<\/p>\n
A graduation ceremony is often called a commencement in the United States. The term signifies that this is the beginning of a new stage in your life and the start of your real career. You must stand on your own two feet, enjoy your freedom, and take full responsibility for your actions.<\/p>\n
Before you depart today, I would like to take this opportunity to ask you some questions. Everyone, please close your eyes for a moment. If you can answer \u2018yes\u2019 to any of the following questions, please raise your hand. But please don\u2019t look at anyone else\u2019s responses. (Raise both hands if you very much agree with my questions.)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Question 1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Did you make good friends?<\/p>\n
Question 2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Did you study very hard?
\nQuestion 3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Did you also participate in and enjoy extracurricular activities?![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/fire\/sils\/assets\/uploads\/2019\/04\/MG_8960-360x270.jpg\")
\nQuestion 4.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 Are you sure that you always did your best?
\nQuestion 5. \u00a0 \u00a0 Are you proud of having studied liberal arts at SILS?
\nQuestion 6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Have you achieved any of the original aims that you must have had before you entered SILS?
\nQuestion 7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Are you happy or relieved because you are graduating, or both?
\nQuestion 8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Are you grateful to the people who supported your studies, particularly, your parents (and your professors)?
\nQuestion 9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Do you look forward to your future after graduation?<\/p>\n
And, finally, my last but most important question to everyone here,<\/p>\n
Question 10. \u00a0 All in all, do you like SILS?<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
The request I make of you for your future today is this: please lead your life so that, in retrospect, you find your SILS days as certainly some of the best moments of your whole life.<\/p>\n
You must be confident about what you have done at SILS, thanking everyone who supported you during your studies. You should be proud of who you are and step out into the real world. You have already trained extensively yourself, by completing our liberal arts programme.<\/p>\n
Students often ask the question: \u2018What is the use of this (subject)?\u2019 Usefulness does not guarantee the essence of things, however. As history shows, what is useful (practical) at one time tends to become useless (impractical) soon enough. Technology is a good example.<\/p>\n
What about artificial intelligence (AI)? Do you think that it will replace us and take our jobs? Or will we overcome the rise of any new technology? We human beings may, from time to time, be overly concerned about the unforeseeable future.<\/p>\n
If this is so, what, then, is the use of the classics? Classics will remain with us as long as human beings exist. That\u2019s what they are for. Whether in the East or the West, we will certainly continue to need Homer\u2019s epics, the Four Books and Five Classics of Confucianism, Shakespeare\u2019s dramas, and Descartes\u2019 philosophy, among others.<\/p>\n
Let me quote you a very interesting passage from a book titled The Fuzzy and the Techie: Why the Liberal Arts Will Rule the Digital World, which was written by Scott Hartley and published in 2017. The person who spoke at the author\u2019s graduation was Steve Jobs, who made a legendary speech, \u2018Stay hungry. Stay foolish’.<\/p>\n
According to Hartley, Jobs also once mentioned how important the humanities and social sciences are to creating great products, stating that \u2018technology alone is not enough\u2014it\u2019s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our heart sing\u2019 (p. 7).<\/p>\n
You likely do not know when what you acquired at SILS will become useful. I do hope, though, that what you learned here will bear fruit for you in the long run, no matter how many years lapse. And this is, in my opinion, the effect of receiving an education at a university.<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
In former days, the average human lifespan was said to be about 50 years. Nowadays, a lifespan can exceed 100 years. Given this, you have to consider that less than a quarter of your life has passed. A much longer period of time lies ahead of you.<\/p>\n
You can now freely exercise your abilities in any way you choose. Your future will be based on what inspired you at SILS. You can be creative and make your own way, by making your effort. You are expected to make a meaningful contribution to society. So, what will your contribution be? Please confidently look ahead to the future.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/fire\/sils\/assets\/uploads\/2019\/04\/MG_8966-360x270.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Finally, I would like to again celebrate this occasion by offering my congratulations to all of you and your families. On behalf of the faculty, I wish you good luck and all the best for a healthy and prosperous life.<\/p>\n
Thank you for listening.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
=================================<\/p>\n
\u7686\u3055\u3093\u306e\u3054\u6d3b\u8e8d\u3092\u304a\u7948\u308a\u7533\u3057\u4e0a\u3052\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n
We would like to wish all our graduates the very best in their future endeavors.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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