ot; valedictorian speech

[scaredyclassic]

http://zenpencils.com/comic/123-erica-goldson-graduation-speech/

actual speech, speech of the times, maybe best ever, making the rounds on the internet…

[paramount]

Awesome speech/comic.

Someone who really ‘get’s it’ IMO.

[NotCranky]

Doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. Then again, I didn’t go to college!

[scaredyclassic]

are you in the machine?

[NotCranky]

[quote=6packscaredy]are you in the machine?[/quote]
Probably always more or less. I have managed to be pretty independent and poor. Anytime you want to make a dollar you are in the machine right?

Even guys like Gates and Jobs are in the machine once they want to make a dime. Not that it’s bad for them.

To be honest though, college for our generation, in many situations, should have been a no-brainer. I wasn’t groomed for it…Lacked the patience and needed achievement motivation. Freedom was a priority. I wanted to learn what I wanted to learn and definitely not spend my time specializing so that I could throw myself down some tube.

I may do volunteer work that I can find and am most happy at from here on out.

So, how is your college kid doing anyway?

[scaredyclassic]

i have alwasy been dying to get in the machine.

my college kid is totally functional. SDSU is just right. He can get high grades in science and math classes, where his nontotallydriven self might not have gotten them in a UC school. i think there’s something to be said for less competition…

he likes it!

the people, the hanging out, everything…doesn’t want to come home, doesn’t promptly return calls, seems like he’s establishing boundaries….

[CA renter]

Interesting speech and comments that followed the comic.

While I would argue that institutionalized learning can be stifling, dehumanizing, and soul-sucking; it is also the primary way that humans have progressed and made great strides in many areas like science, health, the study of history and sociology (lest we repeat the same mistakes), and even the arts.

We need to realize that not everyone is cut out for college, and we also need to stop looking down our noses at those who do jobs that don’t require degrees. Oftentimes, these jobs provide a far greater benefit to society than many of the jobs commonly held by college graduates. We need to respect all productive, socially-beneficial work, and we need to change the way we compensate people for different types of work, IMHO. Quite frankly, our entire economic system (and the way in which we allocate resources) could really use some significant adjustments.

I think this comic ties in with the article liked by scaredy in the TG thread:

Consumerism In America: How Your Stuff Is Killing You

[scaredyclassic]

i did try to talk him out of going for a while, or at least to take a few years off. Didn’t work.

i thought it would be cool to get some p/t jobs, spend half the year at joshua tree climbing.

no, hewants to get in the machine. or on the machine. on the good side, the machine will probably embrace him.

and it’s way cheaper than if we had had to spend 50k a year on one of those private reform camps for wayward juvenile delinquents. it’s almosta bargain when you look at it that way.

i must admit i am slightly proud, both that we are sending him there, and that he is functioning.

[NotCranky]

If he got out for a while he might not ever be able to stomach the constraints and hoop jumping. He could get all philosophical and develop negative visions for almost all careers.

Anyway, cool that you have such a flexible attitude with him and that he is doing so well in a well rounded way. State is awesome and so are San Diego and our people.

From your first pigg name I thought you were in the machine…I don’t bring it up because maybe you changed it to protect your anonymity.

I think I would like have liked to be a trumpet player in a mariachi band in Mexico. Probably would have gone from there into telenovelas.

[NotCranky]

This is really cool,
http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~gongsu/desiderata_textonly.html

I always liked it…talks about career….I never got it….i guess it’t too easy to dismiss mariachi player as a viable career path.

[CA renter]

[quote=6packscaredy]i did try to talk him out of going for a while, or at least to take a few years off. Didn’t work.

i thought it would be cool to get some p/t jobs, spend half the year at joshua tree climbing.

no, hewants to get in the machine. or on the machine. on the good side, the machine will probably embrace him.

and it’s way cheaper than if we had had to spend 50k a year on one of those private reform camps for wayward juvenile delinquents. it’s almosta bargain when you look at it that way.

i must admit i am slightly proud, both that we are sending him there, and that he is functioning.[/quote]

Impressive kid, scaredy. From everything you’ve written here, you’re doing a fantastic job with your children. Good to see that you’re handling the separation well. Not so sure I’ll be able to do as well as you.

