耶鲁演讲

第一篇：耶鲁演讲

耶鲁大学校训强调追求光明和真理，这符合人类进步的法则，也符合每个有志青年的心愿。300多年来，耶鲁大学培养出一大批杰出人才，其中包括20位诺贝尔奖获得者、5位美国总统。

Yale’s motto “Light and Truth”, which is a calling[呼喊;召唤]for human progress, represents the aspiration of every motivated[有积极性的]young man and woman.Over the past 300 years, Yale has produced a galaxy[一群(尤指出色的人或灿烂的事物)]of outstanding/prominent figures [人物;名人]including 20 Noble laureates and five American presidents.inspire: 1)赋予...灵感,给...以启示;2)鼓舞,激励,驱使[(+to)];3)激起,唤起(感情,思想等)[(+in/with)]

开拓进取的精神 pioneering[开创的,先导的]and enterprising[有事业心的;富进取心的]spirit 随着中国的快速发展和中美合作的不断拓展，越来越多的美国人也把目光投向中国，更加关注中国的发展进步。

As China develops rapidly and steady headway is made in China-US cooperation, more and more Americans are following with great interest China’s development and progress.今天，我愿从中华文明历史流变和现实发展的角度，谈谈当代中国的发展战略和前进方向，希望有助于美国人民更全面、更深入地了解中国。

Today, I would like to speak to you about China’s development strategies and its future against the backdrop[背景]of the evolution[发展,进展]of the Chinese civilization and China’s current development endeavor.I hope this will help you gain a better understanding of China.在5000多年的历史长河中

in a history that spans more than five millennia

为人类文明进步作出了巨大贡献

contribute significantly to the progress of human civilization

特别是从1840年鸦片战争以来的160多年间，中国人民为摆脱积贫积弱的境遇，实现民族复兴，前仆后继，顽强斗争，使中华民族的命运发生了深刻变化。

In particular in the 160 years since the Opium War, Chinese people fight courageously and unyieldingly[不屈服地;坚硬地;顽强地]to rid themselves of backwardness and poverty and to realize national rejuvenation, thus profoundly changing the destiny of the Chinese nation.推翻了君主专制制度 overthrow[推翻;废除]the feudal[封建(制度)的]autocracy[独裁(政府);专制制度]

长期浴血奋斗 protracted and hard struggle

28年前，中国人民开始了改革开放和现代化建设的伟大历史进程，经过艰苦创业取得了举世瞩目的巨大成就。years ago, the Chinese people embarked upon the historic drive of reform and opening-up and modernization and have phenomenal[异常的;杰出的;惊人的]progress through unremitting[不间断的;不懈的]efforts.进出口总额 import and export volume

外汇储备 foreign exchange reserve

沧桑巨变 profound changes

艰苦探索和顽强奋斗 carry out persistent[坚持不懈的;固执的]and hard/indomitable struggle 不富裕 well-off

持之以恒的艰苦奋斗 sustained and unremitting efforts

突出的矛盾和问题daunting[令人怯步的;使人气馁的]challenges

人均国内生产总值仍排在世界100名之后Per capita GDP ranks behind the 100th place.这就是树立和贯彻以人为本、全面协调可持续发展的科学发展观。

That is, to pursue a scientific outlook on development that makes economic and social development people-oriented, comprehensive, balanced and sustainable.更加注重解决民生问题，更加注重克服发展的不平衡性，更加注重解决发展中存在的突出矛盾。

Greater emphasis will be put on addressing issues affecting people’ livelihood, overcoming imbalance in development and resolving key problems that have occurred in the course of development.致力于走科技含量高、经济效益好、资源消耗低、环境污染少、人力资源优势得到充分发挥的新型工业化道路。

We will pursue a new path to industrialization featuring high technology, good economic returns, low resource-consumption, low environment pollution and full use of human resources.Insatiable[永不满足的;贪得无厌的[(+for/of)]]

科学发展的理念，是在总结中国现代化建设经验、顺应时代潮流的基础上提出来的，也是在继承中华民族优秀文化传统的基础上提出来的。

The concept of scientific development is based on the experience China has gained in its modernization drive and put forth[提出;发表]in response to the trends of the times.It is also rooted in the cultural heritages of the Chinese nation.中华民族在漫长历史发展中形成的独具特色的文化传统，深深影响了古代中国，也深深影响着当代中国。

The distinct[与其他不同的,有区别的]cultural traditions of the Chinese nation that developed in the long course[过程;进程]of history have exerted a strong influence on contemporary China, just as it did on ancient China.既有着中华文明的深厚根基，又体现了时代发展的进步精神。

These values[价值观] that are being pursued in China today are derived from its tradition.But they also give expression to the progress of the times.注重 give prominence[引人注目的事物(或地方)] to

关注 care about

强调要利民、裕民、养民、惠民

The ancient Chinese emphasized the value of serving people, enriching them, nourishing[养育;滋养] them, and benefit them.今天，我们坚持以人为本，就是要坚持发展为了人民、发展依靠人民、发展成果由人民共享。We are pursuing today a people-oriented approach[方法,方式;态度]toward development because we believe that development must be for the people and by the people and its benefit should be shared among the people.保障人民的生存权和发展权仍是中国的首要任务。

Ensuring the right to survival and development remains China’s top priority.自强不息，不断革故鼎新 unremitting self-improvement/reform and innovation[革新,改革,创新] “天行健，君子以自强不息。”这是中国的一句千年传世格言。

As an ancient Chinese motto put it, “As Heavens keeps vigor through movement, a gentleman should unremittingly practice self-improvement.中华民族所以能在5000多年的历史进程中生生不息、发展壮大，历经挫折而不屈，屡遭坎坷而不馁，靠的就是这样一种发愤图强、坚忍不拔、与时俱进的精神。

Throughout the 5000-year history, it is thanks to their perseverance[坚持不懈;坚忍不拔], determination[坚定;果断], stamina[精力;体力;耐力]and innovation that the Chinese nation has grown after surviving numerous setbacks and adversity.中国人民在改革开放中表现出来的进取精神，在建设国家中焕发出来的创造热情，在克服前进道路上的各种困难中表现出来的顽强毅力，正是这种自强不息精神的生动写照。

The Chinese people have shown enterprising spirit and reform and opening-up creativity in national development and great tenacity in overcoming difficulties on the road to progress.All this gives expression to the spirit of unremitting self-improvement embodied in China’s cultural tradition.团结互助 unity[团结;]/mutual assistance

提出了“和为贵”的思想 advocate that “harmony is most valuable”

追求身心和谐 strive for harmony between man’s body and soul[灵魂;精力]

向往“天下为公”的理想社会yearn for an ideal society where “the whole world is one community”

实现物质和精神、民主和法治、公平和效率、活力和秩序的有机统一。

It is a society where there is unity between the material and the spirit, democracy and rule of raw, fairness and efficiency, and vitality and order.中国人民把维护民族团结作为自己义不容辞的职责，把维护国家主权和领土完整作为自己至高无上的使命。

The Chinese people take the maintenance[维持,保持]of ethnic unity and harmony as their bounden[非做不可的]duty and the defense of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity their sacred[神圣的;不可侵犯的;庄严的;郑重的]mission.一切有损于民族团结和国家统一的举动，都会遭到中国人民强烈的反对和抗争。

Any act that undermines[暗中破坏;逐渐损害] China’s ethnic harmony and national unity[统一体;整体] will meet their strong opposition and resistance[抵抗,反抗].中国人在对外关系中始终秉承“强不执弱”、“富不侮贫”的精神，主张“协和万邦”。

In external/foreign relations, China believes that “the strong should not oppress[压迫;压制]the weak and the rich should not bully[威吓,胁迫;欺侮]the poor” and advocate that “all nations live side by side in perfect harmony”.中国人提倡“海纳百川，有容乃大”，主张吸纳百家优长、兼集八方精义。

