graduation talk

Archive for the ‘2007 Speeches’ Category

Considering his incredible accomplishments, wealth, and position, I think Bill Gates gave an enlightening speech at Harvard. He spoke about why he believes the opportunity exists as never before to solve major inequities in the world and how today’s graduates can step up to make it happen: “You graduates came to Harvard at a different time. You know more about the world’s inequities than the classes that came before.”

There was a lot to take from it but the following points really struck a chord in me:

“The barrier to change is not too little caring; it is too much complexity.”
“To turn caring into action, we need to see a problem, see a solution, and see the impact. But complexity blocks all three steps.”
“If you want to inspire people to participate, you have to show more than numbers; you have to convey the human impact of the work—so people can feel what saving a life means to the families affected.”

Bill Gates stressed the importance of thinking globally and helping others. He enumerated the problems that the world is facing: education and health care: sickness, death, ignorance and illiteracy. These problems are yet to be solved and all that pretty and fluffy stuff can come later. He believed that from those to whom much is given, much is expected. At the end of the speech, he proved that he is indeed Harvard’s most successful dropout.

This is the video and transcript of the commencement address by Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft, delivered on June 7, 2007 at Harvard University.

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