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how should I live my life and am i
how should I live my life and am i living the best life that I can these
living the best life that I can these
living the best life that I can these are questions we have all asked
are questions we have all asked
are questions we have all asked ourselves and my insights into these
ourselves and my insights into these
ourselves and my insights into these questions are based on the privilege I
questions are based on the privilege I
questions are based on the privilege I have had of teaching students around the
have had of teaching students around the
have had of teaching students around the world and they tell me that in studying
world and they tell me that in studying
world and they tell me that in studying material like literature history
material like literature history
material like literature history philosophy religion that they have
philosophy religion that they have
philosophy religion that they have become better people and so by observing
become better people and so by observing
become better people and so by observing in them this inspiring transformation
in them this inspiring transformation
in them this inspiring transformation awareness awakening this is what I have
awareness awakening this is what I have
awareness awakening this is what I have learned as the following 10 insights
learned as the following 10 insights
learned as the following 10 insights into how we can each become better
into how we can each become better
into how we can each become better people travel visit another part of your
people travel visit another part of your
people travel visit another part of your city your state your province your
city your state your province your
city your state your province your territory another part of your country
territory another part of your country
territory another part of your country another country another continent
another country another continent
another country another continent appreciate all the million ways of
appreciate all the million ways of
appreciate all the million ways of looking at life and the world and place
looking at life and the world and place
looking at life and the world and place yourself outside of your comfort zone
learn another language the philosopher
learn another language the philosopher Wittgenstein said the limits of my
Wittgenstein said the limits of my
Wittgenstein said the limits of my language are the limits of my world each
language are the limits of my world each
language are the limits of my world each language looks at the world uniquely so
language looks at the world uniquely so
language looks at the world uniquely so when we speak different languages we
when we speak different languages we
when we speak different languages we become different people an example I
become different people an example I
become different people an example I like to give if you would like to learn
like to give if you would like to learn
like to give if you would like to learn another language find a boyfriend or a
another language find a boyfriend or a
another language find a boyfriend or a girlfriend
girlfriend
girlfriend who is a native speaker of that language
who is a native speaker of that language
who is a native speaker of that language but who crucially does not speak a word
but who crucially does not speak a word
but who crucially does not speak a word of your language read the news read the
of your language read the news read the
of your language read the news read the news on a daily basis throughout the day
news on a daily basis throughout the day
news on a daily basis throughout the day from sources around the world from
from sources around the world from
from sources around the world from sources on all sides of the political
sources on all sides of the political
sources on all sides of the political spectrum about the same issue event idea
spectrum about the same issue event idea
spectrum about the same issue event idea and or topic read great literature and
and or topic read great literature and
and or topic read great literature and great history studies have demonstrated
great history studies have demonstrated
great history studies have demonstrated that reading literature increases our IQ
that reading literature increases our IQ
that reading literature increases our IQ and also increases our emotional
and also increases our emotional
and also increases our emotional intelligence it is no accident that in
intelligence it is no accident that in
intelligence it is no accident that in the 18th century in Western Europe we
the 18th century in Western Europe we
the 18th century in Western Europe we see the rise of human rights at the same
see the rise of human rights at the same
see the rise of human rights at the same time and place that we see the
time and place that we see the
time and place that we see the development of the novel for what both
development of the novel for what both
development of the novel for what both human rights and the novel enable us to
human rights and the novel enable us to
human rights and the novel enable us to do is to imagine lives that are
do is to imagine lives that are
do is to imagine lives that are radically different from our own maybe
radically different from our own maybe
radically different from our own maybe to empathize with those lives to feel
to empathize with those lives to feel
to empathize with those lives to feel what that person is feeling to recognize
what that person is feeling to recognize
what that person is feeling to recognize and accept that there is no person and
and accept that there is no person and
and accept that there is no person and no group in this world who is lesser or
no group in this world who is lesser or
no group in this world who is lesser or greater who has a lesser quantity of
greater who has a lesser quantity of
greater who has a lesser quantity of humanity or a greater quantity of
humanity or a greater quantity of
humanity or a greater quantity of humanity than anybody else and when we
humanity than anybody else and when we
humanity than anybody else and when we can feel what that person is feeling
can feel what that person is feeling
can feel what that person is feeling when we can place ourselves inside their
when we can place ourselves inside their
when we can place ourselves inside their shoes of that person that enriches us