[CA renter]

[quote=Blogstar]This is really cool,
http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~gongsu/desiderata_textonly.html

I always liked it…talks about career….I never got it….i guess it’t too easy to dismiss mariachi player as a viable career path.[/quote]

Awesome poem, Rustico. Ehrmann’s experience ties in nicely with this thread, too.

——

Into this industrious, affectionate family stepped Max, idealist, philosopher and “word technician.”

During college days at DePauw University and then at Harvard University, Ehrmann resolved not to become rich – everyone’s “conventional goal” – but to “write beautiful books.”

Unable to eke out a living despite publishing six books in the first 10 years, Ehrmann studied law and was admitted to the bar. For two years, he was a Vigo County deputy prosecutor but that life did not enthrall him.

So he became the credit manager for his brothers’ factory, writing poems and essays after each 10-hour working day. Meanwhile, he forged strong intellectual bonds with Eugene V. Debs, James Whitcomb Riley and several Indiana State professors.

http://specials.tribstar.com/Columns/Historical/2002/September8.html

——-

BTW, do you play the trumpet? Why not play in a Mariachi band just for fun? Sounds like a lot of fun! 🙂

[scaredyclassic]

[quote=CA renter][quote=Blogstar]This is really cool,
http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~gongsu/desiderata_textonly.html

I always liked it…talks about career….I never got it….i guess it’t too easy to dismiss mariachi player as a viable career path.[/quote]

Awesome poem, Rustico. Ehrmann’s experience ties in nicely with this thread, too.

——

Into this industrious, affectionate family stepped Max, idealist, philosopher and “word technician.”

During college days at DePauw University and then at Harvard University, Ehrmann resolved not to become rich – everyone’s “conventional goal” – but to “write beautiful books.”

Unable to eke out a living despite publishing six books in the first 10 years, Ehrmann studied law and was admitted to the bar. For two years, he was a Vigo County deputy prosecutor but that life did not enthrall him.

So he became the credit manager for his brothers’ factory, writing poems and essays after each 10-hour working day. Meanwhile, he forged strong intellectual bonds with Eugene V. Debs, James Whitcomb Riley and several Indiana State professors.

http://specials.tribstar.com/Columns/Historical/2002/September8.html

——-

BTW, do you play the trumpet? Why not play in a Mariachi band just for fun? Sounds like a lot of fun! :)[/quote]

i recently actually hired a small mariachi band. it was $500 for 2 hours, 4 guys, one seemed to be an apprentice, I don’t think he got a full cut. they had another gig to get to and were difficult to book. A mariachi band sounds really loud when its in your house. there was one heavy musician who was sweating like he was in a sauna. I doubt its super lucrative but i think these guys can make a living…

[NotCranky]

CaRenter,

My mother got me started on the trumpet in the 4th grade …she died when I was in the 5th and a few years later I had to go back and live with my father who killed my trumpet playing. He killed everything constructive and inflicted harm in its place. I was the only one out of 5 living with him who finished HS . In grade school all my brothers and sisters were some of the best kids….some never made it to the 9th grade. I only did a little better because of those years away from him…those other 4 did not have that. I actually have 100 units of college but didn’t want to finish for many reasons.

I shouldn’t make the trumpet joke because of this back story…but it’s funny when careers are being discussed. I don’t want to play the trumpet anymore but I help my kids with any musical interest and tell them of the benefits learning an instrument can bring. My middle son wants to play percussion and I am going to facilitate that. Last summer we enrolled him in a “stomp” class. I want them to play guitar, or a wind or brass instrument, but they are not having it.

[paramount]

Welcome my son, welcome to the machine.
Where have you been? It’s alright we know where you’ve been.

[Author]

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