first I’m gonna start off by asking you all a question if you weren’t afraid of
all a question if you weren’t afraid of
all a question if you weren’t afraid of anything what would you do
anything what would you do
anything what would you do upon hearing this question I’m sure
upon hearing this question I’m sure
upon hearing this question I’m sure you’re getting even a little fear full
you’re getting even a little fear full
you’re getting even a little fear full right now realizing that you may not
right now realizing that you may not
right now realizing that you may not necessarily have an answer to that maybe
necessarily have an answer to that maybe
necessarily have an answer to that maybe it’s been a while since you’ve
it’s been a while since you’ve
it’s been a while since you’ve considered the idea of being fear less
considered the idea of being fear less
considered the idea of being fear less in this talk a lot up to explore why if
in this talk a lot up to explore why if
in this talk a lot up to explore why if you ever take a look out of your car
you ever take a look out of your car
you ever take a look out of your car window on a busy highway like I tend to
window on a busy highway like I tend to
window on a busy highway like I tend to do you’ll see that there are a lot of
do you’ll see that there are a lot of
do you’ll see that there are a lot of different people in these vehicles
different people in these vehicles
different people in these vehicles moving pretty fast but do you ever
moving pretty fast but do you ever
moving pretty fast but do you ever wonder about where they’re heading if
wonder about where they’re heading if
wonder about where they’re heading if they know where we’re going they’re
they know where we’re going they’re
they know where we’re going they’re going if they know what we’re they’re
going if they know what we’re they’re
going if they know what we’re they’re doing maybe they’re just going through
doing maybe they’re just going through
doing maybe they’re just going through the motions hoping they’ll end up
the motions hoping they’ll end up
the motions hoping they’ll end up somewhere maybe if they just block out
somewhere maybe if they just block out
somewhere maybe if they just block out the windows on the sides and they look
the windows on the sides and they look
the windows on the sides and they look straight ahead they’ll get somewhere
straight ahead they’ll get somewhere
straight ahead they’ll get somewhere this is descriptive of the student
this is descriptive of the student
this is descriptive of the student mindset today let me introduce the
mindset today let me introduce the
mindset today let me introduce the concept called reification which is
concept called reification which is
concept called reification which is basically where we assign value to
basically where we assign value to
basically where we assign value to abstract ideals that aren’t necessarily
abstract ideals that aren’t necessarily
abstract ideals that aren’t necessarily up to that value this is what students
up to that value this is what students
up to that value this is what students today like to do to numbers our GPA our
today like to do to numbers our GPA our
today like to do to numbers our GPA our rankings we don’t want to stray away
rankings we don’t want to stray away
rankings we don’t want to stray away from anything that does not mean success
from anything that does not mean success
from anything that does not mean success we don’t want to look away from a path
we don’t want to look away from a path
we don’t want to look away from a path that appears to already be laid out for
that appears to already be laid out for
that appears to already be laid out for us guaranteeing success to uphold any
us guaranteeing success to uphold any
us guaranteeing success to uphold any family honor or to make worth with any
family honor or to make worth with any
family honor or to make worth with any of our immigrant
of our immigrant
of our immigrant sacrifices there’s no room or time to
sacrifices there’s no room or time to
sacrifices there’s no room or time to make mistakes we have to have answers
make mistakes we have to have answers
make mistakes we have to have answers and control over everything right now
and control over everything right now
and control over everything right now but I’m sure for a lot of us we’re
but I’m sure for a lot of us we’re
but I’m sure for a lot of us we’re thinking that we’re really stuck right
thinking that we’re really stuck right
thinking that we’re really stuck right now and it’s getting really hard to
now and it’s getting really hard to
now and it’s getting really hard to breathe here
breathe here
breathe here now I’m sure we’ve heard the statistics
now I’m sure we’ve heard the statistics
now I’m sure we’ve heard the statistics about the suicide rate a gun in Palo
about the suicide rate a gun in Palo
about the suicide rate a gun in Palo Alto we know about the hype of toxic
Alto we know about the hype of toxic
Alto we know about the hype of toxic competition and surely a lot of us know
competition and surely a lot of us know
competition and surely a lot of us know about the depressive or disorders
about the depressive or disorders
about the depressive or disorders anxiety disorders a bit of struggle so
anxiety disorders a bit of struggle so
