時間:06/17/2019
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【陌上美国】首发 转载请注明出处
编者按:苹果公司总裁提姆·库克应邀,成为斯坦福大学第128届毕业典礼的演讲嘉宾。他从时代面临的挑战和个人经历以及工作上的经验等方面出发,给毕业生们提出,保护隐私就是捍卫做人的自由;谦卑是无怨无悔服务他人不居功自傲;不要奢求万无一失,努力去做个扎实的建设者;不要把好心办坏事当成一种可以原谅的常态,去勇敢地努力付出并承担责任等建议。
早上好,2019级毕业生!
感谢Tessier-Lavigne校长的慷慨介绍。我会尽我所能做到名符其实。
在我开始之前,我要感谢所有为这次庆典努力的人,包括场地管理员、引导员、志愿者和其他工作人员。谢谢你们所有人。
我很荣幸,坦率地说能被邀请加入这个极有意义的典礼,有点受宠若惊。
毕业生们,这是属于你们的日子。但是你们不是独身一人来到这里。
是家人、朋友、教师、导师、亲人,尤其是你们的父母,他们共同努力,让你们获得在斯坦福深造的可能。今天他们分享你们的快乐。今天(16日)恰好是父亲节,让我们给爸爸们掌声!
斯坦福离我们(苹果公司)的中心很近,我到这里只有一英里半的路程。
当然,从我可能还没有完全丢掉的口音中(你们就能判断得出),在我的早年,斯坦福是个我只能从远处欣赏敬仰的地方。
我去了美国另一边的一所学校,奥本大学,位于内陆阿拉巴马州的中心地带。
你可能不知道,整整大学四年我还是帆船队成员。
那并不容易。那时候,去最近的码头都需要3个小时的车程。大多数时候我们不得不等待暴雨淹没足球场后,才能开始练习。每次训练都很难!谁知道这些呢?
然而不知怎的,我们每次都成功地击败了斯坦福校队。我们一定很幸运。(众笑)
开个玩笑而已。我知道自己能在这里的真正原因,但我不会把这一切当成理所当然。
斯坦福和硅谷根脉相连。我们是同一个生态系统的一部分。14年前,史蒂夫·乔布斯也站到这个讲台过。这是真的(指硅谷大公司的总裁再度被邀请来此地演讲),今天也是如此,而且,不出意外,未来还会再发生。
过去几十年让我们(斯坦福和硅谷)团结在一起。今天,我们聚集在一个需要反思的时刻。
在咖啡(因)和代码、乐观和理想主义、信念和创造力的推动下,几代斯坦福大学的毕业生(还包括退学的学生),利用高科技重塑着我们的社会。
但我想你会同意,最近,结果并不平坦或直截了当。
你们在斯坦福的四年里,外面的世界已经在经历急转弯。
危机冲淡了乐观情绪。后果挑战了理想主义。现实已经在动摇曾经坚定不移的信仰。
然而,我们仍然被吸引到这里。
因为有着充分的理由。
伟大的梦想在这里诞生,天才和激情使它们成真。在一个玩世不恭的时代,在斯坦福,人们仍然坚信人类解决问题的能力是无限的。
我们有创造和放飞梦想的潜力。
这就是我今天想谈的。因为我有什么值得分享的事,那就是,技术不会改变我们是谁,它会放大我们的本性,不管是往好走还是往坏走。
我们面临的问题 - 技术,政治,无论在哪里 - 都是人的问题。从伊甸园到今天,人性让我们陷入了混乱,同样,人性将让我们脱离这种困境。
如果你想捍卫善,就要对恶负责
首先,这是一个明显的事实。
硅谷是现代历史上一些最具革命性的发明的诞生地。
从惠普创始人Hewlett Packard在车库研发的第一个振荡器,到你们握在手中的iPhone。
社交媒体,可向超过地球上一半的人传播分享的视频、照片和故事,这些背后依托的技术(的创造推进),都可以追溯到斯坦福校园。
但最近看来,这个行业正因为承载了一项名声不太好的创造而闻名:认为不需要承担责任就可以获得结果的一种错误认识。
我们现在每天都面对着这些现象:数据泄露;隐私被侵犯;选择性失明带来的仇恨言论;假新闻毒化着全美的言论;让你出血的信口开河;太多人认为好心办了坏事是可以原谅的。
但无论你喜不喜欢,你建设和创造的(东西),定义了你是什么人。
让每个人都这样想,感觉上有点疯狂。但是,如果你建造了一个混乱的工厂,你就无法逃避对混乱的责任。承担责任意味着,有勇气去思考(并解决)问题。
