YOYO-ISG 101017 JK Rolling: The Fringe Benefit of Failure

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Kooper
YOYO member
文章: 2725
註冊時間: 週三 4月 11, 2007 11:40 pm

YOYO-ISG 101017 JK Rolling: The Fringe Benefit of Failure

文章 Kooper »

Dear ISG members,

This week let's watch the JK Rolling's speech, which Kat recommended the other day. Please write an essay or summary and post it under the thread listed below.

http://jabba.tchmachines.com/~kkirtwwp/ ... 029#p23029
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chiron
YOYO member
文章: 520
註冊時間: 週三 10月 03, 2007 4:23 pm

Re: YOYO-ISG 101017 JK Rolling: The Fringe Benefit of Failure

文章 chiron »

Kooper 寫:Dear ISG members,

This week let's watch the JK Rolling's speech, which Kat recommended the other day. Please write an essay or summary and post it under the thread listed below.

http://jabba.tchmachines.com/~kkirtwwp/ ... 029#p23029
Guys, so sorry to say that, but due to my personal reason, this Sunday, we'll hold our meeting one hour earlier, remember to wake up one hour earlier. The meeting will start at 7:00 precisely, but only this week, next week, we'll recover to 8:00. Pls forgive my personal willful request.

p.s. Anyone who needs morning call, I'll provide the service as you wish.
Please call me Na'vi!
Sherry Liao
YOYO member
文章: 1483
註冊時間: 週五 12月 07, 2007 12:15 pm

Re: YOYO-ISG 101017 JK Rolling: The Fringe Benefit of Failure

文章 Sherry Liao »

There were two themes in Rowling’s speech: the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination.

It’s surprising to hear Rowling talk about “failure” in her speech to Harvard graduates – for those promising young people who just completed their degree from one of the world’s most prestigious universities and were expecting a successful career and a brilliant future, this seemed to be an irrelevant topic. However, on second thought, it was probably a precious course those grads had never have a chance to take in their four-year-study in Harvard.

As Rowling said, it was impossible to live without failing at something, and it was painful to go through it as we had no idea when we would see light at tunnel’s end. But the landing on rock bottom eliminated her worries to rebuild her life, and the realization of the truly self made her concentrate on the only work that mattered. After listening to Rowling’s speech, I couldn’t help but wonder, was it just with the benefit of hindsight? If Rowling’s books had not been so popular, like innumerable authors’ works that didn’t succeed (and sometimes it’s just a matter of luck), would her story still give us any inspiration? After ruminating, my conclusion is that determination and perseverance may be no guarantee of success, but without any efforts there is no way to success.

Rowling’s second topic “the importance of imagination” might bring up associations of her fantasy novels, but it was actually about the ability to empathize with the powerless. I admire her willingness to put the issue in her speech to a group of people who were expected in decades to play a big role in political and economic spheres or have significant influence in other fields.

In the past, the speeches at Harvard commencement featured luminaries like Bill Gates, Secretary of State George C. Marshall, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and other heads of state or Nobel Prize winners as speakers. It was unprecedented to invite a best-selling author to speak to graduates in such an event. Rowling said she was nervous and lost weight before coming to the ceremony. But I think she spoke with poise and sincerity, and was not intimidated at all. What impressed me most was that she took her past experiences of failure to inspire the audience. I ask myself: Would I reveal my past failures to the faces of a large group of Harvard graduates, even if I were really successful now? The answer is probably no. I think she is really a person of great mental strength, and I respect her good will to the audience and the attempt to change the world by her speech, that she urged the Harvard grads to use their power and influence to speak for the speechless and powerless – just as she said, “We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.” This is indeed one of the most impressive speeches I have ever had.
Sherry Liao
YOYO member
文章: 1483
註冊時間: 週五 12月 07, 2007 12:15 pm

Re: YOYO-ISG 101017 JK Rolling: The Fringe Benefit of Failure

文章 Sherry Liao »

Dear members,

Please give me a call if I do not appear in time. I may have fallen asleep.
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chiron
YOYO member
文章: 520
註冊時間: 週三 10月 03, 2007 4:23 pm

Re: YOYO-ISG 101017 JK Rolling: The Fringe Benefit of Failure

文章 chiron »

In this commencement speech, Rowling mentioned 2 topics, one is the benefit of failure, another is imagination.

She started from her personal struggle between reality and idealism when her parents, with impoverished backgrounds, wished her to major in more useful subjects, while she insisted on choosing what she really loves. As a result, she went through a miserable marriage and very poor life after she graduated.

This makes me speculate on 2 reflections: one is, who was invited as the commencement speaker or what’s said on that? But I couldn’t recalled anything no matter for my graduate or graduate school commencement, and I realized, I might never attend any commencement speeches at all. Another speculation is that, doesn’t her speech is just what I need (or most Taiwanese graduates need) now especially during this period? To my relief, I don’t have to experience her poverty though poverty does help one to cultivate his/her potential to the extreme extend.

And then, Rowling talked about what she did as she was young. It can’t be denied those horrible things she ever had nourish her stories in Harry Potter. The dark force happening everywhere everyday all round as also exists in the same way in the wizard’s world. As people say, inspiration also comes from one’s own life. Usually, the best way to understand an art work is to understand the author’s life. This is so true.

In the end of this speech, Rowling encouraged these graduates to be more responsible, they don’t need Magic because they already have enough power, intelligence or ability any difficulties. This also gives me an alternative thinking, doesn’t magic start to server the incapable as a way to relieve the burden of reality? Think about it.

All in all, this is a great speech for those who rarely go through failure in the early life and brilliant talents. By the way, who don’t you like to invite in your commencement speech??

P.S. Few parts of this speech I don’t quite understand as below
1. ditch German
2. executive Bathroom
3. epic scale
Please call me Na'vi!
Kooper
YOYO member
文章: 2725
註冊時間: 週三 4月 11, 2007 11:40 pm

Re: YOYO-ISG 101017 JK Rolling: The Fringe Benefit of Failure

文章 Kooper »

People said that if you’re doomed to suffer a complete fiasco once in your lifetime, it’s better to have it at an early rather than old age. The young are generally seen as more resilient and having little to lose. They are therefore more likely to roll with the punches when confronted with failures or setbacks. J.K. Rowling’s roller-coaster life happens to make a convincing case for the saying. She failed early but managed to turn the tables and is enjoying a fruitful success in her published fantasy novels now.

It is fair to say that more often than not it is failure rather than success that makes a person grow. Nothing can force us to appreciate the value of money and learn to make a good or correct use of it better than living in a straitened situation. Whether a relationship is authentic and solid won’t be told unless it has been tested by adversity. People often have to hit rock bottom before they can recognize that they get their life priority totally wrong, to name but a few.

Putting Rowling’s speech on benefits of failure and the early-failure saying together leads to a clear message: The young generation should dream big and dare to risk failing. The early they fail, the early they acquire priceless knowledge that could help their lives stay on the right track for the rest of their lives.
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