[Applause] why do we learn
why do we learn
why do we learn people like to talk about learning for
people like to talk about learning for
people like to talk about learning for the sake of learning like how maybe
the sake of learning like how maybe
the sake of learning like how maybe taking philosophy is just an exploration
taking philosophy is just an exploration
taking philosophy is just an exploration into the human mind but I believe that
into the human mind but I believe that
into the human mind but I believe that there’s always a reason behind the
there’s always a reason behind the
there’s always a reason behind the things we learn if you look at
things we learn if you look at
things we learn if you look at philosophy we’re trying to look into the
philosophy we’re trying to look into the
philosophy we’re trying to look into the secrets of humans we’re trying to think
secrets of humans we’re trying to think
secrets of humans we’re trying to think about how we work when we look at
about how we work when we look at
about how we work when we look at history we’re trying to see how events
history we’re trying to see how events
history we’re trying to see how events come together the reasons are usually
come together the reasons are usually
come together the reasons are usually pretty obvious like I learned to ride a
pretty obvious like I learned to ride a
pretty obvious like I learned to ride a bike so I can get places quicker I do a
bike so I can get places quicker I do a
bike so I can get places quicker I do a sport so that I can exercise I meet new
sport so that I can exercise I meet new
sport so that I can exercise I meet new friends
friends
friends other times the reasons behind what we
other times the reasons behind what we
other times the reasons behind what we learned might be a little less obvious
learned might be a little less obvious
learned might be a little less obvious for example a few years ago I learned
for example a few years ago I learned
for example a few years ago I learned that the first 60 digits of pi are
that the first 60 digits of pi are
that the first 60 digits of pi are 3.14159265 three five eight nine so nine
3.14159265 three five eight nine so nine
3.14159265 three five eight nine so nine three two three four six two six four
three two three four six two six four
three two three four six two six four three three eight three two seven five
three three eight three two seven five
three three eight three two seven five zero to 84 one nine seven one six nine
zero to 84 one nine seven one six nine
zero to 84 one nine seven one six nine three nine nine three seven five one
three nine nine three seven five one
three nine nine three seven five one zero five eight two zero nine seven four
zero five eight two zero nine seven four
zero five eight two zero nine seven four nine four four five nine two three and
nine four four five nine two three and
nine four four five nine two three and you can verify this in the video later
you can verify this in the video later
you can verify this in the video later it looks like I just learned that for
it looks like I just learned that for
it looks like I just learned that for absolutely no reason maybe just for this
absolutely no reason maybe just for this
absolutely no reason maybe just for this speech itself I’ve only used this trick
speech itself I’ve only used this trick
speech itself I’ve only used this trick a couple of times but at its core it’s
a couple of times but at its core it’s
a couple of times but at its core it’s just a party trick I learned it because
and it’s maybe not a very good party
and it’s maybe not a very good party trick because there’s no way to verify
trick because there’s no way to verify
trick because there’s no way to verify it instantly and I spent like hours but
it instantly and I spent like hours but
it instantly and I spent like hours but it is a party trick nonetheless my point
it is a party trick nonetheless my point
it is a party trick nonetheless my point is that and literally all we do there is
is that and literally all we do there is
is that and literally all we do there is a purpose and it’s up to us to figure
a purpose and it’s up to us to figure
a purpose and it’s up to us to figure out what meaning you want to assign
out what meaning you want to assign
out what meaning you want to assign things let’s look at school we spend 30
things let’s look at school we spend 30
things let’s look at school we spend 30 hours a week for 18 15 years of our life
hours a week for 18 15 years of our life
hours a week for 18 15 years of our life learning important stuff in a building
learning important stuff in a building
learning important stuff in a building and this stuff is so important that it’s
and this stuff is so important that it’s
and this stuff is so important that it’s actually illegal to not go to school in
actually illegal to not go to school in
actually illegal to not go to school in Canada you have to have a high school
Canada you have to have a high school
Canada you have to have a high school education
education
education so obviously it’s important but how so
so obviously it’s important but how so
so obviously it’s important but how so at its surface school might not seem
at its surface school might not seem
at its surface school might not seem like much you go to math the quadratic
like much you go to math the quadratic
like much you go to math the quadratic equation calculus it doesn’t seem like
equation calculus it doesn’t seem like
equation calculus it doesn’t seem like I’ll be using this very much in my daily
I’ll be using this very much in my daily
I’ll be using this very much in my daily life but when you dig deeper you realize
life but when you dig deeper you realize
life but when you dig deeper you realize that math actually teaches some
that math actually teaches some
that math actually teaches some important life skills it teaches you to
important life skills it teaches you to
important life skills it teaches you to pay attention to detail if you make one
pay attention to detail if you make one
pay attention to detail if you make one mistake in math homework I do this a lot
mistake in math homework I do this a lot
mistake in math homework I do this a lot forgot my negatives for about the
forgot my negatives for about the
forgot my negatives for about the decimal for about the plus C well then
decimal for about the plus C well then