anxiety disorders a bit of struggle so why is this important
why is this important
why is this important well there is a problem in the fact that
well there is a problem in the fact that
well there is a problem in the fact that we know that all of this is happening
we know that all of this is happening
we know that all of this is happening but that we’re allowing it to we are
but that we’re allowing it to we are
but that we’re allowing it to we are afraid afraid to consider or try things
afraid afraid to consider or try things
afraid afraid to consider or try things that we don’t necessarily understand or
that we don’t necessarily understand or
that we don’t necessarily understand or consider things that we don’t already
consider things that we don’t already
consider things that we don’t already have the answers to we’ve it well we’ve
have the answers to we’ve it well we’ve
have the answers to we’ve it well we’ve built walls so high to prevent us from
built walls so high to prevent us from
built walls so high to prevent us from anything less than success and anything
anything less than success and anything
anything less than success and anything that won’t at any possible pain using
that won’t at any possible pain using
that won’t at any possible pain using every little bit of our youth now to
every little bit of our youth now to
every little bit of our youth now to predict or to work for things that are 5
predict or to work for things that are 5
predict or to work for things that are 5 years from now 10 years from now these
years from now 10 years from now these
years from now 10 years from now these walls of fear also cover not just our
walls of fear also cover not just our
walls of fear also cover not just our academic worlds but the real world we
academic worlds but the real world we
academic worlds but the real world we are all a little bit more fearful
are all a little bit more fearful
are all a little bit more fearful nowadays afraid of failure of one
nowadays afraid of failure of one
nowadays afraid of failure of one another of the future of whatever other
another of the future of whatever other
another of the future of whatever other unpredictable happening could occur in
unpredictable happening could occur in
unpredictable happening could occur in the world right now when we look at the
the world right now when we look at the
the world right now when we look at the world we see people who are numb numb to
world we see people who are numb numb to
world we see people who are numb numb to all of the things happening now that all
all of the things happening now that all
all of the things happening now that all of this inhumanity is happening nowadays
of this inhumanity is happening nowadays
of this inhumanity is happening nowadays the next shooting the next prejudice
the next shooting the next prejudice
the next shooting the next prejudice trial conviction and when we look into
trial conviction and when we look into
trial conviction and when we look into other’s eyes and attempt to understand
other’s eyes and attempt to understand
other’s eyes and attempt to understand what makes them human we realize that we
what makes them human we realize that we
what makes them human we realize that we don’t even know what makes us you
don’t even know what makes us you
don’t even know what makes us you you stopped listening
you stopped listening
you stopped listening stop trying to care stop trying to
stop trying to care stop trying to
stop trying to care stop trying to understand but the thing about fear is
understand but the thing about fear is
understand but the thing about fear is that fear is only detrimental if you
that fear is only detrimental if you
that fear is only detrimental if you allow it to consume you instead if we
allow it to consume you instead if we
allow it to consume you instead if we looked at fear as a calling or an
looked at fear as a calling or an
looked at fear as a calling or an awakening for us to reassess the
awakening for us to reassess the
awakening for us to reassess the situations that we are in we could
situations that we are in we could
situations that we are in we could redefine our situations for the better
redefine our situations for the better
redefine our situations for the better and in our situation maybe we need to
and in our situation maybe we need to
and in our situation maybe we need to think like kids again I interpret this
think like kids again I interpret this
think like kids again I interpret this endemic of fear as a shortage of two
endemic of fear as a shortage of two
endemic of fear as a shortage of two things two things only our youth offers
things two things only our youth offers
things two things only our youth offers us imagination and love or you could say
us imagination and love or you could say
us imagination and love or you could say things that come out of pure intent
things that come out of pure intent
things that come out of pure intent number one imagination if you walk into
number one imagination if you walk into
number one imagination if you walk into a first-grade classroom with signs and
a first-grade classroom with signs and
a first-grade classroom with signs and art assignments you’ll see that no
art assignments you’ll see that no
art assignments you’ll see that no painting is like any other these first
painting is like any other these first