基本没有什么比保护隐私更重要。
如果我们把生活中的一切都看成可以被黑客收集、出售甚至泄露的常态,那么我们失去的不仅仅是数据。
我们失去了做人的自由。
想想哪些是危险的。你写的一切,你说的一切,每一个好奇的主题,每一个无拘束的思想,每一次冲动的购买,每一个挫折或软弱的时刻,每一个懊恼或抱怨,每一个相信会被保密的秘密。
在一个没有数字隐私的世界里,即使你没有做任何错事,只是思考方式不同,你也开始了对自己的审查。一开始并不算审查。然而情况一点一点地改变。少冒险,减少一点希望、想象、创造、尝试,少说话,少思考。数字监控的效应是深远的,让人齿冷,但它触及一切。
这样下去,我们会终结在一个多么微小的,缺乏想象力的世界。一开始影响并不显著。只是一点,一点一滴。具有讽刺意味的是,这种环境恰好在硅谷诞生之前险些扼杀了它。
我们应该得到更好的。你们也理应获得更好的。
如果我们相信,孕育伟大思想需要不用担心被无理限制或承受负担的环境,这些也是自由的必要条件,那么我们有责任改变方向,因为你们这一代人应该有前人同样的自由来塑造未来。
毕业生至少要从这些经验中吸取教训。如果你们想拥有信誉,首先要学会承担责任。
做个建设者
现在,很多人 - 绝大多数 - 无法脱离科技领域。这是应该的。我们需要你们的思想和贡献,将工作带往更加纵深的方向。我们面临着巨大的时代性挑战,单靠任何单一行业的力量无法解决。
无论你们去哪里,做什么,我都知道,你们将充满雄心壮志。如果不是,你今天也不会在这里(拿到斯坦福的毕业文凭)。将这种抱负与谦逊匹配 - 谦逊才是最终的目的。
这并不意味着你所做的事变得更无趣,更渺小,更不值得。恰恰相反,它服务更大的目标。作家玛德琳·恩格尔(Madeleine L'Engle)写道:“谦逊是无怨无悔地服务于其他的人或事,不居功自傲的品格。”
换句话说,无论你如何选择生活,都要成为一名建设者。
这不是说你需要从零开始,构建那些丰碑性意义的东西。相反,那些最好的创始人 - 创作持续而且声誉经受时间考验的人 - 他们的大部分工作都是脚踏实地地建设。
建设者们相信,他们一生的工作高于个人的价值 - 比任何个人都有价值。他们会注意到,影响可以跨越几代人。那不是偶然的。在某种程度上,这才是重点。
几天后,我们将纪念石墙运动50周年。
当石墙旅馆的顾客出现在那个夜晚 - 不同种族,同性恋和变性人,无论年轻人还是老年人 - 他们都不知道历史为他们准备了什么。如果那样去想,(至少在当时看)是愚蠢的。
当警察把门打开时,没有人预计到这是机会或命运的召唤。这只是世界上发生的又一个例子,告诉他们应该有权利不同。
但聚集在那里的那个小群体有强烈的信念。坚信他们应该走出阴影,不被忽视。
如果这些等不来,那么他们不得不自己去奋斗获得。
当石墙运动发生时,我才8岁,远在千里之外。没有新闻提醒,没有让照片快速传播的办法,没有渠道让我这样一个身在海湾的孩子,听到这些平凡的英雄讲述他们的故事。
石墙事件发生的地方可以是格林威治村,也可以是其他随机的地方。不过我可以告诉你,在任何地方,诅咒和仇恨没有多少不同。
很长一段时间,我不知道,我欠了一群不知道的地方的陌生人的情(注:库克本人是公开的同性恋)。
然而,我永远对他们的开拓勇气感激不尽。
毕业生们,作一个建设者,并不是就指望参与地球上最伟大的事,因为你的动力不是来自于建造后无来者的事业。而是需要带着,你是承前启后,添砖加瓦的一名建设者的想法去参与。
你永远不会做好万无一失的准备
这带来我的最后一点建议。
十四年前,史蒂夫·乔布斯站在这个讲坛上,向你们的学长学姐们说:“人的时间有限,不要把它浪费在别人的生活中。”
我由此延伸一下:“你们的导师可能让你们有所准备,但他们不能保证你们一定能应对一切。”
在史蒂夫生病的时候,我依然坚定地认为他会康复。我不仅认为他会战胜病魔,还发自内心地坚信,他领导苹果公司的时间,会比我待在公司的时间还长。
然后,有一天,他打电话把我叫到他家里,告诉我一切都会变。
即便那一刻,我还确信他会留任董事长。他会减少一些工作,但总会在那里,发出他的声音。