decimal for about the plus C well then you screwed up your entire answer but at
you screwed up your entire answer but at
you screwed up your entire answer but at least you’re messing up on your homework
least you’re messing up on your homework
least you’re messing up on your homework and not on your important paperwork or
and not on your important paperwork or
and not on your important paperwork or your tax documents once I realized that
your tax documents once I realized that
your tax documents once I realized that math was actually teaching important
math was actually teaching important
math was actually teaching important life skills and preparing me for the
life skills and preparing me for the
life skills and preparing me for the future it changed my entire perspective
future it changed my entire perspective
future it changed my entire perspective money it was still pretty painful and
money it was still pretty painful and
money it was still pretty painful and yeah Matt wasn’t super fun with your
yeah Matt wasn’t super fun with your
yeah Matt wasn’t super fun with your numbers but now I knew that I wasn’t
numbers but now I knew that I wasn’t
numbers but now I knew that I wasn’t really wasting my time learning all
really wasting my time learning all
really wasting my time learning all these concepts I was still learning the
these concepts I was still learning the
these concepts I was still learning the same thing I was having the same
same thing I was having the same
same thing I was having the same teachers the same curriculum but by
teachers the same curriculum but by
teachers the same curriculum but by looking at the bigger picture there was
looking at the bigger picture there was
looking at the bigger picture there was more meaning to my learning of math
more meaning to my learning of math
more meaning to my learning of math so we can see that school does prepare
so we can see that school does prepare
so we can see that school does prepare you for life and that’s really the big
you for life and that’s really the big
you for life and that’s really the big motivating factor behind why we go to
motivating factor behind why we go to
motivating factor behind why we go to school yet for many high schoolers I
school yet for many high schoolers I
school yet for many high schoolers I know in this room and around the world
know in this room and around the world
know in this room and around the world school does not prep you for life high
school does not prep you for life high
school does not prep you for life high school prepares you for university we’ve
school prepares you for university we’ve
school prepares you for university we’ve all heard the comment about if you go to
all heard the comment about if you go to
all heard the comment about if you go to high school the university then you get
high school the university then you get
high school the university then you get a high paying job and you’re set for
a high paying job and you’re set for
a high paying job and you’re set for life you have a nice house I’ll get a
life you have a nice house I’ll get a
life you have a nice house I’ll get a family and you settle down but two
family and you settle down but two
family and you settle down but two months ago I was talking to my mom about
months ago I was talking to my mom about
months ago I was talking to my mom about school and I like to be a little
school and I like to be a little
school and I like to be a little rebellious I suppose because he went to
rebellious I suppose because he went to
rebellious I suppose because he went to the topic of university and I told her
the topic of university and I told her
the topic of university and I told her no I will never do anything just for
no I will never do anything just for
no I will never do anything just for university I wanted to get away from the
university I wanted to get away from the
university I wanted to get away from the whole image of school prepares me for
whole image of school prepares me for
whole image of school prepares me for university no I wanted to be school
university no I wanted to be school
university no I wanted to be school prepares me for life I do things from
prepares me for life I do things from
prepares me for life I do things from more than just entering another school
more than just entering another school
more than just entering another school now ironically two months before that I
now ironically two months before that I
now ironically two months before that I had been preparing for the SAT a test
had been preparing for the SAT a test
had been preparing for the SAT a test designed specifically for school and I
designed specifically for school and I
designed specifically for school and I was an IB and I led clubs and I didn’t
was an IB and I led clubs and I didn’t
was an IB and I led clubs and I didn’t use it and I did a bunch of
use it and I did a bunch of
use it and I did a bunch of extracurriculars every day I had a
extracurriculars every day I had a
extracurriculars every day I had a meeting at lunch I’d seemed like I was
meeting at lunch I’d seemed like I was
meeting at lunch I’d seemed like I was on perfect half the university I was a
on perfect half the university I was a
on perfect half the university I was a stereotypical student working hard just
stereotypical student working hard just
stereotypical student working hard just for things on my resume and it got a
for things on my resume and it got a
for things on my resume and it got a little unhealthy because this goal of
little unhealthy because this goal of
little unhealthy because this goal of university became my life each low grade
university became my life each low grade
university became my life each low grade I got became a personal failure against
I got became a personal failure against
I got became a personal failure against my journey and I began asking myself for
my journey and I began asking myself for
my journey and I began asking myself for every activity I did will this mean
every activity I did will this mean
every activity I did will this mean increasing my chance to go to university
increasing my chance to go to university
increasing my chance to go to university for the hours put in will this make my
for the hours put in will this make my
for the hours put in will this make my resume look better for example I was
resume look better for example I was
resume look better for example I was looking at entering a sport I examined
