娜塔莉波特曼哈佛毕业演讲稿

娜塔莉波特曼哈佛毕业稿Hello,classof20xx.Iamsohonoredtobeheretoday.DeanKhurana,faculty,parents,andmostespeciallygraduatingstudents.ThankyousomuchforinvitingmeTheSeniorClassCommittee.It’sgenuinelyoneofthemostexcitingthingsI’veeverbeenaskedtodo.IhavetoadmitprimarilybecauseIcan’tdenyitasitwasleakedintheWikiLeaksreleaseofSonyhackthatwhenIwasinvitedIrepliedandIdirectlyquotemyownemailWow!Thisissonice!I’mgonnaneedsomefunnyghostwriters.Anyideas?ThisinitialresponsenowblessedlypublicwaspublicwasfromtheknowledgethatatmyclassdaywewereluckyenoughtohaveWillFerrelasclassdayspeakerandthatmanyofuswerehung-over,oreverfreshlyhighmainlywantedtolaugh.SoIhavetoadmitthattoday,even12yearsaftergraduationI’mstillinsecureaboutmyownworthiness.Ihavetoremindmyselftodayyou’rehereforareason.TodayIfeelmuchlikeIdidwhenIcametoHarvardYardasafreshmanin1999whenyouguyswere,tomycontinuedshockandhorror,stillinkindergarten.Ifeltliketherehadbeensomemistake,thatIwasn’tsmartenoughtobeinthispany,andthateverytimeIopenedmymouthIwouldhavetoprovethatIwasn’tjustadumbactress.SoIstartwithanapology.Thiswon’tbeveryfunny.Iamnotaedian.AndIdidn’tgetaghostwriter.ButIamheretotellyoutodayHarvardisgivingyoualldiplomastomorrow.Youarehereforareason.Sometimesyourinsecuritiesandyourinexperiencemayleadyou,too,toembraceotherpeople’sexpectation,standard,orvalues.Butyoucanharnessthatinexperiencetocarveoutyourownpath,onethatisfreeoftheburdenofknowinghowthingsaresupposedtobeapaththatisdefinedbyitsownparticularsetofreasons.TheotherdayIwenttoanamusementparkwithmysoon-to–be4-year-oldson.AndIwatchedhimplayarcadegames.Hewasincrediblyfocused,throwinghisballatthetarget.JewishmotherthatIam,Iskipped20stepsandwasalreadyimagininghimasamajorleagueplayerwithwhatishisaimandhisarmandhisconcentration.ButthenIrealizedwhathewant.Hewasplayingtotradeinhisticketsforthecrappyplastictoys.Theprizewasmuchmoreexcitingthatthegametogetit.Iofcoursewantedtourgehimtotakejoyandthechallengeofthegame,theimprovementuponpractice,thesatisfactionofdoingsomethingwell,andevenfellingtheaomplishmentwhenachievingthegame’sgoal.Butalloftheseaspectswereshadedbythelittle10centplasticmenwithstickystretchybluearmsthatadheretothewalls.Thati-thatwastheprize.Inachild’snature,weseemanyofourowninnatetendencies.Isawmyselfinhimandperhapsyoudotoo.Prizesserveasfalseidolseverywhere.Prestige，wealth,fame,power.You’llbeexposedtomanyofcourseofthere,ifnotall.Ofcourse,PartofwhyIwasinvitedtoetospeaktodaybeyondmybeingaproudalumnaisthatI’verecruitedsomeverycovetedtoysinmylifeincludinganotsoplastic,notsocrappyone:anOscar.SowehumpupagainstthemontrollIthinkofthemencementaddresspeoplewhohaveachievedalottellingyouthatthefruitsoftheachievementarenotalwaystobetrusted.ButIthinkthatcontradictioncanbereconciledandisinfactinstructive.Achievementiswonderfulwhenyouknowwhyyou’redoingit.Andwhenyoudon’tknow,itcanbeaterribletrap.IwenttoapublichighschoolonLongIsland,SyossetHighSchool.Ooh,helloSyosset!ThegirlIwenttoschoolwithhadPradaBagsandFlat-ironedhair.AndtheyspokewithanaentIwhohadmovedthereatage9fromConnecticutminmickedtofitin.FloridaOranges,Chocolatecherries.SinceI’mancientandtheInterwasjuststartingwhenIwasinhighschool.Peopledidn’treallypaythatmuchofattentiontothefactthatIwasanactress.IwasknownmainlyatschoolforhavingabackpackbiggerthanIwasandalwayshavingwhite-outonmyhandsbecauseIhatedseeinganythingcrossedoutinmynotebooks.IwasvotedformysenioryearbookImostlikelytobeacontestantonJeopardyforcodefornerdiest.WhenIgottoHarvardjustafterthereleaseofStarWars:Episode1,IknewIwouldbestartingoverintermsofhowpeopleviewedmeIfearedpeoplewouldhaveassumedI’dgotteninjustforbeingfamous,andthattheywouldthinksthatIwasnotworthyoftheintellectualrigorhere.Anditwouldnothavebeenfarfromthetruth,WhenIcamehereIhadneverwrittena10-pagepaperbefore.I’mnotsureI’vewrittena5-pagepaper.IwasalarmedandintimidatedbythecalmeyesofafellowstudentwhocameherefromDaltonorExeterwhothoughtthatcaperedtohighschooltheworkloadherewaseasy.Iwaspletelyoverwhelm,andthoughtthatreading1,000pagesaweekwasunimaginable,thatwritinga50-pagethesisisjustsomethingIcouldneverdo.Ihavenoideatodeclaremyintentions.Icouldn’tevenarticulatethemtomyself.I’vebeenactingsinceIwas11.ButIthoughtactingwastoofrivolousandcertainlynotmeaningful.Icamefromafamilyofacademicsandveryconcernedofbeingtakenseriously.Incontrasttomyinabilitytodeclaremyself,onmyfirstdayoforientationfreshmanyear,fiveseparatestudentsintroducedthemselvestomebysaying,I’mgoingtobepresident.RememberItoldyouthat.Theirnames,fortherecord,wereBernieSanders,MarcoRubio,TedCruz,BarackObama,andHilaryClinton.Inallseriousness,Ibelievedeveryoneofthem.Theirbearingandself-confidencealoneseemedproofoftheirprophecywhereIcouldn’tshakemyself-doubt.IgotinonlybecauseIwasfamous.ThiswashowotherssawmeanditwashowIsawmyself.Drivenbytheseinsecurities,IdecidedIwasgoingtofindsomethingtodoinHarvardthatwasseriousandmeaningfulthatwouldchangetheworldandmakeitabetterplace.Attheageof18,I’dalreadybeenactingfor7years.AndassumedIfindaseriousandprofoundpathincollege.SofreshmanfallIdecidedtotakeneurobiologyandadvancedModernHebrewliteraturebecauseIwasseriousandintellectual.Needlesstosay,Ishouldhavefailedboth.IgotBs,foryourinformation,andtothisday,everySundayIburnasmalleffigytothepaganGodsofgradeinflation.ButasIfightingmythroughAlephBetYodY’shuainHebrewandthedifferentmechanismsofneuro-response,Isawfriendsaroundmewritingpapersonsailingandtopculturemagazines,andprofessorsteachingclassesonfairytalesandTheMatrix.Irealizedthatseriousnessforseriousness’ssakewasitsownkindoftrophy,andadubiousone,aposeIsoughttocountersomehalf-imaginedargumentaboutwhoIwas.TherewasareasonthatIwasanactor.IlovewhatIdo.AndIsawfrommypeersandmymentorsthatitwasnotonlyanaeptablereason,itwasthebestreason.WhenIgottomygraduation,sittingwhereyousittoday,after4yearsoftryingtogetexcitedaboutsomethingelse,IadmittedtomyselfthatIcouldn’twaittogobackandmakemorefilms.Iwantedtotellstories,toimaginethelifeofothersandhelptheothersdothesame.Ihavefoundorperhapsreclaimedmyreason.Youhaveaprizenow,oratleastyouwilltomorrow.TheprizeisaHarvarddegreeinyourhand.Butwhatisthereasonbehindit?MyHarvarddegreerepresent,forme,thecuriosityandinventionthatwereencouragedhere,thefriendshipI’vesustainedthewayProfessorGrahamtoldmenottodescribethewaylighthitaflowerbutrathertheshadowtheflowercast,thewayprofessorScarrytalkedabouttheatreisatransformativereligiousforcehowprofessorCoslinshowedhowmuchourvisualcortexisactivatedjustbyimagining.Nowgrantedthesethingsdon’tnecessarilyhelpmeanswerthemostmonquestionI’masked:Whatdesignerareyouwearing?What’syourfitnessregime?Anymakeuptips?ButIhaveneversincebeenembarrassedtomyselfaswhatImightpreviouslyhavethoughtwasastupidquestion.MyHarvarddegreeandotheradwardsareemblemsoftheexperienceswhichledmetothem.Thewoodpaneledlecturehalls,thecolorfulfallleaves,thehotvanillaToscaninis,Readinggreatnovelsinoverstuffedlibrarychairsrunningthroughdininghallsscreaming:Ooh!Ah!Citystep!Citystep!Citystep!Citystep!It’seasynowtoromanticizemytimethere.ButIhadsomeverydifficulttimesheretoo.Somebinationofbeing19,dealingwithmyfirstheartbreak,takingbirthcontrolpillsthathavesincebeentakenoffthemarketfortheirdepressivesideeffects,andspendingtoomuchtimemissingdaylightduringwintermonthsledmetosomeprettydarkmoments,particularlyduringsophomoreyear.TherewereseveraloasionswhereIstartedcryinginmeetingswithprofessorsoverwhelmedwithwhatIwassupposedtopulloffwhenIcouldbarelygetmyselfoutofbedinthemorning.ThemomentswhenItookonthemottoformyschoolwork,done,notgood.IfonlyIcouldfinishmywork,evenifittookeatingajumbopackofsourPatchKidstogetmethroughasingle10-pagepaper.IfeltthatI’veaomplishedagreatfeat.Irepeattomyself:done,notgood.Acoupleofyearsago,IwenttoTokyowithmyhusbandandIateatthemostremarkablesushirestaurant.Idon’teveneatfish.I’mvegan.Sothattellsyouhowgooditwas.Evenwithjustvegetables,thissushiwasthestuffyoudreamedabout.Therestauranthassixseats.MyhusbandandImarveledathowanyonecanmakericesosuperiortoallotherrice.Wewonderedwhytheydidn’tmakeabiggerrestaurantandbethemostpopularplaceintown.Ourlocalfriends’explainstousthatallthebestrestaurantsinTokyoaresothatsmallanddoonlyonetypeofdish:sushiortempuraorteriyaki,becausetheywanttodothatthingwellandbeautifully.Andit’snotaboutquantity.It’sabouttakingpleasureintheperfectionandbeautyofparticular.I’mstilllearningnowthatit’saboutgoodandmaybeneverdone.Andthejoyandworkethicandvirtuositywebeingtotheparticularcanimpartasingulartypeofenjoymenttothosewegivetoandofcourse,toourselves.Inmyprofessionallife,italsotookmetimetofindmyownreasonsfordoingmywork.ThefirstfilmIwasincameoutin1994.Again,appallingly,theyearmostofyouwereborn.Iwas13yearsolduponthefilm’sreleaseandIcanstillquotewhattheNewYorkTimessaidaboutmeverbatim.MsPortmanposesbetterthansheacts.Thefilmhaduniversallytepidcriticresponseandwentontobombmercially.ThatfilmwascalledTheProfessional,orLeoninEurope.Andtoday,20yearsand35filmslater,itisstillthefilmpeopleapproachmeaboutthemosttotellmehowmuchtheylovedit,howmuchtheymovedthem,howit’stheirfavoritemovie.Ifeelluckythatmyfirstexperienceofreleasingafilmwasinitiallysuchadisasterbyallstandardsandmeasures.Ilearnedearlythatmymeaninghadtobefromtheexperienceofmakingfilmandthepossibilityofconnectingwithindividualsratherthantheforemosttrophiesinmyindustry:financialandcriticalsuess.Andalsotheseinitialreactionscouldbefalsepredictorsofyourwork’sultimatelegacy,IstartedchoosingonlyjobsthatI’mpassionateaboutandfromwhichIknewIcouldgleanmeaningfulexperiences.Thisthoroughlyconfusedeveryonearoundme:agents,producers,andaudiencesalike.ImadeGotya’sGhost,aforeignindependentfilmandstudyourhistoryvisitingtheproduceeverydayfor4monthsasIreadaboutGoyaandtheSpanishInquisition.ImadeforVendetta,studioactionmovieforwhichIlearnedeverythingIcouldaboutfreedomfighterswhomotherwisemaybecalledterrorists,fromMenachemBegintoWeatherUnderground.ImadeYourHighness,apotheadedywithDannyMcBrideandlaughedfor3monthsstraight.Iwasabletoownmymeaningantnothaveitbedeterminedbyboxofficereceiptsorprestige.BythetimeIgottomakingBlackSwan,theexperiencewasentirelymyown.Ifeltimmunetotheworstthingsanyonecouldsayorwriteaboutme,andtowhethertheaudiencefeltliketoseemymovieornot.Itwasinstructiveformetoseeforballetdancersonceyourtechniquegetstoacertainlevel,theonlythingthatseparatesyoufromothersisyourquirksorevenflaws.Oneballerinawasfamousforhowsheturnedslightlyoffbalanced.Youcanneverbethebest,technically.Somewillalwayshaveahigherjumporamorebeautifulline.Theonlythingyoucanbethebestatisdevelopingyourownself.AuthoringyourownexperiencewasverymuchwhatBlackSwanitselfwasabout.IworkedwithDarrenAronofskythedirectorwhochangedmylastlineinthemovietoitwasperfect.MycharacterNinaisonlyartisticallysuessfulwhenshefindsperfectionandpleasureforherselfnotwhenshewastryingtobeperfectintheeyesofothers.SowhenBlackSwanwassuessfulfinanciallyandIbeganreceivingaoladesIfelthonoredandgratefultohaveconnectedwithpeople.ButthetruecoreofmymeaningIhadalreadyestablished.AndIneededittobeindependentofpeople’sreactionstome.PeopletoldmethatBlackSwanwasanartisticrisk,ascarychallengetotrytoportrayaprofessionalballetdancer.Butitdidn’tfeellikecourageordaringthatdrovemedoit.IwassooblivioustomyownlimitsthatIdidthingsIwaswoefullyunpreparedtodo.Andsotheveryinexperiencethatincollegehadmademeinsecureandmademewanttoplaybyother’srulesnowismakingmeactuallytakerisksIdidn’tevenrealizewererisks.WhenDarrenaskedmeifIcoulddoballetItoldhimIwasbasicallyaballerinawhichbythewayIwholeheartedlybelieved.WhenitquicklybecameclearthatpreparingforfilmthatIwas15yearsawayfrombeingaballerina.Itmademeworkamilliontimesharderandofcoursethemagicofcinemaandbodydoubleshelpedthefinaleffect.Butthepointis,ifIhadknownmyownlimitationsIneverwouldtakeoftherisk.Andtheriskledtooneofmygreatestartisticpersonalexperiences.AndthatInotonlyfeltpletelyfree.Ialsometmyhusbandduringthefilming.Similarly,Ijustdirectedmyfirstfilm,ATaleofloveinDarkness.Iwasquiteblindtothechallengesaheadofme.Thefilmisaperiodfilm,pletelyinHebrewinwhichIalsoactwithaneight-year-oldchildasacostar.AllofthesearechallengesIshouldhavebeenterrifiedof,asIwaspletelyunpreparedforthembutmypleteignorancetomyownlimitationslookedlikeconfidenceandgotmeintothedirector’schair.Oncehere,Ihavetofigureitallout,andmybeliefthatIcouldhandlethesethingscontrarytoallevidenceofmyabilityordosowasonlyhalfthebattle.Theotherhalfwasveryhardwork.Theexperiencewasthedeepestandmostmeaningfuloneofmycareer.NowclearlyI’mnoturgingyoutogoandperformheartsurgerywithouttheknowledgetodoso!Makingmoviesadmittedlyhaslessdrasticconsequencesthanmostprofessionsandallowsforalotofeffectsthatmakeupformistakes.ThethingI’msayingis,makeuseofthefactthatyoudon’tdoubtyourselftoomuchrightnow.Aswegetolder,wegetmorerealistic,andthatincludesaboutourownabilitiesorlackthereof.Andthatrealismdoesusnofavors.Peoplealwaystalkaboutdivingintothingsyou’reafraidof.Thatneverworkedforme.IfIamafraid,Irunaway.AndIwouldprobablyurgemychildtodothesame.Fearprotectsusinmanyways.Whathasservedmeisdivingintomyownobliviousness.BeingmoreconfidentthanIshouldbewhicheveryonetendstodecryAmericankids,andthoseofuswhohavebeengradeinflatedandegoinflated.Well.Itcanbeagoodthingifitmakesyoutrythingsyounevermighthavetried.Yourinexperienceisanasset,andwillallowyoutothinkinoriginalandunconventionalway.Aeptyourlackofknowledgeanduseitasyourasset.Iknowafamousviolinistwhotoldmethathecan’tposebecauseheknowstoomanypiecessowhenhestartsthinkingofthenoteanexistingpieceimmediatelyestomind.Juststartingoutofyourdigeststrengthsisnotknownhowthingsaresupposedtobe.Youcanposefreelybecauseyourmindisn’tclutteredwithtoomanypieces.Andyoudon’ttakeforgrantedthewayhowthingsare.Theonlywayyouknowhowtodothingsisyourownway.Youherewillallgoontoachievegreatthings.Thereisnodoubtaboutthat.Eachtimeyousetouttodosomethingnewyourinexperiencecaneitherleadyoudownapathwhereyouwillconformtosomeoneelse’svaluesoryoucanforgeyourownpath.Eventhoughyoudon’trealizethat’swhatyou’redoing.Ifyourreasonsareyourown,yourpath,evenifit’sastrangeandclumsypath,willbewhollyyours,andyouwillcontroltherewardsofwhatyoudobymakingyourinternallifefulfilling.AttheriskofsoundinglikeaMissAmericanContestant,themostfulfillingthingsI’veexperiencedhavetrulybeenthehumaninteractions:spendingtimewithwomeninvillagebanksinMexicowithFINCAmicrofinanceorganization,meetingyoungwomenwhowerethefirstandtheonlyintheirmunitiestoattendsecondaryschoolsinruralKenyawithfreetheChildrengroupthatbuiltsustainableschoolsindevelopingcountriestrackingwithgorillaconservationistsinRwanda.It’scliché,becauseit’strue,thathelpingotherendsuphelpingyoumorethananyone.Gettingoutofyourownconcernsandcaringaboutsomeelse’slifeforawhile,remindyouthatyouarenotthecentraloftheuniverse.Andthatinthewayswe’regenerousornot,Wecanchangecourseofsomeone’slife.…havehadthemostlastingimpact.Andofcourse,firstandforemost,thecenterofmyworldisthelovethatIsharewithmyfamilyandfriends.IwishforyouthatyourfriendswillbewithyouthroughitallasmyfriendsfromHarvardhavebeentogethersincewegraduated.Grabthegoodpeoplearoundyouanddon’tletthemgo.Tobeornottobeisnotthequestion;thevitalquestionishowtobeandhownottobe.Thankyou!Ican’twaittoseeyoudoallthebeautifulthinsyouwilldo.