The Chinese held that “One should be as inclusive as the ocean, which is vast because is admits[准许进入] hundreds of rivers” and called for drawing upon the strength[长处] of others.坚定不移地走 commit oneself firmly to

维护世界和平uphold[维护;维持;赞成;确认]the world peace

中国坚持实施互利共赢的对外开放战略

China firmly pursues a strategy of opening-up for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.广泛开展合作 enter into[加入;开始]extensive cooperation

真诚愿意兼收并蓄、博采各种文明之长，以合作谋和平、以合作促发展，推动建设一个持久和平、共同繁荣的和谐世界。

China is inclusive and is eager to draw on the strength of other civilizations to pursue peace and development through cooperation and play its part in building a harmonious world of enduring peace and common prosperity.中美都拥有辽阔的国土，都是多个民族并存、多种文化融合的国家。

China and United States are both countries of vast territory where many ethnic groups coexist and different cultures intermingle.相互借鉴，取长补短 learn from each other and draw on each other’s strengths

符合根本利益 serve the fundamental interests of…

美好篇章 moving episode

1979年中美建交27年来，两国关系曾历经曲折，但总体上保持了稳定发展的大方向，给两国和两国人民带来了巨大利益。

In the 27 years since the establishment of diplomatic relation in 1979, China-US relations have maintained steady momentum despite turns and twists on the way, bringing tremendous benefits to both countries and peoples.不稳定不确定因素 factors causing instability and uncertainty

合作领域在扩大 the areas of cooperation are widening

反对国际恐怖主义 fight international terrorism

防止大规模杀伤性武器扩散 prevent the proliferation of weapons of massive destruction 保护人类生存环境 protect the environment and human habitat

打击跨国犯罪 combat transnational crimes

中美全面发展建设性合作关系前景广阔

There is a broad prospect for the growth of constructive and cooperative China-US relations in all fields.达成了许多重要共识 reach broad and important agreement.我们都认为，双方应该坚持从战略高度和长远角度审视和处理中美关系，加强对话，扩大共识，增进互信，深化合作，全面推进21世纪中美建设性合作关系。

We are both of the view that the two sides should approach our relations from strategic and long-term perspective and that we should enhance dialogue, expand common ground, increase mutual trust, deepen cooperation and promote the overall growth of the constructive and cooperative China-US relations.一个音符无法表达出优美的旋律，一种颜色难以描绘出多彩的画卷。

A composer cannot write enchanting melody with one note, and a printer cannot paint landscape with only one color.世界是一座丰富多彩的艺术殿堂，各国人民创造的独特文化都是这座殿堂里的瑰宝。

The world is a treasure house where the unique cultural achievements created by people of all countries are displayed.一个民族的文化，往往凝聚着这个民族对世界和生命的历史认知和现实感受，也往往积淀着这个民族最深层的精神追求和行为准则。

The culture of a nation tells a lot about the evolution of the nation’s understanding of the world and life, both past and present.Culture thus embodies a nation’s fundamental pursuit of mind and dictates its norm of behavior.障碍和束缚 obstacle and obstruction

意识形态、社会制度、发展模式的差异不应成为人类文明交流的障碍，更不能成为相互对抗的理由。

Differences in ideology, social system and development model should not stand in the way of exchanges among civilizations, still less should they become excuses for mutual confrontation.相互排斥 mutual exclusion

克服自然的屏障和隔阂 remove natural barriers and overcome physical isolation

交融 interaction

“长江后浪推前浪，世上新人换旧人。”

As an old Chinese saying goes: “As in the Yangtze River where the waves behind drive on those before, so a new generation always excels the last one.”

青年人有着蓬勃向上的生命活力和无穷的创造力。

They are full of vitality, new ideas and creativity.

第二篇：乔布斯在耶鲁演讲范文

Thank you.I'm honored to be with you today for your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world.Truth be told, I never graduated from college and this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation.谢谢大家。很荣幸能和你们，来自世界最好大学之一的毕业生们，一块儿参加毕业典礼。老实说，我大学没有毕业，今天恐怕是我一生中离大学毕业最近的一次了。

Today I want to tell you three stories from my life.That's it.No big deal.Just three stories.今天我想告诉大家来自我生活的三个故事。没什么大不了的，只是三个故事而已。

The first story is about connecting the dots.第一个故事，如何串连生命中的点滴。

I dropped out of Reed College after the first six months but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit.So why did I drop out? It started before I was born.My biological mother was a young, unwed graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption.She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife, except that when I popped out, they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl.So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking, “We've got an unexpected baby boy.Do you want him?” They said, “Of course.” My biological mother found out later that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school.She refused to sign the final adoption papers.She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would go to college.我在里得大学读了六个月就退学了，但是在18个月之后--我真正退学之前，我还常去学校。为何我要选择退学呢？这还得从我出生之前说起。我的生母是一个年轻、未婚的大学毕业生，她决定让别人收养我。她有一个很强烈的信仰，认为我应该被一个大学毕业生家庭收养。于是，一对律师夫妇说好了要领养我，然而最后一秒钟，他们改变了主意，决定要个女孩儿。然后我排在收养人名单中的养父母在一个深夜接到电话，“很意外，我们多了一个男婴，你们要吗？”“当然要！”但是我的生母后来又发现我的养母没有大学毕业，养父连高中都没有毕业。她拒绝在领养书上签字。几个月后，我的养父母保证会让我上大学，她妥协了。

This was the start in my life.And 17 years later, I did go to college, but I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition.After six months, I couldn't see the value in it.I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, and no idea of how college was going to help me figure it out, and here I was，spending all the money my parents had saved their entire life.So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK.It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back, it was one of the best decisions I ever made.The minute I dropped out, I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me and begin dropping in on the ones that looked far more interesting.这是我生命的开端。十七年后，我上大学了，但是我很无知地选了一所差不多和斯坦福一样贵的学校，几乎花掉我那蓝领阶层养父母一生的积蓄。六个月后，我觉得不值得。我看不出自己以后要做什么，也不晓得大学会怎样帮我指点迷津，而我却在花销父母一生的积蓄。所以我决定退学，并且相信没有做错。一开始非常吓人，但回忆起来，这却是我一生中作的最好的决定之一。从我退学的那一刻起，我可以停止一切不感兴趣的必修课，开始旁听那些有意思得多的课。

It wasn't all romantic.I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms.I returned Coke bottles for the five-cent deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the seven miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple.I loved it.And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on.Let me give you one example.事情并不那么美好。我没有宿舍可住，睡在朋友房间的地上。为了吃饭，我收集五分一个的旧可乐瓶，每个星期天晚上步行七英里到哈尔-克里什纳庙里改善一下一周的伙食。我喜欢这种生活方式。能够遵循自己的好奇和直觉前行后来被证明是多么的珍贵。让我来给你们举个例子吧。

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country.Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer was beautifully hand-calligraphed.Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this.I learned about serif and sans-serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great.It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.当时的里德大学提供可能是全国最好的书法指导。校园中每一张海报，抽屉上的每一张标签，都是漂亮的手写体。由于我已退学，不用修那些必修课，我决定选一门书法课上上。在这门课上，我学会了“serif”和“sans-serif”两种字体、学会了怎样在不同的字母组合中改变字间距、学会了怎样写出好的字来。这是一种科学无法捕捉的微妙，楚楚动人、充满历史底蕴和艺术性，我觉得自己被完全吸引了。