looking at entering a sport I examined
looking at entering a sport I examined how many hours it would take I examine
how many hours it would take I examine
how many hours it would take I examine the length of the season because
the length of the season because
the length of the season because University is long you know well-rounded
University is long you know well-rounded
University is long you know well-rounded people they want you you want you to
people they want you you want you to
people they want you you want you to they want to look like you’ve done a lot
they want to look like you’ve done a lot
they want to look like you’ve done a lot of stuff
of stuff
of stuff so the biggest thing though was my
so the biggest thing though was my
so the biggest thing though was my chance to become a captain of the club
chance to become a captain of the club
chance to become a captain of the club because I was a captain and I’d be set
because I was a captain and I’d be set
because I was a captain and I’d be set away let’s think about this there are a
away let’s think about this there are a
away let’s think about this there are a lot of people in the world leaders world
lot of people in the world leaders world
lot of people in the world leaders world leaders king presidents dictators who
leaders king presidents dictators who
leaders king presidents dictators who are actually incredibly incompetent and
are actually incredibly incompetent and
are actually incredibly incompetent and all they care about is the title the big
all they care about is the title the big
all they care about is the title the big tiles in the name I was being like those
tiles in the name I was being like those
tiles in the name I was being like those people I had never played this sport
people I had never played this sport
people I had never played this sport before but I still want it to be the
before but I still want it to be the
before but I still want it to be the captain because then I could write it
captain because then I could write it
captain because then I could write it down and it’d be really nice and you see
down and it’d be really nice and you see
down and it’d be really nice and you see the parallels between how I felt and the
the parallels between how I felt and the
the parallels between how I felt and the world we’ve created today and I’ve got a
world we’ve created today and I’ve got a
world we’ve created today and I’ve got a quote from a confessions page of a high
quote from a confessions page of a high
quote from a confessions page of a high school around here
school around here
school around here d BHS is so corrupt all of club leaders
d BHS is so corrupt all of club leaders
d BHS is so corrupt all of club leaders are only there for university
are only there for university
are only there for university applications people that actually want
applications people that actually want
applications people that actually want to make a difference can’t join because
to make a difference can’t join because
to make a difference can’t join because they aren’t popular enough sound a
they aren’t popular enough sound a
they aren’t popular enough sound a little familiar it sounds almost like
little familiar it sounds almost like
little familiar it sounds almost like our world it sounds like this dry free
our world it sounds like this dry free
our world it sounds like this dry free University is is creating a culture of
University is is creating a culture of
University is is creating a culture of positions of big names of vice
positions of big names of vice
positions of big names of vice presidents and co-presidents and co-vice
presidents and co-presidents and co-vice
presidents and co-presidents and co-vice presidents your name and what happens if
presidents your name and what happens if
presidents your name and what happens if life becomes an investment you’re
life becomes an investment you’re
life becomes an investment you’re constantly trying to optimize trying to
constantly trying to optimize trying to
constantly trying to optimize trying to figure out yeah how can I improve my
figure out yeah how can I improve my
figure out yeah how can I improve my chances to go to university and and
chances to go to university and and
chances to go to university and and there are many people like me but
there are many people like me but
there are many people like me but there’s a real for it competition does
there’s a real for it competition does
there’s a real for it competition does create progress it’s the basis of many
create progress it’s the basis of many
create progress it’s the basis of many economies around the world only through
economies around the world only through
economies around the world only through strife will we be able to move forward
strife will we be able to move forward
strife will we be able to move forward in society and colleges do want to see
in society and colleges do want to see
in society and colleges do want to see that you know you’ve stretched yourself
that you know you’ve stretched yourself
that you know you’ve stretched yourself to your max limits that you try the
to your max limits that you try the
to your max limits that you try the hardest you can’t
hardest you can’t
hardest you can’t yeah when you look at the top schools in
yeah when you look at the top schools in
yeah when you look at the top schools in the world you see that this competition
the world you see that this competition
the world you see that this competition comes with a very heavy price Palo Alto
comes with a very heavy price Palo Alto
comes with a very heavy price Palo Alto High School located a mile away from
High School located a mile away from
High School located a mile away from Stanford is one of the top schools in
Stanford is one of the top schools in
Stanford is one of the top schools in the United States they send around 20
the United States they send around 20
the United States they send around 20 people aware to Stanford every year yeah
people aware to Stanford every year yeah
people aware to Stanford every year yeah even the best and brightest in the
even the best and brightest in the
even the best and brightest in the nation get depressed by this urge for
nation get depressed by this urge for
nation get depressed by this urge for university because their youth suicide
university because their youth suicide
university because their youth suicide rate is four times higher than the u.s.