shoes of that person that enriches us
shoes of that person that enriches us and it empowers our ability to help that
and it empowers our ability to help that
and it empowers our ability to help that person reading history reading great
person reading history reading great
person reading history reading great history teaches us where we come from
history teaches us where we come from
history teaches us where we come from and where other people come from we are
and where other people come from we are
and where other people come from we are each the products of history that
each the products of history that
each the products of history that history is alive and we carry the
history is alive and we carry the
history is alive and we carry the history of our history to each and every
history of our history to each and every
history of our history to each and every interaction and so do
interaction and so do
interaction and so do they’re people knowing where we come
they’re people knowing where we come
they’re people knowing where we come from knowing where other people come
from knowing where other people come
from knowing where other people come from helps us understand why we and they
from helps us understand why we and they
from helps us understand why we and they act and react in the ways that they do
act and react in the ways that they do
act and react in the ways that they do and that we do reading literature and
and that we do reading literature and
and that we do reading literature and history cultivates our humanity they
history cultivates our humanity they
history cultivates our humanity they teach us reference for each and every
teach us reference for each and every
teach us reference for each and every single human life they teach us that
single human life they teach us that
single human life they teach us that each person takes their life just as
each person takes their life just as
each person takes their life just as seriously as we do as you do as you do
seriously as we do as you do as you do
seriously as we do as you do as you do and as you do the Indian word the Indian
and as you do the Indian word the Indian
and as you do the Indian word the Indian greeting namaste
greeting namaste
greeting namaste means I bow to the divinity within you
place yourself in a situation where you
place yourself in a situation where you become the majority or the minority this
become the majority or the minority this
become the majority or the minority this can be on the basis of many identities
can be on the basis of many identities
can be on the basis of many identities such as ethnicity race gender sexuality
such as ethnicity race gender sexuality
such as ethnicity race gender sexuality language accent nationality class
language accent nationality class
language accent nationality class religion caste ability disability
observe how the narrative changes
observe how the narrative changes because it will privileges might be
because it will privileges might be
because it will privileges might be given to you
given to you
given to you privileges might be taken away what you
privileges might be taken away what you
privileges might be taken away what you took to be normal natural in some cases
took to be normal natural in some cases
took to be normal natural in some cases common sense reveals itself to be
common sense reveals itself to be
common sense reveals itself to be cultural social habitual in some cases
cultural social habitual in some cases
cultural social habitual in some cases ideological and connected to a deeply
ideological and connected to a deeply
ideological and connected to a deeply embedded system of power that for its
embedded system of power that for its
embedded system of power that for its operation requires that we do not
operation requires that we do not
operation requires that we do not question it and that we do not speak
question it and that we do not speak
question it and that we do not speak about it but through its silent
about it but through its silent
about it but through its silent operation
operation
operation lessons each of our humanity
listen more than you speak listening
listen more than you speak listening very well listening actively allows us
very well listening actively allows us
very well listening actively allows us to truly understand other people almost
to truly understand other people almost
to truly understand other people almost literally to begin seeing other people
literally to begin seeing other people
literally to begin seeing other people it increases our skills and being able
it increases our skills and being able
it increases our skills and being able to closely analyze and observe and
to closely analyze and observe and
to closely analyze and observe and perceive all of the nuances of social
perceive all of the nuances of social
perceive all of the nuances of social interactions listening very well helps
interactions listening very well helps
interactions listening very well helps us have a reverence for the power of
us have a reverence for the power of
us have a reverence for the power of each spoken word so that we choose and
each spoken word so that we choose and
each spoken word so that we choose and use each word very carefully almost as
use each word very carefully almost as
use each word very carefully almost as if each word were a physical object and
if each word were a physical object and
if each word were a physical object and this wise choice this wise usage shows
this wise choice this wise usage shows
this wise choice this wise usage shows us that freedom of speech is not freedom
us that freedom of speech is not freedom
us that freedom of speech is not freedom of incivility who better to teach us the
of incivility who better to teach us the
of incivility who better to teach us the power of the spoken word than the 30th
power of the spoken word than the 30th
power of the spoken word than the 30th President of the United States President
President of the United States President
President of the United States President Calvin Coolidge was also known as silent
Calvin Coolidge was also known as silent
Calvin Coolidge was also known as silent cow there is an anecdote that allegedly
cow there is an anecdote that allegedly
cow there is an anecdote that allegedly at a dinner party a woman turned to
at a dinner party a woman turned to
at a dinner party a woman turned to President Coolidge and said mr.
President Coolidge and said mr.