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life.But ten years later when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back

to me, and we designed it all into the Mac.It was the first computer with beautiful typography.If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts, and since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no personal computer would have them.当时我并不指望书法在以后的生活中能有什么实用价值。但是，十年之后，我们在设计第一台 Macintosh计算机时，它一下子浮现在我眼前。于是，我们把这些东西全都设计进了计算机中。这是第一台有这么漂亮的文字版式的计算机。要不是我当初在大学里偶然选了这么一门课，Macintosh计算机绝不会有那么多种印刷字体或间距安排合理的字号。要不是Windows照搬了 Macintosh，个人电脑可能不会有这些字体和字号。

If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on that calligraphy class and personals computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do.要不是退了学，我决不会碰巧选了这门书法课，个人电脑也可能不会有现在这些漂亮的版式了。

Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college, but it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward.You can only connect them looking backwards, so you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.You have to trust in something--your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever--because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path, and that will make all the difference.当然，我在大学里不可能从这一点上看到它与将来的关系。十年之后再回头看，两者之间关系就非常、非常清楚了。你们同样不可能从现在这个点上看到将来；只有回头看时，才会发现它们之间的关系。所以你必须相信，那些点点滴滴，会在你未来的生命里，以某种方式串联起来。你必须相信一些东西——你的勇气、宿命、生活、因缘，随便什么——因为相信这些点滴能够一路连接会给你带来循从本觉的自信，它使你远离平凡，变得与众不同。

My second story is about love and loss.I was lucky.I found what I loved to do early in life.Woz and I started Apple in my parents' garage when I was 20.We worked hard and in ten years, Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4,000 employees.We'd just released our finest creation, the Macintosh, a year earlier, and I'd just turned 30, and then I got fired.How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew, we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so, things went well.But then our visions of the future began to diverge, and eventually we had a falling out.When we did, our board of directors sided with him, and so at 30, I was out, and very publicly out.What had been the focus of my entire

adult life was gone, and it was devastating.I really didn't know what to do for a few months.I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down, that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me.I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly.I was a very public failure and I even thought about running away from the Valley.But something slowly began to dawn on me.I still loved what I did.The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit.I'd been rejected but I was still in love.And so I decided to start over.第二个故事是关于爱与失的。我很幸运，很早就发现自己喜欢做的事情。我二十岁的时候就和沃茨在父母的车库里开创了苹果公司。我们工作得很努力，十年后，苹果公司成长为拥有四千名员工，价值二十亿的大公司。我们刚刚推出了最好的创意，Macintosh操作系统，在这之前的一年，也就是我刚过三十岁，我被解雇了。你怎么可能被一个亲手创立的公司解雇？事情是这样的，在公司成长期间，我雇佣了一个我们认为非常聪明，可以和我一起经营公司的人。一年后，我们对公司未来的看法产生分歧，董事会站在了他的一边。于是，在我三十岁的时候，我出局了，很公开地出局了。我整个成年生活的焦点没了，这很要命。一开始的几个月我真的不知道该干什么。我觉得我让公司的前一代创建者们失望了，我把传给我的权杖给弄丢了。我与戴维德·帕珂德和鲍勃·诺埃斯见面，试图为这彻头彻尾的失败道歉。我败得如此之惨以至于我想要逃离硅谷。但有个东西在慢慢地叫醒我：我还爱着我从事的行业。这次失败一点儿都没有改变这一点。我被逐了，但我仍爱着我的事业。我决定重新开始。

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything.It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods in my life.During the next five years I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife.Pixar went on to create the world's first computer-animated feature film, “Toy Story,” and is now the most successful animation studio in the world.当时我没有看出来，但事实证明“被苹果开除”是发生在我身上最好的事。成功的重担被重新起步的轻松替代，对任何事情都不再特别看重，这让我感觉如此自由，进入一生中最有创造力的阶段。接下来的五年，我创立了一个叫NeXT的公司，接着又建立了Pixar，然后与后来成为我妻子的女人相爱。Pixar出品了世界第一个电脑动画电影：“玩具总动员”，现在它已经是世界最成功的动画制作工作室了。

In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT and I returned to Apple and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance, and Lorene and I have a wonderful family together.在一系列的成功运转后，苹果收购了NeXT，我又回到了苹果。我们在NeXT开发的技术在苹果的复兴中起了核心作用，另外劳琳和我组建了一个幸福的家庭。

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple.It was awful-tasting medicine but I guess the patient needed it.Sometimes life's going to hit you in the head with a brick.Don't lose faith.I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did.You've got to find what you love, and that is as true for work as it is for your lovers.Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do.If you haven't found it yet, keep looking, and don't settle.As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it, and like any great relationship it just gets better and better as the years roll on.So keep looking.Don't settle.我非常确信，如果我没有被苹果炒掉，这些就都不会发生。这个药的味道太糟了，但是我想病人需要它。有些时候，生活会给你迎头一棒。不要丧失信心。我确信唯一让我一路走下来的是我对自己所做事情的热爱。你必须去找你热爱的东西，对工作如此，对你的爱人也是这样的。工作会占据你生命中很大的一部分，你只有相信自己做的是伟大的工作，你才能怡然自得。如果你还没有找到，那么就继续找，不要停。全心全意地找，当你找到时，你会知道的。就像任何真诚的关系，随着时间的流逝，只会越来越紧密。所以继续找，不要停。

My third story is about death.When I was 17 I read a quote that went something like “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “no” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important thing I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life, because almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.You are already naked.There is no reason not to follow your heart.我的第三个故事关于死亡。我17岁的时候读到过一句话“如果你把每一天都当作最后一天过，有一天你会发现你是正确的”。这句话给我留下了深刻的印象。从那以后，过去的33年，每天早上我都会对着镜子问自己：“如果今天是我的最后一天，我会不会做我想做的事情呢？”如果连着一段时间，答案都是否定的的话，我就知道我需要改变一些东西了。提醒自己就要死了是我遇见的最大的帮助，帮我作了生命中的大决定。因为几乎任何事——所有的荣耀、骄傲、对难堪和失败的恐惧——在死亡面前都会消隐，留下真正重要的东西。提醒自己就要死亡是我知道的最好的方法，用来避开担心失去某些东西的陷阱。你已经赤裸裸了，没有理由不听从于自己的心愿。

About a year ago, I was diagnosed with cancer.I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas.I didn't even know what a pancreas was.The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months.My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctors' code for “prepare to die.” It means to try and tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next ten years to tell them, in just a few months.It means to make sure that everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family.It means to say your goodbyes.大约一年前，我被诊断出患了癌症。我早上七点半作了扫描，清楚地显示在我的胰腺有一个肿瘤。我当时都不知道胰腺是什么东西。医生们告诉我这几乎是无法治愈的，我还有三到六个月的时间。我的医生建议我回家，整理一切。在医生的辞典中，这就是“准备死亡”的意思。就是意味着把要对你小孩说十年的话在几个月内说完；意味着把所有东西搞定，尽量让你的家庭活得轻松一点；意味着你要说“永别”了。

I lived with that diagnosis all day.Later that evening I had a biopsy where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor.I was sedated but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope, the doctor started crying, because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery.I had the surgery and, thankfully, I am fine now.(您想快速达成您的目标和梦想吗？请加QQ:992949008，每天为您提供了大量励志，销售，管理，商战案例，等经典文章，免费学习。此QQ空间已经改变了千万人的命运，欢迎您的加入，廖攀和您一起开始您的梦想之旅!）

我整日都想着那诊断书的事情。后来有天晚上我做了一个活切片检查，他们将一个内窥镜伸进我的喉咙，穿过胃，到达肠道，用一根针在我的胰腺肿瘤上取了几个细胞。我当时是被麻醉的，但是我的妻子告诉我，那些医生在显微镜下看到细胞的时候开始尖叫，因为发现这竟然是一种非常罕见的可用手术治愈的胰腺癌症。我做了手术，现在，我痊愈了。