rate is four times higher than the u.s.
rate is four times higher than the u.s. national average
national average
national average I see the peers around me I see myself
I see the peers around me I see myself
I see the peers around me I see myself getting sucked into a culture of
getting sucked into a culture of
getting sucked into a culture of competitive insanity where each Club you
competitive insanity where each Club you
competitive insanity where each Club you join is just a bullet point on the
join is just a bullet point on the
join is just a bullet point on the resume where each of course you do
resume where each of course you do
resume where each of course you do is just another GPA booster I’m a little
is just another GPA booster I’m a little
is just another GPA booster I’m a little scared because although I escaped the
scared because although I escaped the
scared because although I escaped the tunnel vision of university there are
tunnel vision of university there are
tunnel vision of university there are still many who exist who blindly push on
still many who exist who blindly push on
still many who exist who blindly push on slowly for maybe non-university but for
slowly for maybe non-university but for
slowly for maybe non-university but for their job with no other intent but to be
their job with no other intent but to be
their job with no other intent but to be successful in life it’s forcing a
successful in life it’s forcing a
successful in life it’s forcing a question myself
question myself
question myself is there more to me than University am I
is there more to me than University am I
is there more to me than University am I just a one-dimensional academic trihard
just a one-dimensional academic trihard
just a one-dimensional academic trihard all I care about are my grades and I
all I care about are my grades and I
all I care about are my grades and I come to the conclusion that the things I
come to the conclusion that the things I
come to the conclusion that the things I do cannot be only for school
now I’m gonna go to biology class it’s
now I’m gonna go to biology class it’s no longer a course to where I can skip a
no longer a course to where I can skip a
no longer a course to where I can skip a semester of biology which is what I be
semester of biology which is what I be
semester of biology which is what I be biology advertises no it’s not a course
biology advertises no it’s not a course
biology advertises no it’s not a course to get ahead I’m actually fascinated by
to get ahead I’m actually fascinated by
to get ahead I’m actually fascinated by the way the organs interact in my body
the way the organs interact in my body
the way the organs interact in my body when I volunteer it’s no longer about
when I volunteer it’s no longer about
when I volunteer it’s no longer about the hours about hitting the 90 or the
the hours about hitting the 90 or the
the hours about hitting the 90 or the hundred hours level for a service award
hundred hours level for a service award
hundred hours level for a service award no it’s just good to know that I’m
no it’s just good to know that I’m
no it’s just good to know that I’m making a difference in the community
making a difference in the community
making a difference in the community these activities are the same of course
these activities are the same of course
these activities are the same of course I’m still doing them for university but
I’m still doing them for university but
I’m still doing them for university but by adding a second layer to it I’ve made
by adding a second layer to it I’ve made
by adding a second layer to it I’ve made it so much more enjoyable so I urge you
it so much more enjoyable so I urge you
it so much more enjoyable so I urge you everyone here in this room to ask
everyone here in this room to ask
everyone here in this room to ask yourself why why am i doing these things
yourself why why am i doing these things
yourself why why am i doing these things and to go out there and learn new things
and to go out there and learn new things
and to go out there and learn new things become genuinely interested in the
become genuinely interested in the
become genuinely interested in the things you do please don’t become the
things you do please don’t become the
things you do please don’t become the stereotypical student who only does
stereotypical student who only does
stereotypical student who only does things for university look for a way to
things for university look for a way to
things for university look for a way to grow many adults have hobbies and they
grow many adults have hobbies and they
grow many adults have hobbies and they use these hobbies as a way to express
use these hobbies as a way to express
use these hobbies as a way to express other quests of their life that they
other quests of their life that they
other quests of their life that they can’t do in their work but as teenagers
can’t do in their work but as teenagers
can’t do in their work but as teenagers I don’t really see that I’m seeing us
I don’t really see that I’m seeing us
I don’t really see that I’m seeing us all get sucked in doing these things
all get sucked in doing these things
all get sucked in doing these things that we don’t like solely to go to
that we don’t like solely to go to
that we don’t like solely to go to university so why can’t we do stuff for
university so why can’t we do stuff for
university so why can’t we do stuff for fun learn to double or or do card tricks
fun learn to double or or do card tricks
fun learn to double or or do card tricks or or you could learn 60 digits of pi
or or you could learn 60 digits of pi
or or you could learn 60 digits of pi because you never know when I might come
because you never know when I might come
because you never know when I might come in handy and I see something
”
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