Taylor Swift NYU Commencement Speech Urgues Gratitude

Taylor Swift may prove to be as wise as she is talented, and since she’s one of the great pop artists of this century, that is saying something. This week, she gave the graduating class of NYU a rousing, funny, thoughtful, and thematically perfect commencement speech in Yankee Stadium. The speech is notable not only for what Swift said, but for what she didn’t say.

The TL;DR: Everybody makes mistakes. Be grateful, especially to your parents. Be enthusiastic when others are nihilistic. Focus on being a better person, instead of trying to make the world wobble on its axis. Don’t blow up things that work.

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Kyle Smith

Kyle Smith is the film critic for the Wall Street Journal.

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Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift may prove to be as wise as she is talented, and since she’s one of the great pop artists of this century, that is saying something. This week, she gave the graduating class of NYU a rousing, funny, thoughtful, and thematically perfect commencement speech in Yankee Stadium. The speech is notable not only for what Swift said, but for what she didn’t say.

The TL;DR: Everybody makes mistakes. Be grateful, especially to your parents. Be enthusiastic when others are nihilistic. Focus on being a better person, instead of trying to make the world wobble on its axis. Don’t blow up things that work.