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades.Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept.No one wants to die, even people who want to go to Heaven don't want to die to get there, and yet, death is the destination we all share.No one has ever escaped it.And that is as it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of life.It's life's change agent;it clears out the old to make way for the new.right now, the new is you.But someday, not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away.Sorry to be so dramatic, but it's quite true.Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking.Don't let

the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice, and most important, have the courage to follow heart and intuition.They somehow already know what you truly want to become.Everything else is secondary.这是我最接近死亡的时候，我也希望是我未来几十年里最接近死亡的一次。这次死里逃生让我比以往只知道死亡是一个有用而纯粹书面概念的时候更确信地告诉你们，没有人愿意死，即使那些想上天堂的人们也不愿意通过死亡来达到他们的目的。但是死亡是每个人共同的终点，没有人能够逃脱。也应该如此，因为死亡很可能是生命最好的发明。它去陈让新。现在，你们就是“新”。但是有一天，不用太久，你们有会慢慢变老然后死去。抱歉，这很戏剧性，但却是真的。你们的时间是有限的，不要浪费在重复别人的生活上。不要被教条束缚，那意味着会和别人思考的结果一块儿生活。不要被其他人的喧嚣观点掩盖自己内心真正的声音。你的直觉和内心知道你想要变成什么样子。所有其他东西都是次要的。

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalogue, which was one of the bibles of my generation.It was created by a fellow named Stuart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch.This was in the late 1960s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and Polaroid cameras.it was sort of like Google in paperback form 35 years before Google came along.It was idealistic, overflowing with neat tools and great notions.Stuart and his team put out several issues of the The Whole Earth Catalogue, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue.It was the mid-1970s and I was your age.On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitch-hiking on if you were so adventurous.Beneath were the words, “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” It was their farewell message as they signed off.“Stay hungry, stay foolish.” And I have always wished that for myself, and now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.Stay hungry, stay foolish.我年轻的时候，有一份叫做《完整地球目录》的好杂志，是我们这一代人的圣经之一。它是一个叫斯纠华特·布兰的、住在离这不远的曼罗公园的家伙创立的。他用诗一般的触觉将这份杂志带到世界。那是六十年代后期，个人电脑出现之前，所以这份杂志全是用打字机、剪刀和偏光镜制作的。有点像软皮包装的google，不过却早了三十五年。它理想主义，全文充斥着灵巧的工具和伟大的想法。斯纠华特和他的小组出版了几期“完整地球目录”，在完成使命之前，他们出版了最后一期。那是七十年代中期，我和你们差不多大。最后一期的封底是一张清晨乡村小路的照片，如果你有冒险精神，可以自己找到这条路。下面有一句话，“保持饥饿，保持愚蠢”。这是他们的告别语，“保持饥饿，保持愚蠢”。我常以此勉励自己。现在，在你们即将踏上新旅程的时候，我也希望你们能这样。保持饥饿，保持愚蠢。

Thank you all, very much.非常感谢。

第三篇：耶鲁大学校长开学演讲

耶鲁大学校长开学演讲

导语：在耶鲁大学开学典礼上，校长应该准备什么样的发言材料呢？以下是小编为大家搜集的文章，欢迎大家阅读与借鉴！

耶鲁大学校长开学演讲一

同学们、老师们：

今天我们在这尊师体育场隆重的举行新生开学典礼，首先，我代表昆山电力大学向新加入我校的各位新生们表示衷心的祝贺!你们选择了这里，这里同样也挑选了你们，让我们以最热烈的掌声庆贺彼此的这一相聚!

我校是省内除××大学外面向全国招生省份最多、招生人数最多的高校。我们的科技学院依然表现出强劲的生命力，吸引了大量学生报考。我们的新同学来自全国23个省、自治区、直辖市及港澳台地区，因为共同的选择大家走到了一起，希望你们珍惜上学的机会，尽快适应学校的环境，找到适合自己的最佳起跑点。

我校是一所包含经、法、教、文、史、理、工、农、医、管理等十几个学科门类的综合性大学，是省重点建设高校，同时又具有较明显的办学特色。学校目前占地两千多亩，校舍总建筑面积几十万多平方米，藏书几十万册;设有十几个二级学院，5个硕士点，60个本科专业。现有教职工两千余人，其中院士6人，教授、副教授五百余人。

在科研上，学校已形成众多有区域特色的省、市重点学

科，建有省级重点实验室、市级重点实验室和工程技术中心多个，组建了几十个研究所，近年来，学校在获得国家、省部级科研项目、在sci、ei上发表学术论文和科研经费上都有了较大幅度的增长，服务社会的能力进一步增强，产学研结合工作有了新的突破和进展。

在学生管理上，本着“以学生为本“的思想，更多地增强了服务与指导，切实地为同学们多办实事，学校通过国家贴息助学贷款、各种类型的奖学金和勤工助学岗位，帮助生活上有困难的同学，让同学通过自身努力积极争取，努力不使一个勤奋的学生因为贫困而失学或辍学。为了使你们更好地成才，我们的学校和全体管理人员也将努力为大家的健康成长创造好的条件、营造好的氛围。希望大家充分利用学校良好的资源和条件，抓住青春时光，勤奋向上，努力学习，在××大学这块土地上发现自我、找寻自身的价值和使命。

大家已经走进了大学，将要学习和掌握各种不同的知识，但有一点应该是相同的，那就是都要学会“做人、做事、做学问”。

首先，最重要的是要学会做人。要使个人素质日臻完善，要培养自己无论在社会、还是在学校、单位、家庭，都成为一名优秀的成员，承担起各种各样不同的责任。特别希望同学们能牢记：“做人贵在清白”，下定决心，一辈子清清白白做人。

第二，要学会做事，一个人的价值是由自己做成的事决定的。要做成事，一定要有各方面扎实的知识，更应该具备应用知识解决实际问题的能力;不仅要掌握理论分析能力，还应该具备将理论运用于实践的能力。不仅要具备从事专业工作的能力，而且还要注意培养自己处理事物的能力、交际能力和管理能力。

第三，要学会做学问，同学们应该是属于创新的一代，做学问的核心就是要创新。在上大学这段黄金时期，一定要努力使自己的志气越来越大，有朝气，敢争先，勇于去碰那些人们认为做不到的事，重大成就常常是由好高骛远的志气开始的，但要真正做好学问，必须善于实事求是，脚踏实地去干。

同学们，学校和社会为每个大学生准备的条件都是同等的。作为公民，每个大学生在学校和社会的地位都是平等的。一个大学生毕业时以怎样的知识、能力和素质面向社会，全在于自己的努力和奋斗。希望你们用生命中最为宝贵的时光，在宁大学会做人，学会做事，学会做学问，牢记“做人贵在清白，做事必须认真，做学问要“敢于好高骛远，善于实事求是”。到了毕业的时候你们可以自信地说一句：“成为社会需要的有用人才，我，已经作好了准备”。预祝全体同学成功。

耶鲁大学校长开学演讲二

各位老师，亲爱的同学

们：

望着聚集在台下的这一千多张洋溢着青春活力的新面孔，身为校长的我激动不已，但是，在这令人得意的时刻，我丝毫也不敢忘形，因为我看到的是家长们的信任，同学们的期盼。面对所有的期待，我感到的是校长肩头沉甸甸的责任，看到的是学网大学XX年下半年的辉煌。

大学历史悠久、底蕴丰富、发展迅速、特色鲜明，你们选择大学有三个理由：她有辉煌的过去，有让人自豪的现在，有令人憧憬的未来。建校百年多来，学校送走了一批又一批学子，为祖国培养了数以万计的建设人才，逐渐成为一所在县内外享有很高知名度的大学。特别是迈进新千年以来，学校教育教学质量一年上一个台阶。我们的目标是把大学打造成高标准、高质量、有鲜明特色的示范大学。成绩属于过去，荣誉归于大家，未来在于创造!作为一名人，在收获羡慕眼光的同时，也注定你必须有更高层次的追求。同学们，你们准备好了吗?