但没有理由再那样想。即使我从来没有想过,但是(冰冷的)事实就在那里。
当他走了,彻底地走了,我才从心底深处学会了,有准备和一切就绪之间的天壤之别。
那是我一生中感到最孤独的时刻。(跟其他经历)完全不一个数量级。就是那种你被人包围,但你却无法真正看到、听到甚至感受到他们的时刻。唯独感觉到他们的强烈期待。
尘埃落定之后,我知道的就是,我必须成为最好的自己。
我知道,如果你每天早上醒来,需要按照其他人的期望或要求设置你的日程,这可以是一种让你崩溃的压力。
那么曾经的情况就是当下真实的现状。不要浪费你的时间,按别人的活法生活。不要试图效仿前人,迷失了初心,将自己扭曲成不适合的样子。
这需要太多的心理建设 - 应将努力放在创造和构建上。不要浪费宝贵的时间来重新思考你的每一个想法,同时,不要愚弄任何人。
毕业生们,事实是,你们的时代迟早要到来,这没什么值得怀疑的,你们也将永远无法提前做到万无一失。
但不必纠结。从未知中找到希望。在挑战中获得勇气。在艰难独行的道路上找到你的未来蓝图。
不要被分心。
有太多人想不负责就能不劳而获。
太多的人习惯于不付出就摘桃子。
你们要做到与众不同。 留下有价值的东西。
永远记住,你不能占有这些。你需要传递成果。
非常感谢你们。 并祝贺2019级毕业生们!
https://news.stanford.edu/2019/06/16/remarks-tim-cook-2019-stanford-commencement/
Good morning, Class of 2019!
Thank you, President Tessier-Lavigne, for that generous introduction. I’ll do my best to earn it.
Before I begin, I want to recognize everyone whose hard work made this celebration possible, including the groundskeepers, ushers, volunteers and crew. Thank you.
I’m honored and frankly a little astonished to be invited to join you for this most meaningful of occasions.
Graduates, this is your day. But you didn’t get here alone.
Family and friends, teachers, mentors, loved ones, and, of course, your parents, all worked together to make you possible and they share your joy today. Here on Father’s Day, let’s give the dads in particular a round of applause.
Stanford is near to my heart, not least because I live just a mile and a half from here.
Of course, if my accent hasn’t given it away, for the first part of my life I had to admire this place from a distance.
I went to school on the other side of the country, at Auburn University, in the heart of landlocked Eastern Alabama.
You may not know this, but I was on the sailing team all four years.
