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《The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination(《失败的好处和想象的重要性》)》由会员上传分享,免费在线阅读,更多相关内容在行业资料-天天文库。
1、TheFringeBenefitsofFailure,andtheImportanceofImaginationHarvardUniversityCommencementAddressJ.K.RowlingCopyrightJune2008AspreparedfordeliveryPresidentFaust,membersoftheHarvardCorporationandtheBoardofOverseers,membersofthefaculty,proudparents,and,aboveall,graduates,ThefirstthingIwouldlik
2、etosayis'thankyou.'NotonlyhasHarvardgivenmeanextraordinaryhonour,buttheweeksoffearandnauseaI'veexperiencedatthethoughtofgivingthiscommencementaddresshavemademeloseweight.Awin-winsituation!NowallIhavetodoistakedeepbreaths,squintattheredbannersandfoolmyselfintobelievingIamattheworld'sbest
3、-educatedHarryPotterconvention.Deliveringacommencementaddressisagreatresponsibility;orsoIthoughtuntilIcastmymindbacktomyowngraduation.ThecommencementspeakerthatdaywasthedistinguishedBritishphilosopherBaronessMaryWarnock.Reflectingonherspeechhashelpedmeenormouslyinwritingthisone,becausei
4、tturnsoutthatIcan'trememberasinglewordshesaid.ThisliberatingdiscoveryenablesmetoproceedwithoutanyfearthatImightinadvertentlyinfluenceyoutoabandonpromisingcareersinbusiness,laworpoliticsforthegiddydelightsofbecomingagaywizard.Yousee?Ifallyourememberinyearstocomeisthe'gaywizard'joke,I'ves
5、tillcomeoutaheadofBaronessMaryWarnock.Achievablegoals:thefirststeptowardspersonalimprovement.Actually,IhavewrackedmymindandheartforwhatIoughttosaytoyoutoday.IhaveaskedmyselfwhatIwishIhadknownatmyowngraduation,andwhatimportantlessonsIhavelearnedinthe21yearsthathasexpiredbetweenthatdayand
6、this.Ihavecomeupwithtwoanswers.Onthiswonderfuldaywhenwearegatheredtogethertocelebrateyouracademicsuccess,Ihavedecidedtotalktoyouaboutthebenefitsoffailure.Andasyoustandonthethresholdofwhatissometimescalled'reallife',Iwanttoextolthecrucialimportanceofimagination.Thesemightseemquixoticorpa
7、radoxicalchoices,butpleasebearwithme.Lookingbackatthe21-year-oldthatIwasatgraduation,isaslightlyuncomfortableexperienceforthe42-year-oldthatshehasbecome.Halfmylifetimeago,IwasstrikinganuneasybalancebetweentheambitionIhadformyself,andwhatthoseclosesttomeexpectedofme.Iwasconvince