President Coolidge and said mr. president I made a bet with a friend
president I made a bet with a friend
president I made a bet with a friend this evening that I could make you say
this evening that I could make you say
this evening that I could make you say more than three words President Coolidge
more than three words President Coolidge
more than three words President Coolidge turned to the woman looked at her and
turned to the woman looked at her and
turned to the woman looked at her and said you lose
and he remained silent the rest of the
and he remained silent the rest of the evening that’s the important part
evening that’s the important part
evening that’s the important part having said that we must absolutely
having said that we must absolutely
having said that we must absolutely speak up and speak out we must speak up
speak up and speak out we must speak up
speak up and speak out we must speak up and speak out when we have something
and speak out when we have something
and speak out when we have something important to say we must speak up and
important to say we must speak up and
important to say we must speak up and speak out when we observe inequality
speak out when we observe inequality
speak out when we observe inequality injustice unfairness wrongdoing we must
injustice unfairness wrongdoing we must
injustice unfairness wrongdoing we must see an injustice committed against
see an injustice committed against
see an injustice committed against somebody else as an injustice committed
somebody else as an injustice committed
somebody else as an injustice committed against us and against humanity we all
against us and against humanity we all
against us and against humanity we all know the expression that evil requires
know the expression that evil requires
know the expression that evil requires good people like you and me to do
good people like you and me to do
good people like you and me to do nothing and say nothing and silence in
nothing and say nothing and silence in
nothing and say nothing and silence in one sense is violence
it might be difficult speaking out
it might be difficult speaking out speaking up but if we prioritize
speaking up but if we prioritize
speaking up but if we prioritize emotional comfort not at the cost of but
emotional comfort not at the cost of but
emotional comfort not at the cost of but over the truth then we hinder the
over the truth then we hinder the
over the truth then we hinder the process of education for everyone it
process of education for everyone it
process of education for everyone it might be difficult but other people are
might be difficult but other people are
might be difficult but other people are probably thinking the same thing that
probably thinking the same thing that
probably thinking the same thing that you are thinking so many of the
you are thinking so many of the
you are thinking so many of the revolutions of history that have given
revolutions of history that have given
revolutions of history that have given us the rights and freedoms and
us the rights and freedoms and
us the rights and freedoms and privileges and opportunities that each
privileges and opportunities that each
privileges and opportunities that each one of us today enjoys began and were
one of us today enjoys began and were
one of us today enjoys began and were made possible because somebody stood up
made possible because somebody stood up
made possible because somebody stood up stood out spoke up and spoke out it
stood out spoke up and spoke out it
stood out spoke up and spoke out it takes courage but it also develops
takes courage but it also develops
takes courage but it also develops courage and it develops leadership so
courage and it develops leadership so
courage and it develops leadership so that people want to be led by us so we
that people want to be led by us so we
that people want to be led by us so we must never forget and you must never
must never forget and you must never
must never forget and you must never forget the power of your inner
forget the power of your inner
forget the power of your inner revolutionary and never forget the power
revolutionary and never forget the power
revolutionary and never forget the power of one see yourself as a citizen of the
of one see yourself as a citizen of the
of one see yourself as a citizen of the world if you are ever feeling sad
world if you are ever feeling sad
world if you are ever feeling sad anxious depressed lonely overworked
anxious depressed lonely overworked
anxious depressed lonely overworked stressed sleepless afraid and we all do
stressed sleepless afraid and we all do
stressed sleepless afraid and we all do these are all very common make a list to
these are all very common make a list to
these are all very common make a list to yourself of the things for which you’re
yourself of the things for which you’re
yourself of the things for which you’re grateful and there’s something for which
grateful and there’s something for which
grateful and there’s something for which we can each be grateful the gift of life
we can each be grateful the gift of life
we can each be grateful the gift of life itself
itself
itself and after you make this list ask
and after you make this list ask
and after you make this list ask how would this list be different if I
how would this list be different if I
how would this list be different if I were based in North America South
were based in North America South
were based in North America South America Europe Africa Asia Australia
America Europe Africa Asia Australia
America Europe Africa Asia Australia because it would studies have
because it would studies have
because it would studies have demonstrated that this simple act of
demonstrated that this simple act of
demonstrated that this simple act of making this list increases our health
making this list increases our health
making this list increases our health our happiness and our overall well-being
adopt the practice that gives you quiet
adopt the practice that gives you quiet time with yourself a doctor practice
time with yourself a doctor practice
time with yourself a doctor practice that allows you to look within that
that allows you to look within that
that allows you to look within that allows you to introspect some people
allows you to introspect some people
allows you to introspect some people like to do yoga some people like to
like to do yoga some people like to