三十年前的今天，我跟你们一样，坐在相似的会场，聆听着师长们的教导，内心却在迷茫：路在何方?今天，我想以一个曾经走过相同岁月的过来者的身份，对和我当年一样辛苦的同学们讲点切身体会。大学四年,将是绝望与希望交织，激情与信心满怀，汗水

与泪水浸透的日子。十几年铸一剑，屈指可数的日日夜

夜，紧紧张张的分分秒秒，这是改变自己命运的最佳时机，三年犹如一张弓，你们就是这弓弦上的箭，要尽一切可能把这张弓拉得最满，这样你们才能被射得更远。

如果我问你们，人生最大的幸福是什么?你们的答案会有许许多多。但我要告诉你们我的理解：人生最大的幸福就是为自己的梦想奋斗和拼搏，你们现在正置身于这种幸福中啊。也许你们会觉得，整天面对无数的习题，成堆的错误，熬红的眼睛，家长的不满，老师的督促，这哪里是幸福?!同学们，可千万要记住，人生如一杯茶，不能苦一辈子，但总要苦一阵子，现在就是人生这杯茶最苦的时候，可最苦过后就是最甜。

不管你们基础如何，现在成绩如何，千万不可急功近利，要做到水到渠成。只要努力就有进步，有进步就有希望，有希望就要全力以赴。成功之道就在于不去想能否成功，且把通向成功的每一步都走好。每天清晨，迎着晨风，沐浴着朝霞，对自己许下心愿，今天我会在充实与进步中度过;每天夜晚，仰望夜空，应该心满意足，暗示自己，我会在一天紧张学习的疲惫中酣畅入眠。相信自己，也相信老师，老师是为了你们的梦想跟你们并肩奋斗的人，是你们迷茫时的指路者，是你们丧失信心时的激励者，是让你们保持持久毅力的支撑者，是你们缺乏激情时的点燃者，是你们在这一段黑暗的泥沼中前进的拐杖。

“自古英雄出少年”。十七八岁，你们脚踏大地，头顶青天;二十岁，你们仰望明月，追赶太阳。如果在明天的社会上，所有从丰中走出去的人，都能用自己杰出的才能服务社会，创造财富，福泽他人，以自己富有魅力的人格和高雅的品味成为社会修身之范，那将是大学最大的成功，也是我们将鞠躬尽瘁为之奋斗的目标!

同学们，拿出青春所有的激情和勇气，为命运而搏，为前途而战。猎物就在眼前，你们就是那盘旋在空中的雄鹰。在此，我预祝你们锁定目标，马到成功。

第四篇：希拉里耶鲁演讲

名人名校励志英语演讲稿：Dare to Compete, Dare to Care 敢于竞争，勇于关爱---美国国务卿希拉里·克林

0 名人名校励志英语演讲稿：Dare to Compete, Dare to Care 敢于竞争，勇于关爱---美国国务卿希拉里·克林顿耶鲁大学演讲

Dare to compete.Dare to care.Dare to dream.Dare to love.Practice the art of making possible.And no matter what happens, even if you hear shouts behind, keep going.要敢于竞争，敢于关爱，敢于憧憬，大胆去爱！要努力创造奇迹！无论发生什么，即使有人在你背后大声喊叫，也要勇往直前。

It is such an honor and pleasure for me to be back at Yale, especially on the occasion of the 300th anniversary.I have had so many memories of my time here, and as Nick was speaking I thought about how I ended up at Yale Law School.And it tells a little bit about how much progress we’ve made.What I think most about when I think of Yale is not just the politically charged atmosphere and not even just the superb legal education that I received.It was at Yale that I began work that has been at the core of what I have cared about ever since.I began working with New Haven legal services representing children.And I studied child development, abuse and neglect at the Yale New Haven Hospital and the Child Study Center.I was lucky enough to receive a civil rights internship with Marian Wright Edelman at the Children’s Defense Fund, where I went to work after I graduated.Those experiences fueled in me a passion to work for the benefit of children, particularly the most vulnerable.Now, looking back, there is no way that I could have predicted what path my life would have taken.I didn’t sit around the law school, saying, well, you know, I think I’ll graduate and then I’ll go to work at the Children’s Defense Fund, and then the impeachment inquiry, and Nixon retired or resigns, I’ll go to Arkansas.I didn’t think like that.I was taking each day at a time.But, I’ve been very fortunate because I’ve always had an idea in my mind about what I thought was important and what gave my life meaning and purpose.A set of values and beliefs that have helped me navigate the shoals, the sometimes very treacherous sea, to illuminate my own true desires, despite that others say about what l should care about and believe in.A passion to succeed at what l thought was important and children have always provided that lone star, that guiding light.Because l have that absolute conviction that every child, especially in this, the most blessed of nations that has ever existed on the face of earth, that every child deserves the opportunity to live up to his or her God-given potential.But you know that belief and conviction-it may make for a personal mission statement, but standing alone, not translated into action, it means very little to anyone else, particularly to those for whom you have those concerns.When I was thinking about running for the United States Senate-which was such an enormous decision to make, one I never could have dreamed that I would have been making when I was here on campus-I visited a school in New York City and I met a young woman, who was a star athlete.I was there because of Billy Jean King promoting an HBO special about women in sports called “Dare to compete.” It was about Title IX and how we finally, thanks to government action, provided opportunities to girls and women in sports.And although I played not very well at intramural sports, I have always been a strong supporter of women in sports.And I was introduced by this young woman, and as I went to shake her hand she obviously had been reading the newspapers about people saying I should or shouldn’t run for the Senate.And I was congratulating her on the speech she had just made and she held onto my hand and she said, “Dare to compete, Mrs.Clinton.Dare to compete.”

