There is a distinct difference between knowledge and wisdom. I can tell you that as honor society president I have seen many smart people do stupid things. Let's just say that mixing a very large lunch with a bobbing ship and an admissions officer from the University of California equals a vomitous situation.
Today, we are sitting here celebrating the fact that we spent four long years in high school matriculating, which means actually learning to use words like matriculation. But I am going to go out on a limb and say that while we have acquired all of this knowledge, we are still incredibly dumb, and I am not referring to WASL scores, I mean that we have not had the opportunity to apply our knowledge. Just as I was completely unaware of my propensity for sea sickness, many of us have not had the opportunity to grow wiser.
The class of 2006 has advanced technology at its fingertips. However, we must remember that the Internet, television, and cell phones really are artificial intelligence, all they do is retain information. It is our job to apply it. Within the past year we have had many unfortunate reminders of the difference between knowledge and wisdom, now we are learning that certain bureaus within the federal government were aware of the possibility of a terrorist attacks, but clearly the appropriate proactive measures were not taken. You see knowledge: merely being aware of information is absolutely useless. Wisdom: knowing what to do with information is invaluable- in this case it meant the difference between discourse and recourse, and the loss of thousands of lives. So while we are accustomed to our artificial intelligence, it is time we become wise.
More than ever it is important that we are wise about our rights. After Sept. 11 there was an immediate scramble to tighten security. Random searches of our persons, our vehicles and our homes suddenly become acceptable because of fear. The most common response to these encroachments is as one passive Washington state ferry rider put it: "why should i care? I have nothing to hide." We should care because unwarranted searches are a regression of everything we have built this nation to be. We know what our rights are, but what are we doing to protect them? In an effort to protect the U.S. our first step is to unravel many of the things we stand for.
The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution states that people have the right “to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures,” but the issue at hand here is whether this also applies to the searches of open fields and of objects in plain view and whether the fourth amendment provides protection over these as well. In order to reaffirm the courts’ decision on this matter I will be relating their decisions in the cases of Oliver v. United States (1984), and California v. Greenwood (1988) which deal directly with the question of whether a person can have reasonable expectations of privacy as provided for in the fourth amendment with regards to objects in an open field or in plain view.
The brain is like a muscle, exercising it will strengthen knowledge which leads to academic succession. One of the most inaccurate beliefs that people are unaware of is their interpretation of “smart”,
Gerald Graff’s article, “Hidden Intellectualism,” strongly asserts that people make false assumptions about what it means to be intelligent. He believes we claim intelligence with inherently dry or narrow topics such as Plato, and nuclear fission while subjects such as cars, sports, and fashion are put aside as simple-minded matters. He goes on to refute this argument by saying there has never been any direct connection between a certain topic and the corresponding discussion or insight it may bring. Therefore, if students are first given
To the County High School Class of 2012: As you sit in front of me, I know what most of you are thinking at the moment. There are those who are already pondering about what life without high school will be like; those who are debating whether or not to tell your crush tonight about your whispers of adoration you’ve secretly held for four years; some simply want to get out of that ungodly chair, get that thing that isn’t really a diploma but only tells you when to pick up the thing, and then be the first one on the green bus to the grad party — you know who you are. And the rest, well, the rest aren’t even paying attention, you’re thinking, “Great, here comes one of the valedictorian speakers. Next up: a boring speech straight out of the pits of scholarly hell.” And it’s OK, I don’t mind — that sort of thing comes with the territory. But tonight, I ask that you give me a chance to break that stereotype so that I may address you in the full splendor that you deserve after 13 grueling years of work. I do not want to be known as your “valedictorian” as I stand here, c’mon guys, there is no time left to place labels on people anymore, instead I ask that you accept me as one of your peers — and as a man who will enjoy becoming a graduate alongside you.
