To the Class of 2020: In defense of brevity, pragmatism and self-criticism

John Halpin delivers a commencement address to the class of 2020.

I’m a middle-age guy who analyzes politics for a living. My wife and I have two kids a little bit younger than you all. One is in college and one is supposed to start this fall (God willing). Since I’m an old codger who doesn’t use social media, I asked them for their thoughts on what makes a good graduation address. Their response: “Keep it short. Make it useful. Don’t be super cringey.”

Not exactly John Stuart Mill, but hey that sounds like pretty solid advice for anyone at any stage of life.

The above excerpt was originally published in The Lowell Sun. Click here to view the full article.

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