I took that to heart because it is hard to compete sometimes, especially in public ways, when your failures are there for everyone to see and you don’t know what is going to happen from one day to the next.And yet so much of life, whether we like to accept it or not, is competing with ourselves to be the best we can be, being involved in classes or professions or just life, where we know we are competing with others.I took her advice and I did compete because I chose to do so.And the biggest choices that you’ll face in your life will be yours alone to make.I’m sure you’ll receive good advice.You’re got a great education to go back and reflect about what is right for you, but you eventually will have to choose and I hope that you will dare to compete.And by that I don’t mean the kind of cutthroat competition that is too often characterized by what is driving America today.I mean the small voice inside you that says to you, you can do it, you can take this risk, you can take this next step.And it doesn’t mean that once having made that choice you will always succeed.In fact, you won’t.There are setbacks and you will experience difficult disappointments.You will be slowed down and sometimes the breath will just be knocked out of you.But if you carry with you the values and beliefs that you can make a difference in your own life, first and foremost, and then in the lives of others.You can get back up, you can keep going.But it is also important, as I have found, not to take yourself too seriously, because after all, every one of us here today, none of us is deserving of full credit.I think every day of the blessings my birth gave me without any doing of my own.I chose neither my family nor my country, but they as much as anything I’ve ever done, determined my course.You compare my or your circumstances with those of the majority of people who’ve ever lived or who are living right now, they too often are born knowing too well what their futures will be.They lack the freedom to choose their life’s path.They’re imprisoned by circumstances of poverty and ignorance, bigotry, disease, hunger, oppression and war.So, dare to compete, yes, but maybe even more difficult, dare to care.Dare to care about people who need our help to succeed and fulfill their own lives.There are so many out there and sometimes all it takes is the simplest of gestures or helping hands and many of you understand that already.I know that the numbers of graduates in the last 20 years have worked in community organizations, have tutored, have committed themselves to religious activities.You have been there trying to serve because you have believed both that it was the right thing to do and because it gave something back to you.You have dared to care.Well, dare to care to fight for equal justice for all, for equal pay for women, against hate crimes and bigotry.Dare to care about public schools without qualified teachers or adequate resources.Dare to care about protecting our environment.Dare to care about the 10 million children in our country who lack health insurance.Dare to care about the one and a half million children who have a parent in jail.The seven million people who suffer from HIV/AIDS.And thank you for caring enough to demand that our nation do more to help those that are suffering throughout this world with HIV/AIDS, to prevent this pandemic from spreading even further.And I’ll also add, dare enough to care about our political process.You know, as I go and speak with students I’m impressed so much, not only in formal settings, on campuses, but with my daughter and her friends, about how much you care, about how willing you are to volunteer and serve.You may have missed the last wave of the dot.com revolution, but you’ve understood that the dot.community revolution is there for you every single day.And you’ve been willing to be part of remarking lives in our community.And yet, there is a real resistance, a turning away from the political process.I hope that some of you will be public servants and will even run for office yourself, not to win a position to make and impression on your friends at your 20th reunion, but because you understand how important it is for each of us as citizens to make a commitment to our democracy.Your generation, the first one born after the social upheavals of the 60’s and 70’s, in the midst of the technological advances of the 80’s and 90’s, are inheriting an economy, a society and a government that has yet to understand fully, or even come to grips with, our rapidly changing world.And so bring your values and experiences and insights into politics.Dare to help make, not just a difference in politics, but create a different politics.Some have called you the generation of choice.You’ve been raised with multiple choice tests, multiple channels, multiple websites and multiple lifestyles.You’ve grown up choosing among alternatives that were either not imagined, created or available to people in prior generations.You’ve been invested with far more personal power to customize your life, to make more free choices about how to live than was ever thought possible.And I think as I look at all the surveys and research that is done, your choices reflect not only freedom, but personal responsibility.The social indicators, not the headlines, the social indicators tell a positive story: drug use and cheating and arrests being down, been pregnancy and suicides, drunk driving deaths being down.Community service and religious involvement being up.But if you look at the area of voting among 18 to 29 year olds, the numbers tell a far more troubling tale.Many of you I know believe that service and community volunteerism is a better way of solving the issues facing our country than political engagement, because you believe-choose one of the following multiples or choose them all-government either can’t understand or won’t make the right choices because of political pressures, inefficiency, incompetence or big money influence.Well, I admit there is enough truth in that critique to justify feeling disconnected and alienated.But at bottom, that’s a personal cop-out and a national peril.Political conditions maximize the conditions for individual opportunity and responsibility as well as community.Americorps and the Peace Corps exist because of political decisions.Our air, water, land and food will be clean and safe because of political choices.Our ability to cure disease or log onto the Internet have been advanced because of politically determined investments.Ethnic cleansing in Kosovo ended because of political leadership.Your parents and grandparents traveled here by means of government built and subsidized transportation systems.Many used GI Bills or government loans, as I did, to attend college.Now, I could, as you might guess, go on and on, but the point is to remind us all that government is us and each generation has to stake its claim.And, as stakeholders, you will have to decide whether or not to make the choice to participate.It is hard and it is, bringing change in a democracy, particularly now.There’s so much about our modern times that conspire to lower our sights, to weaken our vision-as individuals and communities and even nations.It is not the vast conspiracy you may have heard about;rather it’s a silent conspiracy of cynicism and indifference and alienation that we see every day, in our popular culture and in our prodigious consumerism.But as many have said before and as Vaclav Havel has said to memorably, “It cannot suffice just to invent new machines, new regulations and new institutions.It is necessary to understand differently and more perfectly the true purpose of our existence on this Earth and of our deeds.” And I think we are called on to reject, in this time of blessings that we enjoy, those who will tear us apart and tear us down and instead to liberate our God-given spirit, by being willing to dare to dream of a better world.During my campaign, when times were tough and days were long I used to think about the example of Harriet Tubman, a heroic New Yorker, a 19th century Moses, who risked her life to bring hundreds of slaves to freedom.She would say to those who she gathered up in the South where she kept going back year after year from the safety of Auburn, New York, that no matter what happens, they had to keep going.If they heard shouts behind them, they had to keep going.If they heard gunfire or dogs, they had to keep going to freedom.Well, those aren’t the risks we face.It is more the silence and apathy and indifference that dogs our heels.Thirty-two years ago, I spoke at my own graduation from Wellesley, where I did call on my fellow classmates to reject the notion of limitations on our ability to effect change and instead to embrace the idea that the goal of education should be human liberation and the freedom to practice with all the skill of our being the art of making possible.For after all, our fate is to be free.To choose competition over apathy, caring over indifference, vision over myopia, and love over hate.Just as this is a special time in your lives, it is for me as well because my daughter will be graduating in four weeks, graduating also from a wonderful place with a great education and beginning a new life.And as I think about all the parents and grandparents who are out there, I have a sense of what their feeling.Their hearts are leaping with joy, but it’s hard to keep tears in check because the presence of our children at a time and place such as this is really a fulfillment of our own American dreams.Well, I applaud you and all of your love, commitment and hard work, just as I applaud your daughters and sons for theirs.And I leave these graduates with the same message I hope to leave with my graduate.Dare to compete.Dare to care.Dare to dream.Dare to love.Practice the art of making possible.And no matter what happens, even if you hear shouts behind, keep going.Thank you and God bless you all.