It wasn’t easy. Back then, the closest marina was a three-hour drive away. For practice, most of the time we had to wait for a heavy rainstorm to flood the football field. And tying knots is hard! Who knew?
Yet somehow, against all odds, we managed to beat Stanford every time. We must have gotten lucky with the wind.
Kidding aside, I know the real reason I’m here, and I don’t take it lightly.
Stanford and Silicon Valley’s roots are woven together. We’re part of the same ecosystem. It was true when Steve stood on this stage 14 years ago, it’s true today, and, presumably, it’ll be true for a while longer still.
The past few decades have lifted us together. But today we gather at a moment that demands some reflection.
Fueled by caffeine and code, optimism and idealism, conviction and creativity, generations of Stanford graduates (and dropouts) have used technology to remake our society.
But I think you would agree that, lately, the results haven’t been neat or straightforward.
In just the four years that you’ve been here at the Farm, things feel like they have taken a sharp turn.
Crisis has tempered optimism. Consequences have challenged idealism. And reality has shaken blind faith.
And yet we are all still drawn here.
For good reason.
Big dreams live here, as do the genius and passion to make them real. In an age of cynicism, this place still believes that the human capacity to solve problems is boundless.
But so, it seems, is our potential to create them.
That’s what I’m interested in talking about today. Because if I’ve learned one thing, it’s that technology doesn’t change who we are, it magnifies who we are, the good and the bad.
Our problems – in technology, in politics, wherever – are human problems. From the Garden of Eden to today, it’s our humanity that got us into this mess, and it’s our humanity that’s going to have to get us out.
If you want credit for the good, take responsibility for the bad
First things first, here’s a plain fact.
Silicon Valley is responsible for some of the most revolutionary inventions in modern history.
From the first oscillator built in the Hewlett-Packard garage to the iPhones that I know you’re holding in your hands.
Social media, shareable video, snaps and stories that connect half the people on Earth. They all trace their roots to Stanford’s backyard.
But lately, it seems, this industry is becoming better known for a less noble innovation: the belief that you can claim credit without accepting responsibility.
We see it every day now, with every data breach, every privacy violation, every blind eye turned to hate speech. Fake news poisoning our national conversation. The false promise of miracles in exchange for a single drop of your blood. Too many seem to think that good intentions excuse away harmful outcomes.
But whether you like it or not, what you build and what you create define who you are.
It feels a bit crazy that anyone should have to say this. But if you’ve built a chaos factory, you can’t dodge responsibility for the chaos. Taking responsibility means having the courage to think things through.
And there are few areas where this is more important than privacy.
If we accept as normal and unavoidable that everything in our lives can be aggregated, sold, or even leaked in the event of a hack, then we lose so much more than data.
We lose the freedom to be human.
Think about what’s at stake. Everything you write, everything you say, every topic of curiosity, every stray thought, every impulsive purchase, every moment of frustration or weakness, every gripe or complaint, every secret shared in confidence.
In a world without digital privacy, even if you have done nothing wrong other than think differently, you begin to censor yourself. Not entirely at first. Just a little, bit by bit. To risk less, to hope less, to imagine less, to dare less, to create less, to try less, to talk less, to think less. The chilling effect of digital surveillance is profound, and it touches everything.
What a small, unimaginative world we would end up with. Not entirely at first. Just a little, bit by bit. Ironically, it’s the kind of environment that would have stopped Silicon Valley before it had even gotten started.
We deserve better. You deserve better.
If we believe that freedom means an environment where great ideas can take root, where they can grow and be nurtured without fear of irrational restrictions or burdens, then it’s our duty to change course, because your generation ought to have the same freedom to shape the future as the generation that came before.
Graduates, at the very least, learn from these mistakes. If you want to take credit, first learn to take responsibility.
Be a builder
Now, a lot of you – the vast majority – won’t find yourselves in tech at all. That’s as it should be. We need your minds at work far and wide, because our challenges are great, and they can’t be solved by any single industry.
