreams and goals, highlighting unique and successful paths resulting from failure to achieve one's ideal.
Insights
- The speaker humorously addresses various topics, including offering $300 for GORE-TEX gloves in Los Angeles, sharing practical advice with graduates, and advising parents on challenges post-graduation.
- The speaker emphasizes the importance of learning from failures, sharing personal experiences of setbacks leading to growth, and encouraging Ivy League graduates to embrace disappointment as a catalyst for pursuing evolving dreams and goals.
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Recent questions
How does the speaker address the challenges faced by graduates?
The speaker humorously highlights the unfairness of receiving an honorary degree for a simple task compared to the hard work put in by the graduates. He also offers practical advice on dealing with adult acne, ironing shirts, and the consequences of a diet of Ramen Noodles. Additionally, he advises parents on the challenges of their children returning home after graduation and the tough job market.
What is the speaker's humorous policy proposal at Dartmouth?
The speaker presents a humorous policy proposal called "The Conan Doctrine" during his address at Dartmouth. This proposal is part of his comedic approach to addressing the graduates and involves witty and light-hearted suggestions for navigating life after college.
How does the speaker emphasize the importance of learning from failures?
The speaker shares a personal lesson learned from his own experiences, advising graduates to strive to avoid failure. He concludes his address by expressing the significance of learning from failures and striving to succeed, highlighting the valuable lessons that can be gained from setbacks and challenges.
What advice does the speaker give to parents of graduates?
The speaker advises parents on the challenges their children may face after graduation, including returning home and navigating a tough job market. He emphasizes the need for parents to support and guide their children through these transitions, acknowledging the difficulties that may arise during this period of change.
How does the speaker encourage the audience to embrace disappointment?
The speaker encourages the audience, composed of Ivy League graduates, to embrace disappointment as a catalyst for clarity, conviction, and originality in pursuing evolving dreams and goals. By sharing personal anecdotes and experiences, he illustrates how setbacks and disappointments can lead to unexpected opportunities for growth and reinvention, ultimately shaping a unique and successful path towards achieving one's aspirations.
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Summary
00:00
"Life Lessons for Dartmouth Graduates"
- The speaker offers $300 for GORE-TEX gloves due to extreme cold in Los Angeles.
- The speaker, a cable television host, addresses Dartmouth Class of 2011, highlighting the rarity of a college diploma.
- Life's unfairness is illustrated by the speaker receiving an honorary degree for a simple task compared to the graduates' hard work.
- The speaker humorously addresses President Kim, listing his various nicknames and accomplishments.
- The speaker humorously recounts his past visit to Dartmouth and presents a humorous policy proposal, "The Conan Doctrine."
- Practical advice is given to graduates, including dealing with adult acne, ironing shirts, and the consequences of a diet of Ramen Noodles.
- Parents are advised on the challenges of their children returning home after graduation and the tough job market.
- The speaker emphasizes the difficulty of finding work due to aging baby boomers not retiring.
- The speaker shares a personal lesson learned, advising graduates to strive to avoid failure.
- The speaker concludes by expressing the importance of learning from failures and striving to succeed.
17:24
Embracing Disappointment: Catalyst for Success
- Nietzsche's famous quote about strength through adversity is humorously revised to highlight the challenging nature of disappointments, especially for successful individuals.
- The speaker shares a personal experience of a major career setback that led to unexpected and fulfilling opportunities for growth and reinvention.
- Through anecdotes about comedians like Jack Benny, Johnny Carson, and David Letterman, the speaker emphasizes how failure to achieve one's ideal can lead to unique and successful paths.
- The speaker encourages the audience, composed of Ivy League graduates, to embrace disappointment as a catalyst for clarity, conviction, and originality in pursuing evolving dreams and goals.