When I was in elementary school, I loved to read. I was a total nerd back then ... okay maybe I still am, but one thing has changed. Now I don't so much like reading. My favorite poet was Shel Silverstein, who wrote "Where the Sidewalk Ends." He seemed like he was a total hippie, but that's cool because I like hippies. My grandma is a recovering hippie. I like her too. Anyway, Shel Silverstein wrote about the coolest things. He wrote about magical erasers, eating whales and a boy with long hair flying away from people who were taunting him. He captured all of the things that I loved without knowing that I actually loved them. Now you may ask, how does this hippie relate to our graduation? Well, he wrote a poem entitled "Traffic Light" and this is how it goes:
Good evening. Some of you out there may not realize this but those of you who attended Suntime Middle School have been with this guy for the last seven years. I would like to ask you all, not just Suntime Middle School grads and who all else, to join me in thanking Mr. Weather for his patience and dedication to the success of our education over the years. We are the Class of 2000. The first graduating class of the new millennium. The past four years have been pretty wild. We started out as a bunch of rats in a small cage, but as time went by we learned and matured and became big rats in a new small cage, but in any case, the cage door is now opening; the handlers turning us wild things loose. As we leave "Where the Wild Things Are," home to some of the best cat fights, fist fights and food fights this side of the Cascades, I have a little surprise for all of you sitting in front of me here tonight in your caps and gowns … we ain’t seen nothing yet!
When I was chosen to speak tonight, I thought that as a track athlete it would be appropriate to compare life to a race. Life is a race, a race to each milestone in our lives.
We’ve all found ourselves tied up in one way or another: too much schoolwork, too many activities, friends demanding our time. Well, no matter how you’ve found yourself tied up, we’ve all found ourselves tied to one mountain, some for as many as 13 years. Though confined, we all have managed to wiggle around in our bonds to the hill and create other long-lasting ties.
Often times those who are smart in school subject lack the common sense needed to survive outside of work or school although that is not always the case. Others who may very intelligent when it comes to common sense and making the right decision on the street lack the wisdom need in school or work. This is a critical part of survival and I believe common sense is needed just as much as anything else.
The great big orange doors. The doors that we have grown so fond of during our four-year stay at Tropics High School -- the cafeteria doors. In an attempt to get to the Commons a split second faster than the person next to you, how many times have you opened those orange doors so hard and fast that you've gone BAM! and heard a response of a groan ... OW! Then in reaction to the yelp, you turn to see a boy with a freshly swollen red spot right in the middle of his forehead. "Sorry," you say with a cheesy grin and you skidaddle away as fast as you possibly can. You never see this boy ever again, except in the most random places and though you don't know his name, you'll always remember to never open the big orange door so fast and so hard ever again. As insignificant as he was in your life, he has taught you a lesson.
What do you want to be when you grow up? The dreams of our youth often become the challenges of today and the challenges of today often become the blueprints of our future.
It is probably a mistake that I am standing here giving a speech for graduation. In fact it is probably a mistake that I am even graduating from this school at all -- believe me, just as most people in this class I have tested the limits of attendance, of sleeplessness, and of procrastination. At the beginning of my high schooling, I was even testing dropping out ... and if that wasn't a mistake, I don't know what was. After four years of Starr altering our minds, it seemed most fitting for me to spend my four minutes talking about mistakes. Thank goodness for them, by the way -- it is only when we truly screw up big time that we are ever stopped in our tracks -- stopped, briefly, to learn lessons of worth.
First of all I want to take this opportunity to thank some people. I wish to extend my gratitude and gratefulness to all of you who are present today. The people who care and have made a difference are right here ... right now. The greatest gift any of us could have received is having the people who influenced all of our lives here to witness this milestone. Whether you are parents, teachers, family members, or friends, you have all contributed for us to reach this goal of acquiring our diplomas. All that any of us have accomplished can be credited to you and your undying support. You have been our advocates in our ongoing journey seeking education. I also want to thank God. Because of His unceasing love and grace, He has made all of this possible. Thank you for all you have done for us.
T.S. Eliot once wrote, "What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from." Every landmark in our lives will end but there is always a beginning to an end. As each new path ends a new one begins. Graduation marks the end of a path but as it ends a new path begins.
There are certain traits in which many people wish to possess. One of those traits is knowledge. Everyone wants to be smarter than everyone else, and being the smartest around is not always a bad thing. However, sometimes knowledge does not have to be a good thing. Knowledge is helpful to save lives such as Odysseus’s journey in the Odyssey and when the CIA foiled Al Qaeda’s terrorist plot to bomb an airplane. However, knowledge is also a burden when one begins to have second thought from my personal experiences taking tests.