Kindness

I'm a big fan of commencement speeches.

Optimisic little stories, that tell us a lot about the period in which they were given, the luminary who gave them, and some wisdom that transcends time. I feel temporarily transported back to the end of college, feeing full of hope and optimism for the future.

It's hard to pick a favorite commencement speech, becuase from Steve Jobs to Bill Watterson to Michelle Obama, history is full of good examples. But if there's one that's had a lasting impact, it's A Note on Kindness by George Saunders.

I do believe that interpersonal problems are the hardest ones, more than technology or anything else we focus our attention. And the root of so many of these problems is, at some point or another, a missed opportunity for kindness.