第五篇：耶鲁大学校长2010年毕业典礼演讲：重塑政治

Baccalaureate Address: Reclaiming Politics President Richard C.Levin

May 23, 2010 Yale University What a journey you have had!Four years of exploring a place so rich with treasure: courses taught by some of the world’s most brilliant and creative scholars and scientists, a library with few peers, museums that expose you to the full variety of nature and human cultures, musical and theatrical performances of the highest quality, vigorous intercollegiate and intramural athletic programs, and classmates whose excellence never ceases to astonish – and all this set within the imposing and inspiring architecture of a campus that is itself a museum.You have had the chance to interact with classmates from 50 states and 50 nations, and the great majority of you have taken advantage of Yale’s abundant international programs to spend a semester or a summer abroad.In the classroom, you were encouraged to engage thoroughly and rigorously in thinking independently about the subjects you studied.You were challenged to develop the powers of critical reasoning fundamental to success in any life endeavor.Outside the classroom, as you worked productively in the hundreds of organizations you joined or founded, you exercised the skills of teamwork and leadership.In your overseas experiences, you deepened your capacity for understanding those whose values and cultures differ from your own – preparing you for citizenship in a globally interconnected world.You may not recognize this in yourselves, but you are ready for what is next.Understandably, you may be uncertain and a bit anxious about what lies ahead.But, if history is to be trusted, you will find many paths open to you.Because of the talent you possessed before you came here, as well as the intellectual and personal growth you have experienced here, you will find, with high likelihood, success in your chosen endeavors.And we expect you to stay connected.The vibrant life of this university is greatly enriched by the deep commitment and active participation of its graduates – think of all the master’s teas and guest lectures and college seminars offered by our alumni.And keep in mind that when you thanked your parents a few moments ago, you might also have been thanking the generations of Yale graduates whose gifts past and present supported half the total cost of your education.Perhaps I am overconfident about your prospects for personal fulfillment and professional success, but I don’t think so.If you will concede my point for the sake of argument, let’s ask the next question, one so deeply rooted in Yale’s mission and tradition that for most of you, fortunately, it has become ingrained.And that question is: how can I serve? How can I contribute to the wellbeing of those around me, much as we all have done in building communities within the residential colleges and volunteering in so many valuable roles in the city of New Haven? Now is an important time to be asking this question.Let me suggest why, and then let me suggest an answer.Aristotle tells us that we are by nature political animals.But one wonders whether he would recognize the species that we have become.Eighteen months ago, the United States elected a new president who was prepared to address, intelligently and collaboratively, the most pressing problems confronting the nation – education, health care, climate change, and improving America’s image in the rest of the world.Late in the election campaign, the financial crisis intervened, and economic recovery and financial sector reform were added to this ambitious agenda.What has happened since does not inspire great confidence in the capacity of our system to deal intelligently with important problems.We legislated a stimulus package that was less effective than it should have been, and far less effective than the corresponding measures undertaken in China.Fifteen months later, unemployment in the United States is still 9.9%.After months of stalemate, Congress enacted a health care bill that extends care to millions of uncovered individuals and families, but takes only the most tentative steps toward containing the escalating costs that will create an unsustainable burden of public debt within the next decade or two.We failed to address climate change in time to achieve a meaningful global agreement in Copenhagen.And, although financial sector reform now seems to be a possibility, the debate has been replete with misunderstanding of what actually went wrong and a misplaced desire for revenge.Why is this happening? Let me make two observations, and then trace their implications for how you might conduct yourselves as citizens and participants in political life.First, contemporary political discussion is too often dominated by oversimplified ideologies with superficial appeal to voters.And, second, political actors in the United States give too much weight to the interests of groups with the resources to influence their re-election, and too little attention to the costs and benefits of their actions on the wider public.In The Federalist(No.10), James Madison addresses the second of these observations, in the context of the fledgling republic established by the U.S.Constitution.He notes that the tendency to pursue self-interest can never be entirely suppressed, but it can be mitigated by the proper design of political institutions.In contrast to a direct democracy where individuals would tend to vote their own interests, a republican form of government, Madison argues, will have a greater tendency to select representatives who attend to the broader interests of the whole.And, he further argues, representatives in a large republic constituted of a wide range of divergent interests will find it easier to rise above parochialism than those in a smaller republic comprised of a small number of competing factions.The protections that our form of government offers against ideology and faction have attenuated greatly since Madison’s time, for at least two reasons.First, mass communication increases the opportunity to sway voters by appeal to simple formulations.Of course, the rise of mass communication could be a tool for raising the level of discourse through more effective education of the electorate.But it interacts with the second attenuating factor: that the money required to win elections through the media has created a dependence on funding from special interest groups.And it is these interest groups who distort reasoned dialogue by sponsoring oversimplified messages.It is easy to see how these developments have thwarted recent efforts to shape responsible public policy.For example, the interest groups opposing health care reform defeated efforts to contain costs by labeling them ―death panels,‖ and they defeated the creation of a new public vehicle for providing health insurance by insisting that we must ―keep government out of the health care business,‖ when in fact Medicare, Medicaid, and the Veterans Administration already pay nearly 40 per cent of the nation’s health care bill.I am not taking sides here, only pointing to the fact that intelligent debate on these subjects was crowded out by ideological distortion.How can we create a national and global dialogue that transcends such oversimplification and parochialism? Let me suggest that we need each of you to raise the level of debate.You came here to develop your powers of critical thinking, to separate what makes sense from what is superficial, misleading, and seductive.Whether you have studied literature, philosophy, history, politics, economics, biology, physics, chemistry, or engineering, you have been challenged to think deeply, to identify the inconsistent and illogical, and to reason your way to intelligent conclusions.You can apply these powers of critical discernment not simply to fulfill personal aspirations, but to make a contribution to public life.Every signal you have received in this nurturing community has been unwavering in its message that the growth of your competencies is not to benefit you alone.You have learned in your residential colleges that building a successful community has required you to respect and value one another, and, when appropriate, to moderate your own desires for the benefit of the whole.And so it should be in your lives after Yale.If you are to help to solve this nation’s problems – or work across national boundaries to address global problems such as climate, terrorism, and nuclear proliferation – you will need to draw upon both these fruits of a Yale education: the capacity to reason and the ethical imperative to think beyond your own self-interest.I know that many of you are taking advantage of these first years after graduation to take up public service, and I hope that even more of you will consider this path.There are plenty of jobs in the public sector for enterprising recent graduates;many are short-term but others may lead to careers.Many of you have signed up to be teachers.Others will enter business or the professions.But whatever choice you make, you can help to strengthen the nation and the world – by treating political choices not as triggers for an ideological reflex and not as opportunities to maximize self-interest.To combat reflexive ideologies, you must use the powers of reason that you have developed here to sift through the issues to reach thoughtful, intelligent conclusions.To combat parochialism, you must draw upon the ethical imperative that Yale has imbued in you – an imperative that begins with the golden rule.Whether you serve in government directly or simply exercise your responsibilities as a citizen and voter, recognize that we will all be best served if we take account not merely of our own self-interest, but the broader interests of humanity.To move beyond ideology and faction, we need to raise the level of political discourse.You, as the emerging leaders of your generation, must rise to this challenge.In first paragraph of The Federalist(No.1), writing about the infant republic whose constitution he was endeavoring to defend, Alexander Hamilton asserts: It has frequently been remarked, that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country, by their conduct and example, to decide the important question, whether societies … are really capable or not, of establishing good government from reflection and choice …

There is much in America’s history of the past two and a quarter centuries that would incline us to conclude that Hamilton’s question has been answered in the affirmative.Our institutions of representative government have proven themselves to be durable;the rule of law has prevailed, and the scope of personal liberty has expanded far beyond what the founders envisioned.But today, in the face of oversimplified ideology and the dominance of narrow interests, we must wonder again whether Hamilton’s question is still open.Women and men of the Yale College class of 2010: It falls to you, the superbly educated leaders of your generation, to rise above ideology and faction, to bring to bear your intelligence and powers of critical thinking to elevate public discourse, to participate as citizens and to answer the call to service.Only with your commitment can we be certain that our future will be decided by ―reflection and choice‖ in the broad best interest of humanity.You can do it.Yes you can.重塑政治

理查德.查.莱文校长

2010年5月23日

耶鲁大学

你们刚刚完成了一段伟大的旅程。四年来，你们在一个充满了财富的地方不断探索。全世界最聪慧、最富创造力的学者和专家为你们授课；你们拥有其他学校望尘莫及的图书馆；你们的博物馆包罗人间百态、宇宙万象；你们可以欣赏到第一流的音乐和戏剧；你们有充满活力的校内外体育竞技；你们身边是一群永远卓俊的同学——这一切，都在一座座本身就充满了灵性与诗意的建筑中为你们呈现。你们与来自五十个州、五十个国家的同学朝夕相处。你们中的许多人都曾利用耶鲁充足的国际资源，拓展了自己在海外学习与生活的经验。

在课堂里，你们完整而严密的独立思考能力通过所学课程不断得到发展。你们的批判精神和思辨习惯不断经受考验。这对你们未来的发展与成功至关重要。在课堂以外，你们的团队精神和领导才能在数百个学生组织的活动中得到提升。你们的海外经历加深了你们对不同价值观、不同文化的包容与理解。你们因此成为与世界相联通的全球公民。也许你们自己还没有意识到，你们已经为人生的下一步做好了准备。

你们心中想必对未来还有一些踌躇与顾虑。如果我们依历史预测未来，那么我们知道，光明坦途就在你们脚下。你们自身的禀赋，以及在这里所经历的成长，将必定帮助你们在所选择的道路上取得成功。我们也希望你们能够相互扶持。回想你们所亲历过的校友们的馈赠，比如院长茶会、客座演讲、学院研讨，你们就会意识到，这所学校的生活正是倚赖毕业生们的执著与付出而如此丰富多彩。当你们感谢父母时，你们也需要明白，正是一代代耶鲁毕业生的回馈，支撑着属于你们的这个集体。

