What’s missing from graduation speeches

Graduation season is upon us, and thus starts the annual ritual of the middle-aged and elderly offering advice to the young. "Go forth and change the world!" "You can do anything!" "You have freedoms and resources that previous generations only dreamed of, take advantage of them!" These sentiments are unobjectionable, if trite. But is it all they need to hear?

American culture celebrates successful individuals who pursue their dreams, and develop their talents, at all costs. We celebrate Steve Jobs transforming personal computing from an idea to a product and changing the world while accumulating incomprehensible wealth; Oprah Winfrey developing a multi-media empire; or athletic stars, like Michael Jordan, whose passion for the game is so strong it appears nothing can overcome it.