like to do yoga some people like to meditate some people like to read some
meditate some people like to read some
meditate some people like to read some people like to write some people like to
people like to write some people like to
people like to write some people like to walk some people like to run and a lot
walk some people like to run and a lot
walk some people like to run and a lot of people like to sleep but that doesn’t
of people like to sleep but that doesn’t
of people like to sleep but that doesn’t help adopt a practice that gives you the
help adopt a practice that gives you the
help adopt a practice that gives you the chance to become aware of your thoughts
chance to become aware of your thoughts
chance to become aware of your thoughts that makes you aware of the physical
that makes you aware of the physical
that makes you aware of the physical sensations of your body and what this
sensations of your body and what this
sensations of your body and what this will do is develop a stillness a
will do is develop a stillness a
will do is develop a stillness a calmness and a deep quiet confidence and
calmness and a deep quiet confidence and
calmness and a deep quiet confidence and a deep quiet trust in yourself so that
a deep quiet trust in yourself so that
a deep quiet trust in yourself so that you can fully engage with whatever life
you can fully engage with whatever life
you can fully engage with whatever life presents to you lastly
always ask how can I help other people
always ask how can I help other people what can I do to serve and then take
what can I do to serve and then take
what can I do to serve and then take that action moving from the me to the we
that action moving from the me to the we
that action moving from the me to the we increases our gratitude for life it
increases our gratitude for life it
increases our gratitude for life it shows us that each of our successes is
shows us that each of our successes is
shows us that each of our successes is always enabled by other people and by
always enabled by other people and by
always enabled by other people and by our communities so in turn we must build
our communities so in turn we must build
our communities so in turn we must build up other people build up our communities
up other people build up our communities
up other people build up our communities empathy can be powerful but empathy is
empathy can be powerful but empathy is
empathy can be powerful but empathy is not justice and guilt is not justice
not justice and guilt is not justice
not justice and guilt is not justice justice is justice the work is difficult
justice is justice the work is difficult
justice is justice the work is difficult but we must always absolutely believe in
but we must always absolutely believe in
but we must always absolutely believe in our capability capacity ability goodness
our capability capacity ability goodness
our capability capacity ability goodness and power to achieve it the Buddha said
and power to achieve it the Buddha said
and power to achieve it the Buddha said believe nothing I say unless you see it
believe nothing I say unless you see it
believe nothing I say unless you see it to be true in your own life Eleanor
to be true in your own life Eleanor
to be true in your own life Eleanor Roosevelt said that courage is more
Roosevelt said that courage is more
Roosevelt said that courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long
exhilarating than fear and in the long
exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier Gandhi taught us that
run it is easier Gandhi taught us that
run it is easier Gandhi taught us that for an entire nation to become free we
for an entire nation to become free we
for an entire nation to become free we as individuals must learn to free
as individuals must learn to free
as individuals must learn to free ourselves so that self rule self mastery
ourselves so that self rule self mastery
ourselves so that self rule self mastery self-awareness and self-respect become
self-awareness and self-respect become
self-awareness and self-respect become the engines that drive and produce the
the engines that drive and produce the
the engines that drive and produce the strength and freedom of the nation
strength and freedom of the nation
strength and freedom of the nation Aristotle Aristotle said that justice is
Aristotle Aristotle said that justice is
Aristotle Aristotle said that justice is the highest virtue so if you are
the highest virtue so if you are
the highest virtue so if you are compelled by the vision of becoming the
compelled by the vision of becoming the
compelled by the vision of becoming the most virtuous person that you can be if
most virtuous person that you can be if
most virtuous person that you can be if you are inspired to become the best
you are inspired to become the best
you are inspired to become the best person that you can be and if you are
person that you can be and if you are
person that you can be and if you are motivated to live the best life that you
motivated to live the best life that you
motivated to live the best life that you can live not for the sake of
can live not for the sake of
can live not for the sake of self-interest or the temptations of
self-interest or the temptations of
self-interest or the temptations of power and privilege but for the far more
power and privilege but for the far more
power and privilege but for the far more worthwhile lasting fulfilling goal of
worthwhile lasting fulfilling goal of
worthwhile lasting fulfilling goal of great society a just society a good
great society a just society a good
great society a just society a good society filled but love happiness peace
society filled but love happiness peace
society filled but love happiness peace acceptance opportunity and respect for
acceptance opportunity and respect for
acceptance opportunity and respect for everyone can I invite you I invite you
everyone can I invite you I invite you
everyone can I invite you I invite you to reflect upon these insights and start
to reflect upon these insights and start
to reflect upon these insights and start taking that action start putting into
taking that action start putting into
taking that action start putting into motion
motion
motion that transformation starting right here
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[Applause] you
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