也许我对你们未来将会实现的人生价值和取得的事业成就过于乐观了。但是我不这么认为。假如你同意我的观点，那么请允许我提出一个问题，一个深植于耶鲁之精神与传统，以至于你们中的许多人都已经把他看作与生俱来的问题，那就是，你将如何奉献？你将如何把你在学院中为集体奉献、在纽黑文为这座城市奉献的精神，带到你的生活之中，去改善你身边每一个人的生活？这样重要的一个问题，在现在这样的时刻提出，正当其时。请让我先解释为什么要提出这样的问题，然后让我们看看应该如何来回答。

亚里士多德说，我们每一个人都是天生的政治动物。但是在他眼里，当今的我们也许早已经成为了一个完全陌生的种群。十八个月前，美国选举出了一位新总统。他肩负的使命是全面而深入地解决这个国家所遭遇到的最紧迫的问题——教育，医保，气候变化，以及重塑美国的国际形象。在选战的后半段，金融危机的影响扩散开来，于是经济复苏与金融业改革也被提上日程，列入了这本已十分宏伟的计划。

之后发生的事情并没有让我们相信当前的体制可以有能力解决这些问题。我们出台的复苏计划远没有达到预期的效果，而中国采取的相应措施比我们有效的多。十五个月过去了，美国的失业率仍然高达9.9%。经过几个月的拖延，国会终于通过了一项惠及几百万家庭的医疗保障计划。但是与之相关的高昂成本会让我们未来几十年负债累累，国会对此却完全无人问津。在哥本哈根我们没能就全球气候变化达成任何有价值的协议。不仅如此，金融业改革的可能性也在对关键症结的误解和对报复性举措的滥用中消耗殆尽。

为什么会这样？请先让我提出我的两点看法，然后让我们看看这与你们未来的政治生涯以及公民身份有什么联系。第一，当今的政治决策过程中往往充斥着为了迎合普通选民肤浅的诉求而刻意简单化的意识形态。第二，美国的政客为了确保再次当选，对手握重金的利益集团过于看重，而对他们的行为到底会给普罗大众带来怎样的利害却漠不关心。

在联邦党人宪章第十篇中，詹姆斯.麦迪逊针对美国宪法刚刚确立的共和政体论述过我上面的第二点看法。他指出，对个人利益的追求永远无法被完全消灭，但是一个良好的政治制度却可以最大限度地消除这种追求的负面影响。麦迪逊认为，相比起人人追逐自我利益的直接民主体制，共和体制将会更有效地推选出代表最广泛群众利益的人民代表。不仅如此，他还认为，一个由许多不同利益诉求所构成的大共和体，相比起由一小撮竞争党派构成的小共和体，更易于推动人民代表克服狭隘主义的局限。

但是自麦迪逊的时代以来，我们的政府形式所能发挥的对意识形态和党派争端的限制作用已经被大大削弱。导致这一变化的原因至少有两点。第一，大众传媒手段的普及放大了简单政治口号对普通选民的影响作用。当然，大众传媒手段的兴起可以通过对选民的教育而达到提高政治决策水平的目的。但是由于结合了第二点原因，即大众传媒时代的选战胜利往往对特殊利益集团的政治献金过于依赖，大众传媒手段便往往被这些利益集团所利用，通过散布过于简单化的信息，来达到扭曲政治决策的目的。

这样的变化对于推行科学有效的公共政策所产生的阻碍作用是显而易见的。比如说，反对医疗保障改革的利益集团给降低医保成本的计划贴上了―死刑审判‖的标签，从而使得这些计划无法得以推行。他们通过鼓吹―政府不干涉医疗保障事业‖来阻碍公共医疗保险机制的创立与推进。实际上，仅退休医保、医疗低保、退伍医保三项，就承担了这个国家超过40%的医疗保障成本。我并不想在此事上加入个人偏见。（也许我已经加入了。）我只想指出，公共医疗事业的决策过程，如今早已被意识形态和集团利益所扭曲和左右。

我们要怎样做，才能在全国乃至全球范围内，逐渐克服这样过于简单化的趋势和狭隘主义？我认为，我们需要你们在座的每一个人来改变政治决策的过程。你们来到这里接受教育，为的是培养你们的思辨能力，为的是让你们学会区分什么是正确的，什么是肤浅的、误导的、蛊惑的。无论你们所学习的是文学、哲学、历史、政治、经济、生物、物理、化学，还是工程，你们都已经可以深入思考，辨识矛盾与错误，并最终得出你们自己的正确结论。你们不仅可以运用这些能力去取得个人的成功，你们也可以为公众的利益做出贡献。

在这样一个欣欣向荣的集体里，你们获得的点滴教育都指引着你们为超越自身利益的事业而付出努力。在你们的学院里，你们明白了只有互相尊重、互相理解，并且有时牺牲个人诉求，才能构建起一个和谐的集体。这些精神应该在你们离开耶鲁之后的生活中得到延续。如果你们将为解决这个国家的问题而奋斗，或者跨越国界，为解决全世界所面临的诸如气候变化、恐怖主义、核武扩散等问题而奋斗，你们都必须明白，耶鲁教育的成果，是为了帮助你们，在智力上与道义上，都取得超越个人利益的成功。

我知道你们中的许多人一毕业就将成为人民公仆。我也希望你们中的更多人最终会加入这个行列。公共事业的许多领域都需要你们这样的毕业生去为之努力，不论是作为短期计划，还是作为终身事业。你们中的许多人都已经报名成为教师。其他人也许会进入商业或者技术领域。无论你们选择了怎样的道路，你们都可以为这个国家和世界做出贡献，只要你们记住，政治决策过程不是用来为意识形态和个人利益服务的。为了克服短浅的意识形态局限，你们必须用你们的思辨能力去考量每一个问题，最终得出全面而科学的结论。为了克服狭隘主义，你们必须把耶鲁赋予你们的道德力量发扬光大，而这道德力量的缘起，就是为人民服务的黄金法则。无论你们是为政府工作，还是行使你们作为公民与选民的权利，你们都需要意识到，唯有超越个人利益而惠及整个人类文明的决策，才能最大限度地服务我们每一个人。唯有提高政治决策的水平，我们才能克服意识形态和党派争端的局限。你们，作为你们这一代人未来的领袖，必须去直面这样的挑战。

为了努力捍卫一个年轻共和国的宪法，亚历山大.汉密尔顿在联邦党人宪章第一篇第一段里写道：

许多例证都表明，这个国家的人民最关注的重要问题，是这个社会能否在反思与抉择的基础之上，建立一个好的政府……

从两百二十多年的美国历史来看，汉密尔顿所提出的问题，应该早已有了一个肯定的答案。我们构建在人民代表制度基础上的政府与体制是经得起考验的；我们的法制化进程不断推进；我们对个人自由的保障远超出了开国元勋们的设想。但是今天，面对过于简单化的意识形态，和日益主宰政治决策过程的狭隘特殊利益，我们必须重新思考，汉密尔顿的问题是否仍然有相同的答案。

耶鲁大学2010届的毕业生们：你们作为同辈中受过良好教育的未来领袖，肩负着超越意识形态和党派局限的历史责任。你们必须用你们过人的智慧和思辨的精神去提升政治决策的水平。你们必须以公民的身份响应时代的号召。只有通过你们的努力，我们才能保证我们的未来一代能够在―反思与抉择‖的基础之上为整个人类文明的福祉服务。你们必然能够完成你们的使命。你们必然能够完成。