painting is like any other these first graders don’t mind
graders don’t mind
graders don’t mind purple bunnies or giant oversized fluffy
purple bunnies or giant oversized fluffy
purple bunnies or giant oversized fluffy dogs that cover the entire piece of
dogs that cover the entire piece of
dogs that cover the entire piece of paper they don’t fear coloring outside
paper they don’t fear coloring outside
paper they don’t fear coloring outside the lines or even making their own I was
the lines or even making their own I was
the lines or even making their own I was 16 when I last visited a first grade
16 when I last visited a first grade
16 when I last visited a first grade classroom and I forgot the last time I
classroom and I forgot the last time I
classroom and I forgot the last time I looked at a piece of paper not afraid of
looked at a piece of paper not afraid of
looked at a piece of paper not afraid of what I would put on that not afraid of
what I would put on that not afraid of
what I would put on that not afraid of ruining it I also forgot that I was only
ruining it I also forgot that I was only
ruining it I also forgot that I was only 16 I was still a kid too how could these
16 I was still a kid too how could these
16 I was still a kid too how could these six-year-olds ten years in difference be
six-year-olds ten years in difference be
six-year-olds ten years in difference be more fearless than I was maybe they were
more fearless than I was maybe they were
more fearless than I was maybe they were just afraid to fail because in order to
just afraid to fail because in order to
just afraid to fail because in order to know how to get back up you have to have
know how to get back up you have to have
know how to get back up you have to have fallen in the first place
now you have a sense of imagination what
now you have a sense of imagination what are you going to do with it
are you going to do with it
are you going to do with it well then there’s this concept called
well then there’s this concept called
well then there’s this concept called love
love
love my science teacher once told me you kids
my science teacher once told me you kids
my science teacher once told me you kids can be the meanest beings live but you
can be the meanest beings live but you
can be the meanest beings live but you can also be the kindest don’t you
can also be the kindest don’t you
can also be the kindest don’t you remember when you used to look at your
remember when you used to look at your
remember when you used to look at your classmates as not competitors or through
classmates as not competitors or through
classmates as not competitors or through judgement of their skin color or with
judgement of their skin color or with
judgement of their skin color or with any idea of what a stereotype was in the
any idea of what a stereotype was in the
any idea of what a stereotype was in the first place but as your partners and
first place but as your partners and
first place but as your partners and defeating the monsters at hand or
defeating the monsters at hand or
defeating the monsters at hand or building colossal castles that would
building colossal castles that would
building colossal castles that would lead you into the galaxies far far away
lead you into the galaxies far far away
lead you into the galaxies far far away waiting for you to discover this is
waiting for you to discover this is
waiting for you to discover this is nurtured in Club six a club started by
nurtured in Club six a club started by
nurtured in Club six a club started by my old elementary school teacher
my old elementary school teacher
my old elementary school teacher encouraging altruistic endeavors drawing
encouraging altruistic endeavors drawing
encouraging altruistic endeavors drawing knowledge from our environments and our
knowledge from our environments and our
knowledge from our environments and our various backgrounds and these kids
various backgrounds and these kids
various backgrounds and these kids they’ve done amazing things they’ve
they’ve done amazing things they’ve
they’ve done amazing things they’ve raised to name a few
raised to name a few
raised to name a few 2k and coins in five days collected over
2k and coins in five days collected over
2k and coins in five days collected over a thousand pounds of food in less than
a thousand pounds of food in less than
a thousand pounds of food in less than two weeks all out of compassion a lot of
two weeks all out of compassion a lot of
two weeks all out of compassion a lot of pure intent and from this km project six
pure intent and from this km project six
pure intent and from this km project six a growing program today expanding upon
a growing program today expanding upon
a growing program today expanding upon these ideals adding high schoolers to
these ideals adding high schoolers to
these ideals adding high schoolers to the picture one of our first ventures
the picture one of our first ventures
the picture one of our first ventures included a project called art from the
included a project called art from the
included a project called art from the hearts where we basically made arts from
hearts where we basically made arts from
hearts where we basically made arts from the hearts for various local shelters in
the hearts for various local shelters in
the hearts for various local shelters in our school districts you should have