No matter where you go, no matter what you do, I know you will be ambitious. You wouldn’t be here today if you weren’t. Match that ambition with humility – a humility of purpose.
That doesn’t mean being tamer, being smaller, being less in what you do. It’s the opposite, it’s about serving something greater. The author Madeleine L’Engle wrote, “Humility is throwing oneself away in complete concentration on something or someone else.”
In other words, whatever you do with your life, be a builder.
You don’t have to start from scratch to build something monumental. And, conversely, the best founders – the ones whose creations last and whose reputations grow rather than shrink with passing time – they spend most of their time building, piece by piece.
Builders are comfortable in the belief that their life’s work will one day be bigger than them – bigger than any one person. They’re mindful that its effects will span generations. That’s not an accident. In a way, it’s the whole point.
In a few days we will mark the 50th anniversary of the riots at Stonewall.
When the patrons of the Stonewall Inn showed up that night – people of all races, gay and transgender, young and old – they had no idea what history had in store for them. It would have seemed foolish to dream it.
When the door was busted open by police, it was not the knock of opportunity or the call of destiny. It was just another instance of the world telling them that they ought to feel worthless for being different.
But the group gathered there felt something strengthen in them. A conviction that they deserved something better than the shadows, and better than oblivion.
And if it wasn’t going to be given, then they were going to have to build it themselves.
I was 8 years old and a thousand miles away when Stonewall happened. There were no news alerts, no way for photos to go viral, no mechanism for a kid on the Gulf Coast to hear these unlikely heroes tell their stories.
Greenwich Village may as well have been a different planet, though I can tell you that the slurs and hatreds were the same.
What I would not know, for a long time, was what I owed to a group of people I never knew in a place I’d never been.
Yet I will never stop being grateful for what they had the courage to build.
Graduates, being a builder is about believing that you cannot possibly be the greatest cause on this Earth, because you aren’t built to last. It’s about making peace with the fact that you won’t be there for the end of the story.
You won’t be ready
That brings me to my last bit of advice.
Fourteen years ago, Steve stood on this stage and told your predecessors: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
Here’s my corollary: “Your mentors may leave you prepared, but they can’t leave you ready.”
When Steve got sick, I had hardwired my thinking to the belief that he would get better. I not only thought he would hold on, I was convinced, down to my core, that he’d still be guiding Apple long after I, myself, was gone.
Then, one day, he called me over to his house and told me that it wasn’t going to be that way.
Even then, I was convinced he would stay on as chairman. That he’d step back from the day to day but always be there as a sounding board.
But there was no reason to believe that. I never should have thought it. The facts were all there.
And when he was gone, truly gone, I learned the real, visceral difference between preparation and readiness.
It was the loneliest I’ve ever felt in my life. By an order of magnitude. It was one of those moments where you can be surrounded by people, yet you don’t really see, hear or even feel them. But I could sense their expectations.
When the dust settled, all I knew was that I was going to have to be the best version of myself that I could be.
I knew that if you got out of bed every morning and set your watch by what other people expect or demand, it’ll drive you crazy.
So what was true then is true now. Don’t waste your time living someone else’s life. Don’t try to emulate the people who came before you to the exclusion of everything else, contorting into a shape that doesn’t fit.
It takes too much mental effort – effort that should be dedicated to creating and building. You’ll waste precious time trying to rewire your every thought, and, in the mean time, you won’t be fooling anybody.
Graduates, the fact is, when your time comes, and it will, you’ll never be ready.
But you’re not supposed to be. Find the hope in the unexpected. Find the courage in the challenge. Find your vision on the solitary road.
Don’t get distracted.
There are too many people who want credit without responsibility.
Too many who show up for the ribbon cutting without building anything worth a damn.
Be different. Leave something worthy.
And always remember that you can’t take it with you. You’re going to have to pass it on.
Thank you very much. And Congratulations to the Class of 2019!