Insights and Inspirations from a Commencement Speech

What did the speaker initially fear about giving the commencement speech?

• Losing too much weight

• Influencing graduates negatively

• Not being humorous enough

• Forgetting the speech

What did the speaker wish they had known at their own graduation?

• The value of a vocational degree

• The necessity of a stable job

• The benefits of failure

• The importance of wealth

According to the speaker, what can failure teach us?

• About our strengths and the value of friends

• The importance of success

• Nothing of value

• To avoid taking risks

What role did imagination play in the speaker's life?

• Winning a prestigious award

• Rebuilding their life after failure

• Helping them earn more money

• None, it was considered useless

What did the speaker learn from their time at Amnesty International?

• The power of empathy and collective action

• The importance of political activism

• The effectiveness of torture

• The need for more secure jobs

How does the speaker view the imagination's ability to empathize with others?

• As a tool for manipulation

• As unnecessary

• As a morally neutral power

• As a weakness

What does the speaker hope the graduates remember about life?

• It's measured by success

• It's solely about personal happiness

• It's about acquiring wealth

• It's not a checklist of achievements

What did the speaker use to illustrate the impact of individual actions?

• Stories of political leaders

• The influence of Harvard graduates

• None of the above

• Their own career achievements

What was the speaker's final wish for the graduates?

• To forget everything from the speech except for jokes

• To remember the importance of friendships

• To become wealthy and successful

• To never experience failure

What did the speaker say about the nature of life?

• It's difficult and beyond total control

• It's predictable and controllable

• It's solely based on personal achievements

• It's always fair and just