<![CDATA[Commencement Speeches circa 2026]]>The Booing Will Continue Until Commencement Speeches Improve

https://gizmodo.com/the-booing-will-continue-until-commencement-speeches-improve-2000762929

As someone who built a large fortune over the last few decades, I couldn’t help but notice artificial intelligence is something young people now perceive as a source of adversity. Well, roomful of 22-year-olds, let me tell you something about adversity: I myself faced a great deal of adversity back when I was building my large fortune, and when I encountered adversity, I simply turned that adversity into opportunity, which I believe to be your duty vis-a-vis artificial intelligence, which by the way is something you are powerless to halt in any way, and which I, what with my large fortune, feel excited about. Good luck to you, class of 2026!

The author's caricature of commencement speeches these days. Quite apt, IMO.

Any commencement speeches you've heard lately that don't go that way?

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/topic/39656/commencement-speeches-circa-2026RSS for NodeMon, 15 Jun 2026 14:42:56 GMTSun, 24 May 2026 15:06:01 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Commencement Speeches circa 2026 on Mon, 25 May 2026 12:46:18 GMT]]>USA Today:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/05/23/college-graduation-speakers-booed-ai/90232153007/

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/363056https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/363056Mon, 25 May 2026 12:46:18 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Commencement Speeches circa 2026 on Sun, 24 May 2026 16:01:05 GMT]]>I went to my son's last weekend. There wasn't much mention of AI, it focused a lot more on helping others and being a good person. Nobody booed. My son said he very nearly shouted 'fuck off' when they told us how we were so lucky with the weather - it was 90 degrees and blazing sun and we had no cover whatsover.

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/363012https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/363012Sun, 24 May 2026 16:01:05 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Commencement Speeches circa 2026 on Sun, 24 May 2026 15:40:25 GMT]]>Last commencement speech I heard was my own, delivered by the then-president of Kodak.

Though I’ve read parts of a few since. I know one by Steve Jobs went viral. And David Foster Wallace. Neither of which mentioned AI.

]]>https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/363008https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/post/363008Sun, 24 May 2026 15:40:25 GMT