our school districts you should have
our school districts you should have seen the way the sixth graders looked at
seen the way the sixth graders looked at
seen the way the sixth graders looked at us when they heard that they were going
us when they heard that they were going
us when they heard that they were going to help these shelters you should have
to help these shelters you should have
to help these shelters you should have seen the way they leaned at the edge of
seen the way they leaned at the edge of
seen the way they leaned at the edge of their seats waiting for their next
their seats waiting for their next
their seats waiting for their next assignment or for their next mission you
assignment or for their next mission you
assignment or for their next mission you could call it and from this week alone
could call it and from this week alone
could call it and from this week alone they raised nearly four hundred dollars
they raised nearly four hundred dollars
they raised nearly four hundred dollars by acting out of pure intent and love
by acting out of pure intent and love
by acting out of pure intent and love for others we were students challenging
for others we were students challenging
for others we were students challenging others to think differently from the
others to think differently from the
others to think differently from the rigid fear we were so used to this is a
rigid fear we were so used to this is a
rigid fear we were so used to this is a reminder of what compact
reminder of what compact
reminder of what compact she gave us what imagination gave us the
she gave us what imagination gave us the
she gave us what imagination gave us the opportunity to blend what we saw in our
opportunity to blend what we saw in our
opportunity to blend what we saw in our own lives and our imagination and to
own lives and our imagination and to
own lives and our imagination and to create a better reality now at this
create a better reality now at this
create a better reality now at this point I’m sure you are questioning how I
point I’m sure you are questioning how I
point I’m sure you are questioning how I have the authority to say any of this
have the authority to say any of this
have the authority to say any of this I’m only 17 after all but I think that
I’m only 17 after all but I think that
I’m only 17 after all but I think that proves my point I’m only 17
proves my point I’m only 17
proves my point I’m only 17 after all this matter is not a matter of
after all this matter is not a matter of
after all this matter is not a matter of what generation it is versus what
what generation it is versus what
what generation it is versus what generation next it’s Universal matter of
generation next it’s Universal matter of
generation next it’s Universal matter of attempting to take down the walls that
attempting to take down the walls that
attempting to take down the walls that we’ve all built up so high cowering and
we’ve all built up so high cowering and
we’ve all built up so high cowering and fear and to finally look at each other
fear and to finally look at each other
fear and to finally look at each other in the eyes an attempt to actually
in the eyes an attempt to actually
in the eyes an attempt to actually understand that’s what the world kind of
understand that’s what the world kind of
understand that’s what the world kind of needs isn’t it it’s been consumed by a
needs isn’t it it’s been consumed by a
needs isn’t it it’s been consumed by a lot of loud a lot of violence a lot of
lot of loud a lot of violence a lot of
lot of loud a lot of violence a lot of anger but maybe it needs a bit of
anger but maybe it needs a bit of
anger but maybe it needs a bit of youthful human connection empathy people
youthful human connection empathy people
youthful human connection empathy people willing to look at the world’s not in
willing to look at the world’s not in
willing to look at the world’s not in fear or as another competitor but I
fear or as another competitor but I
fear or as another competitor but I something to understand to love all
something to understand to love all
something to understand to love all humans fear but all humans in love all
humans fear but all humans in love all
humans fear but all humans in love all humans can imagine it’s naive
humans can imagine it’s naive
humans can imagine it’s naive it’s a naive concept but in our case
it’s a naive concept but in our case
it’s a naive concept but in our case naivety is strength so let’s break down
naivety is strength so let’s break down
naivety is strength so let’s break down the walls we’ve built between one
the walls we’ve built between one
the walls we’ve built between one another and the rest of the world’s and
another and the rest of the world’s and
another and the rest of the world’s and look at the world’s not behind a screen
look at the world’s not behind a screen
look at the world’s not behind a screen or the wall or as another competitor but
or the wall or as another competitor but
or the wall or as another competitor but in each other’s eyes at unpaved roads at
in each other’s eyes at unpaved roads at
in each other’s eyes at unpaved roads at blank canvases with crayons in our hands
blank canvases with crayons in our hands
blank canvases with crayons in our hands thank you
”
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